Song You Need: Gold Panda’s graceful return

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On "The Corner," Gold Panda's first new material in six years (and the first taste of The Work, due November 11), samples "Lydia" by Dean Friedman, a singer-songwriter more likely to find joy in hot air balloons than showcase the inner workings of the Baltimore crime eco-system. These unlikely points align, however, when the British producer found himself returning to the HBO classic and finding new resonance in Friedman's lyric: "More often than not I'm down here on the corner."

The original's sorrow tone is one of self-flagellation, Friedman owning up to being a shitty boyfriend and facing what awaits him. For his song, Gold Panda zooms out and leaves the regret and despondency a little more abstract, bathing the vocal in waves of synths and chopping it up into a new melody. The resulting effect is disarming in that it feels both comforting as well as a little melancholy. "The Corner" takes on a more metaphorical quality, representing any time or place someone has felt lost, scared, or alone. Balancing this against the fresh morning vibe of the instrumental means neither side feels heavily weighted; "The Corner" just floats.