SIXPOINTS Turn Reflection Into Atmosphere on “For Black Star”

Some songs demand attention. Others quietly pull you into their orbit. SIXPOINTS' "For Black Star" belongs firmly in the latter category, unfolding like a meditation on mortality, mystery, and the invisible threads connecting the physical and spiritual worlds.

Inspired by David Bowie's final masterpiece Blackstar, and particularly the haunting resonance of "Lazarus," the track serves as both tribute and transformation. Rather than attempting to imitate Bowie, West Coast Canadian duo SIXPOINTS channel the fearless artistic spirit that defined his work, using it as a foundation for their own sonic exploration.

Built around sparse instrumentation, hypnotic melodies, and carefully layered textures, "For Black Star" thrives on restraint. Composer and producer Shaun Day Woods, alongside poet and bassist Jimy Dawn, understand that not every song requires complexity to create impact. The result is a piece that feels expansive despite its minimalism, allowing every note and lyric room to breathe.

What makes the track particularly compelling is its sense of atmosphere. There is a dreamlike quality woven throughout the production, one that blurs the line between meditation and performance art. The lyrics invite listeners to embrace uncertainty rather than resist it, suggesting that life's unanswered questions may be just as important as the answers themselves.

That theme is reinforced by the song's organic creation process. After multiple takes during sessions for the duo's debut album Negative Space, the final version emerged only after the band stripped the arrangement back to its essentials. The decision paid off. The simplicity gives the song its emotional weight, allowing its message to resonate long after it ends.

With "For Black Star," SIXPOINTS prove that powerful music doesn't need to shout. Sometimes the most profound moments arrive in a whisper. It's a thoughtful, immersive piece that rewards patience and reflection, offering listeners a rare opportunity to slow down and sit with something larger than themselves.

"For Black Star" was inspired by David Bowie's Blackstar. Beyond the music itself, what lessons from Bowie's artistic approach have had the biggest influence on your own creative process?

Bowie was a renegade who wasn’t afraid to take risks. He was a very beautiful and giving soul, and we’re all very fortunate that he was willing and able to share himself in such a musical and creative way. We must take risks and share our work selflessly, which is the importance of art in the first place. 

The song explores the intersection of the physical, spiritual, and emotional worlds. How do those themes show up in your everyday lives outside of music?

We operate in the 3rd dimension (physical and emotional) and the 5th dimension (spiritual) simultaneously. Everything that we do has a spiritual element to it. We are supported in whatever choices we make; thus, it’s very important we choose our pathways wisely. Hopefully, we can be a positive influence. 

You mentioned that simplifying the arrangement during the final recording session ultimately made the song stronger. What did that experience teach you about knowing when to add more and when to take things away?

I’m constantly reminding myself that less is more. I tend to be a minimalist by nature so it makes sense that approach can prove to be successful both while composing tunes and in the recording studio. 

SIXPOINTS often operates in the space between genres, blending poetry, atmosphere, and experimental sound design. How important is it for the project to remain difficult to categorize?

I don’t think we intentionally try to make music that is hard to categorize. It’s just naturally who we are. Our influences are so wide-ranging, from other experimental musical forms to contemporary dance to other cutting-edge artists, poets, and writers to any folks who are living in alternative ways. Everyone is capable of operating both inside and outside of the matrix. The clearer we are about this duality, the idea of music (or whatever art form) falling into any specific categories or genres actually becomes irrelevant and useless. Our music is and will be whatever it needs to be. 

If listeners walk away from "For Black Star" with just one feeling, thought, or question lingering in their minds, what do you hope it is? 

That our physical lives are finite while our spirits are infinite. That we’re safe and loved and that the veil between the finite and infinite is remarkably thin and transparent. That there is much more to our day-to-day routines than only what the 7 senses can ascribe to.