Is It Any Wonder? is the title of a forthcoming Bowie collection of previously unreleased music, “Nuts” being the fifth of six tracks for the special streaming EP via Parlophone. It was produced by Bowie with Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati during the same 1996 sessions as Earthling. Anchored by a persistent UK jungle rhythm and droning synthesizers, Bowie peppers the fast-paced instrumental with random vocals that fade in and out. At one point his voice is a menacing whisper; at another, he’s happily whistling a melody. The track rumbles with echoes of Tricky and Underworld, and could easily be dropped into a drum and bass DJ set today. Largely instrumental — featuring Bowie doing distorted spoken word (“What would you rather be doing?” he asks at one point) — “Nuts” boasts guitarist Reeves Gabrels and keyboardist Mark Plati, who provides the track with its jittery, restless drum programming.
The latest song to be unearthed is the 1996 track “Nuts,” which features heavy drum and bass beats with scattered, sparse vocals by Bowie.
Previous releases these past few weeks have been the live ChangesNowBowie version of “The Man Who Sold The World,” “I Can’t Read ‘97,” “Stay ‘97” and “Baby Universal ‘97.”
“Nuts” was originally produced during the Earthling sessions in November 1996, which also yielded the song “The Last Thing You Should Do.” It features Mark Plati on keyboards and programming, Reeves Gabrels on guitar and vocals by Bowie.
The Fat Angel Sings 