ListenUp
Bikini Kill, a new release from M.I.A., a playlist for pride and more in our recap of music we tweeted this week
Bikini Kill: Rebel Girl
If you need a break after attempting our previous week’s “Miley Cyrus challenge,” check out the other end of the spectrum with this
clip from the Bikini Kill archives featuring a live performance in Washington, DC in 1992. A shining symbol of feminism, Kathleen Hanna confronts the audience with her powerful vocals, reminiscent of the 1990s punk rock scene. Thankfully, “The Punk Singer,” a documentary about Bikini Kill and Le Tigre lead singer Kathleen Hanna and her role in the riot grrrl movement was just picked up for distribution by Sundance Selects this week and will be released in the fall.
M.I.A.: Bring The Noize
The London-via-Sri Lanka female rapper is back with a high energy, club-ready new single and video with “Bring The Noize” in anticipation of her upcoming fourth album Matangi. Calling on longtime collaborator Switch and newcomer Surkin for beats, M.I.A.’s new track sounds like a culmination of her best efforts throughout her career with a contemporary UK house vibe. M.I.A.’s lyrics and visuals are no less controversial than before, taking shots at big banks and reminding us that “just ‘cause I’m a mom it don’t make me thick.” While “Bring The Noize” is enough to get our attention, the track’s visuals are equally interesting. An accomplished visual artist, M.I.A. draws heavily on religious imagery set inside a massive club. Keep an eye out for upcoming releases in anticipation of her new album, set to release this fall.
Ebony Bones: I See I Say
British singer-songwriter, record producer and actress Ebony Bones is big and getting bigger. She just released a new single from her second album Behold, A Pale Horse, and the sound and composition are undeniably explosive. Dynamically charged, the intense vocal loop and riveting orchestral strings in “I See I Say” drive the song all the way through. The children’s choir accompaniment that comes in and out brings some sweetness to the song’s more ominous personality, making for a very compatible contrast. After the success of her debut album Bone of My Bones and the promise of this single, be ready for the album to launch 5 August.
Yoko Ono and Cat Power: Revelations
This track comes from Yoko Ono’s 2007 Yes, I’m A Witch remix album. Cat Power aka Chan Marshall took the vocals from Ono’s original 1995 “Revelations” and transformed the song into a beautiful, stripped-down duet—a dialogue between the past and present. Marshall’s choice to remove the guitars and drums puts the focus on Ono’s poetic lyrics, parts of which are tenderly spoken in a mesmerizing manner; revealing a rare, tamer side of Ono, who just wrapped up curating this year’s Meltdown Festival in London.
The Year in Queer Playlist by Rdio
It’s been a huge week for LGBTQ politics and pride. To celebrate NYC Gay Pride Week, National Pride Month across the US and a marriage equality ruling by the Supreme Court, we’re listening to Rdio’s The Year In Queer Playlist. With songs from Frank Ocean, Tegan and Sara, Beyoncé, Carly Rae Jepsen, Mykki Blanco and Brenmar, the selection reflects “the biggest gay moments of the year.” Each song and artist has been hand-picked for a particular—and excellent—reason. From Elton John and partner David Furnish having a baby, to Madonna being banned from Russia for publicly supporting gay rights, all of the songs reflect a significant moment from the year so far in the LGBTQ community. It’s the perfect playlist to party to this pride weekend.
