Quiet Domino covers the Dirty Projectors’ “Impregnable Question” as an airy synth dream

San Francisco-based multi-instrumentalist Mark Ivy Nelsen has been bringing his electronic ingenuity to the Bay under his solo project Quiet Domino since 2017.

Recorded at the Little Green Shack in the East Bay, Nelsen partnered with Devin Farney to cover the NYC experimentalists as a part of his ongoing "QDTV/Color Test" new-tracks series. Originally included on Dirty Projectors’ seminal 2012 album Swing Lo Magellan, Quiet Domino’s version draws you in with its subtle groove and Nelsen’s falsetto vocals.

Here’s Nelsen’s take on why he was inspired by Dave Longstreth & company:

What inspired you to pick this song to cover?

“My friend Devin Farney (close collaborator and co-producer on the track) is a devout Dirty Projectors fan and got me into them when Swing Lo Magellan came out. ‘Impregnable Question’ was a personal favorite from that album. Around that time, Devin and I performed the song together at an acoustic show, years before I got Quiet Domino rolling. We never recorded it, and recently thought it would be fun to revive it with QD. The song has beautiful lyrics, and is one of the Projectors' few subdued, straight forward acoustic-pop ballads. So with that simplified space, we tried a wavier synth-pop approach by trading the acoustic instruments for electronic beats and keyboards (including a mellotron pad), while maintaining the form and mood of the original. That's also Devin on backing harmony vocals. Coincidentally, I just found out that Swing Lo Magellan was released on Domino Records. Weird huh?”

Dig what you’re hearing? Follow Quiet Domino on Facebook to get updated on his upcoming Bay Area shows & new releases.

RELATED: Check out Quiet Domino's visit to BFF.FM with his interview & collaborative playlist on LOUD & Local last May.