#ThrowbackThursday GIHE w/ Celeste Bell 05.12.19

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and Lockdown 2.0, we’re unable to make it in to the Hoxton Radio studio to broadcast our weekly live new music show from 7-9pm. Instead, we’re sharing previous show recordings as #ThrowbackThursday sessions, so you can still enjoy 2 hours of new music tunes & chats with some of our favourite artists each week.

Today, we’ve picked our December 2019 show with musician and writer Celeste Bell. She spoke to Mari & Kate about co-writing her mother’s biography with Zoe Howe (Dayglo: The Poly Styrene Story), and how she’s keeping the legacy of her mother’s work alive by working on a new documentary film, Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché, with director Paul Sng. You can find out more about the film and how to donate to its Patreon Crowdfund here.

Listen back to the show:

Tracklist
X Ray Spex – Oh Bondage, Up Yours
MAITA – Can’t Blame A Kid
Mango – Demons
King Hannah – Creme Brulee
Hezen – Whole
Fassine – Limbs
Eilis Frawley – Strangers
Calva Louise – Adelante
Small Man Society – Songs I Write
Calista Kazuko – Benzo Belle
Jaguary Jonze – Kill Me With Your Love
IVEY – Scream
LibraLibra – Loverboy
Toni&Mash – I Want It
X Ray Spex – I Am A Cliche
Zola Jesus – Bound
Foxcunt – Merry Christmas, Fuck The Patriarchy
Kate Stapley – Hermit
Peggy Sue – White Christmas
Suggested Friends – Cygnets
Tinx – Wait & See
Frazey Ford – The Kids Are Having None Of It
Alanis Morissette – Hand In My Pocket

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Track Of The Day: Circe – ‘Dancer’

An evocative dark-pop gem inspired by a morbid fascination with an infamous cult, London-based artist Circe has shared her latest single ‘Dancer’. Taken from her debut EP She’s Made of Saints, which is set for release on 25th November via Jazz Life, the track is a sultry, cinematic offering exploring the dangerous yet seductive allure of Californian cult The Source Family.

“’Dancer’ is a song that grew from a documentary I watched about The Source Family…examining a radical experiment in 1970’s utopian living,” Circe explains. “One of the young girls involved from the cult had a line in an interview about how she gave up all ownership of herself for the cult leader ‘Father Yod’, even dancing. That line always stuck with me. The thought someone could surrender their own movement and body-ultimate freedom. I waver on this dangerous line between interest and intrigue into cults, particularly the 60s-70s ones based around Hollywood. It’s always been a fascination for me that there is a surreal romance to these set-ups, in contrast to some horrific actions.”

Accompanied by a captivating video directed by Rachel Povey and Circe, the visuals for ‘Dancer’ incorporate symbols of Catholicism to explore the thrilling feeling that sacrificing yourself to the light – even if it is only a glamorous neon sign – strangely brings. Inspired by the visuals and soundtracks of David Lynch’s films, Circe’s compelling electronic sounds teeter on the edge of dystopia and utopia, whilst dissecting personal and social norms with breathtaking grace.

Listen to ‘Dancer’ below.

Follow Circe on Spotify, bandcamp, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter & Instagram

Kate Crudgington
@kate_crudge

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LISTEN: Divide and Dissolve – ‘Denial’

An exhilarating, powerful soundscape that aims to erode the foundations of colonialism and liberate the land for black and indigenous communities, multidimensional duo Divide and Dissolve have shared their latest single ‘Denial’. Taken from their upcoming album Gas Lit, which is set for release on 29th January 2021 via Invada Records, the track is an eerie cacophony of thunderous riffs, ear-shattering percussion and uncanny saxophone notes that aim to eradicate white supremacy.

“Sometimes we don’t need to talk in order for others to understand what’s going on,” the duo explain about their intense instrumentals. “We are communicating with our ancestors through the music. Our ancestors help us to communicate with each other on a deeper level as well. This deep connection is able to be achieved without words.” Through their blend of visceral noise and captivating visuals, Divide and Dissolve – formed of Takiaya Reed (Black & Tsalagi [Cherokee]) and Sylvie Nehill (Māori) – dismantle the social frameworks that prevent black and indigenous communities from thriving in an equal society.

The accompanying video for ‘Denial’ was shot in Taupo, Aotearoa by indigenous director Amber Beaton. “I’m a huge fan of Divide and Dissolve and so happy to have made this video for them,” Beaton explains. “I understand and appreciate the message behind the music and I wanted to make sure the video held the same intentions no matter how subtle.”

“For instance, we start off with a shot of a Kōwhai tree. Native to Aotearoa, Kōwhai in bloom signifies to Māori that some seafood is ready for harvest, the roots can be used to make fishing hooks, the sap on the sunny side of the tree can be used to heal wounds… but the vibrancy of the yellow flower was also the first thing Captain Cook saw when he arrived on the shores of Aotearoa signalling the start of colonial violence on this whenua/land. The changing colours of its flower in the video represents our change as a country and as people since that fateful arrival.”

Dedicated to shining a light on social injustices both past and present, Divide and Dissolve continue to demand equality on thunderous new offering ‘Denial’, which serves as another reminder of the duo’s talent for creating abrasive yet graceful soundscapes.

Listen to the track below.

 

Follow Divide and Dissolve on bandcamp, Instagram, Spotify, Twitter & Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Billy Eyers

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: CMAT – ‘I Wanna Be A Cowboy Baby’ (Acoustic Version)

A wonderfully stripped-back rendition of her recent single, Irish pop star CMAT has shared a beautiful acoustic version of ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!’. Delivered with the same charm and melancholy as the original, CMAT’s captivating vocals soar above Americana-inspired guitar as she laments about urban isolation and wanting to be free from patriarchal shackles.

“[The song is] based around a VINE that was really popular from a couple of years ago of a load of guys drinking cans outside in a playground saying “I wanna be a cowboy baby!,” CMAT explained to us when we spoke to her about the single in September (read the full interview here). Much like her previous singles ‘Another Day (kfc)’ and ‘Rodney’ – an ode to Rodney Dangerfield – CMAT has a talent for taking obscure scenarios and molding them into intensely relatable, catchy pop tunes.

“Always the cowboy, never the cow / I hate the way my life turned out” she confesses during the song, her candid lyrics softened by the gentle twang of her acoustic guitar. Like most women, CMAT just wants to exist with the confidence of a cowboy, unafraid to down a whiskey at the bar and stagger home safely. “Wanna go to my first rodeo, what’s that cracked up to be? / I wanna stop relying on men who are bigger than me” she sings, pining for the freedom that’s naturally afforded to men, but rarely extended to women.

Knowing that CMAT is challenging these “norms” while providing us with a stellar soundtrack at the same time is making our 2020 slightly more bearable. We’re hopeful that one day soon we’ll meet her at the bar, where we can respectfully tilt our cowboy hats in her direction after she’s finished singing this sweet tune.

Listen to the acoustic version of ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!’ below.

 

Follow CMAT on bandcamp, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Sarah Doyle

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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