The Baltimore-born, New York-based artist serpentwithfeet continues to examine the lineage of R&B through the lens of queer desire, a rich motivation for a compelling career. Following the 2024 release of Grip and its 2025 companion piece Grip Sequel, serpentwithfeet returns with a fresh EP titled Sentinel. The lead track, co-produced with Brandon Juhan and Rahm, pulls serpentwithfeet back toward his gospel foundations, marrying desperate, yearning vocals with murky, IDM-inspired programming. Here is the artist’s reflection on the song:
I began by considering homoerotic longing and how men connect when they’re cut off from others. Then I shifted to patriarchy. One pillar that sustains it is men instinctively knowing where they stand on the ladder—whether labeled alpha or beta, whatever those terms mean, you know your place. A grown man may be willing to kneel, to take on less responsibility, or to yield some autonomy because someone else carries more power or privilege. To me, that feels like religion. It made me wonder what happens when we feel that erotically. What unfolds when we allow someone to hold our heart because of how they move through the world?
In addition to the studio version of “sentinel,” serpentwithfeet has shared a live interpretation of the track recorded in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. It marks the first video from FERN, described by a press release as “a nature-based music performance platform.” Watch the performances below.
TRACKLIST:
01 “sentinel”
02 “henchmen”
03 “invocation”
04 “his student”
05 “of course, daddy”
06 “sentinel”
07 “puckish” (feat. TYGAPAW)
The Sentinel EP lands on 12/4 via One Little Independent. You can pre-order it here.
