Wise was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up amongst a religious family; his father owned a Christian bookstore and his mother was a choir director. Wise joined the church choir as a child and grew up with classical and gospel music as a primary influence.
He attended the University of the Arts and sang with a couple of neo-soul bands in Philadelphia, before re-locating to New York City where he started working with Robin Carolan of Tri Angle Records. The blisters EP was released in September 2016 with previously available songs 'flickering', 'blisters' and 'four ethers' , alongside 'penance' and 'redemption'. The EP was co-written and produced with The Haxan Cloak.
Wise is openly gay and from a young age used gospel music to express his sexuality.
http://tri-anglerecords.com/serpentwithfeet
Redemption
SERPENTWITHFEET Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're my four ethers
I thought there was redemption in the four ethers
Somehow I thought the sweet perfume of our truths
Rotting inside your belly could free me could free me
If I could just anoint my body with this perfume with this perfume
This perfume will surely save me
The thing that sours in your belly will surely save me, surely
Your name is impossible to know
Your name is impossible to know
The lyrics to SERPENTWITHFEET's Redemption are open to interpretation, but there are a few key themes that emerge. The first is the idea of redemption itself. The singer seems to believe that there is some sort of redemption or salvation that can be found in the "four ethers," which is a reference to the four elements of nature: earth, air, fire, and water. These elements have been seen as symbolic of balance, harmony, and interconnectedness for centuries.
The second theme is the idea of honesty and truth. The singer suggests that there is a "sweet perfume" that can come from the uncomfortable truths or secrets that we keep hidden inside ourselves. They believe that this can somehow be cleansing or healing in some way.
Finally, there is the idea of identity. The singer is unable to know or understand the name of the person they are speaking to, which gives a sense of anonymity and possibly a lack of connection between the two individuals. This could represent a larger societal issue of disconnection and loss of identity in a modern world.
Overall, the lyrics to Redemption are beautifully poetic, yet enigmatic. They touch on themes of redemption, truth, and identity, leaving the listener to draw their own conclusions about what the song really means.
Line by Line Meaning
Your name is impossible to know
I cannot comprehend who you truly are or what you stand for.
You're my four ethers
You are the essence of my being, my soul's center.
I thought there was redemption in the four ethers
I believed that salvation and liberation could be found through our intimacy and connection.
Somehow I thought the sweet perfume of our truths
I believed that the alluring scent of our shared honesty and authenticity would save us.
Rotting inside your belly could free me could free me
I believed that the decay of your innermost self could release me from my struggles and pain.
If I could just anoint my body with this perfume with this perfume
If only I could cover myself with this fragrance of truth and redemption.
This perfume will surely save me
I trust that this aroma will bring me deliverance and liberation.
The thing that sours in your belly will surely save me, surely
The very thing that decays within you will surely provide me with salvation and rescue.
But your name is impossible to know
Still, I cannot grasp who you are or what you represent, despite my desperate search for salvation.
Your name is impossible to know
Your true identity remains an enigma that I cannot solve, even with the promise of redemption.
Your name is impossible to know
Once again, I am reminded that you are a mystery that I cannot unravel or comprehend, regardless of my yearning for liberation.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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