Track Of The Day: ALA.NI – ‘Lament for Emmett Till’

A poignant, deeply moving recognition of enduring grief and racial injustice, Paris-based, London-born artist ALA.NI has shared ‘Lament for Emmett Till’ to help mark the 65th anniversary of the 14 year old African-American boy’s death. Her pensive vocals and gentle instrumentation allow listeners to revisit the tragedy of Till’s story, and to question why racial injustice still has such a frighteningly profound presence in modern society.

Taking its title and lyrics from a 1955 poem of the same name by the radical activist, journalist and organiser of the first Notting Hill Carnival, Claudia Jones, ‘Lament for Emmett Till’ explores the brutal kidnapping and lynching of the 14 year old after he was wrongfully accused of sexually harassing Carolyn Bryant, a white female clerk, at a Mississippi grocery store.

When his murderers were acquitted of the crime – despite confessing their guilt in a paid magazine interview only months later – Till’s mother decided to have an open casket funeral so others could see the horrifying violence he’d endured, which lead to him becoming a posthumous symbol of The Civil Rights Movement.

The FBI have since reopened the case and are seeking to make lynching a federal crime, but a Republican senator is controversially blocking the bill and Carolyn Bryant herself admitted in a 2007 interview that she had lied about the events that led to Till’s murder. There has still been no formal apology, no compensation, and no conviction for Till’s murder.

ALA.NI’s single acknowledges this injustice, and is supported by the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, which she is an official ambassador of. The foundation is currently asking the public to sign a petition demanding justice for Till and, specifically, that the FBI release the findings of their recent re-investigation into his murder as a matter of urgency. ALA.NI’s track is accompanied by a monochrome video that shows pictures and press clippings from the time of Till’s murder, and will prompt listeners to sign the petition (which you can do here).

“We find ourselves at a pivotal point in world history, where we must act now and fast, before all is too late. This is our last chance to fight for rightful equalities before the fascists take over,” ALA.NI explains. “I’m reaching out to the people to seek justice for Emmett Till. Knowing the power of music, I hope it can be used as an effective tool to bring the much needed awareness to this long-overdue murder case. Justice for Emmett Till will set a president for the systematic reform that must take place, that we can no longer afford to ignore and wait patiently for.”

Watch the video for ‘Lament for Emmett Till’ below.

Follow ALA.NI on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Photo Credit: Alice Dellal

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: HAWXX – ‘Dogma’

Having previously blown us away with their immense live show, mega rockers HAWXX follow their last seething offering ‘Deadlands’ with raging new single ‘Dogma’.

An immense call to action in the face of a culture that is constantly telling us we’re not enough, it races with a riotous energy as the soaring gritty vocals of front person Anna rage against frenzied beats and fierce hooks, creating a blazing cathartic anthem. Of the track, Anna reflects:

“I was thinking how normalised it is for us women to hate ourselves, to always wish we were different somehow. We are constantly caught between two messages. We are either not enough or we are too much. It’s revolutionary to say ‘I’m content with myself exactly as I am’.”

Featuring footage from the Chilean Las Tesis protests, watch the powerful new video for ‘Dogma’ now:

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Kriz-p

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Track Of The Day: After London – ‘Operator’

In a high energy, hard-hitting banger, London based post-punks After London release their empowering new single ‘Operator’. Right from the track’s start, the undeniable chemistry between instruments is in the face of the band’s listeners in a loud and striking way. With a flawless glue between their experimental backdrop and Frank Ward’s powerful vocals, the scene is set as the track grabs your attention and refuses to let go until the song concludes.

Moments of tasteful guitar feedback throughout ‘Operator’ pay homage to After London’s punk roots and give their track a slice of edge that creates a hunger for listeners to see the band’s dynamic live. Layered synths cohesively incorporated into the rock instrumentation provide an ear catching, progressive element to After London’s sound. The fact that the track utilises such an array of different sounds drawn from various genres, but still maintains a minimalist mix, is a reflection of the band’s extensive creative harness.

With such a catchy chorus that celebrates individualism, After London bring out the self determined side in us all and encourage us to move to the beat of our own drum “with the outlaws.” After London’s ‘Operator’ is truly a call for being your own person and feeling liberated by that in the face of objection.

Watch the new video for ‘Operator’ now:

Jill Goyeau
@jillybxxn

Photo Credit: Jessie Morgan

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Track Of The Day: HAAi – ‘Head Above The Parakeets’

An experimental, bright musing on pre-empting personal risk, HAAi has shared her latest single ‘Head Above The Parakeets’. Released via Mute, the track is paired with another song titled ‘Rotating In Unison’, and both are lifted from HAAi’s new EP, which is set for release on 11th September.

HAAi has been busy during the lockdown period, performing online shows alongside Mute label boss Daniel Miller for the Love Record Stores event, and a show from her flat in East London for Boiler Room’s Streaming from Isolation series. Now, she’s gearing up to release her new EP, and ‘Head Above The Parakeets’ is a hazy, slickly produced seven minute taste of what’s to come.

Of the track, HAAi explains: “‘Head Above The Parakeets’ is an obvious play on words. To signify the feeling of risk, apprehension and being exposed in what you create. The [accompanying] video was made from footage from some of my favourite festivals and shows over the past year, some of my own visuals and some that were made for my 2019 Sonar show by INSRT. It’s a nostalgic, psychedelic nod to the job and people I love so much, and a reaction to the whirlwind that was my life for the past couple of years.”

Watch the video for ‘Head Above The Parakeets’ below and follow HAAi on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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