Mandy, Indiana, from artist’s Bandcamp
As genocide continues in the Middle East, artists continue to speak out. They also continue to speak out against racism, homophobia, sexism, police brutality, and corporate greed. Here is a small sampling of the socially conscious music released in November.
Songs/Videos:
Demons – Allison Russell
The latest video from the Canadian singer-songwriter is for “Demons” a track and single from her latest album The Returner. Russell made the following statement on the video’s YouTube page: “Our trauma can be the mother of empathy, of compassion, of equal human understanding, of Truth, Reconciliation, Reparation, Forgiveness, of loving coalition and harm reduction. “Demons” is about looking our traumas, our fears, our pain — on the micro and macro levels in the face— and not letting them drive the bus. It’s a call to courage and coalition. Worlds within worlds. Imagine a world where our ideologies never subsume our equal and shared humanity.”
Lost In America – Israel Nash
This tune and video deals with a family friend of Nash who was a Vietnam vet who struggled post-war. It is off the singer-songwriter’s 7th album Ozarker.
To Be Hated and Thus Corrected – Fold
The latest single from the UK conscious music group features poignant spoken word samples from Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks and Jonathan Livingstone Seagull author Richard Bach. The tune is a call to action, instead of just hating unjust conditions, that hatred of injustice can be a positive catalyst to take corrective action.
Sheared (Pinking Shears Rework) – Mandy, Indiana & clipping.
This collaboration between the English-French noise rock band Mandy, Indiana, and experimental hip-hop trio clipping is a rework of “Pinking Shears”, a standout track from Mandy, Indiana’s excellent debut album i’ve seen a way. The tune includes scathing social critiques on US politics from clipping’s rapper Daveed Diggs, including the potent verse “The dream is all crooked cops, retail mark-up on basic goods, an ex-president getting away with treason.”
Humanitarian Pause – David Rovics
The veteran singer-songwriter and activist made the following state concerning his latest tune: “What do you call a regime that kills over 5,000 children in a carpet-bombing campaign, leveling most of an entire region, intentionally bombing all the hospitals, ambulances, water tanks, power generators, solar panels, homes, churches, mosques, schools, refugee camps, grocery stores, and bakeries, with total destruction as the obvious goal? And what do you call it when they take a few days off from the killing spree, with every intention of continuing it after the “humanitarian pause”? I have no idea, I’m just asking, because these questions need answers. But I wrote this song, anyway.”
Wounded Child — No Surviving Family (WCNSF) – David Rovics
Here is another recent tune from Rovics concerning the current genocide against Palestine. It refers to what surviving doctors write on the bodies of the surviving children, the acronym, WCNSF (Wounded Child, No Surviving Family).
Everybody Hate The Cops (featuring Time and Lee Reed) – Sole & DJ Pain 1
This political rap tune is pretty straightforward in its intent. The emcees cite several examples of police corruption, including personal experiences.
Albums:
Music from the Song Film: Omoiyari – Kishi Bashi
This is a soundtrack to a documentary named after Bashi’s exceptional 2019 album Omoiyari. The film is a musical journey that explores past histories in connection with WWII-era Japanese Incarceration and assimilation. It also links past histories with current realities faced by minorities in America. The soundtrack includes many orchestral reworkings of tunes that appeared on Omoiyari, along with the symphonic score.
Creation and the Timeless Order of Things – Racetraitor
Twenty years after their explicitly political 1998 debut full-length album Burn the Idol of the White Messiah the American hardcore band finally followed it up with 2018’s 2042. They have now released their album Creation and the Timeless Order of Things. The album maintains the band’s political edge, focusing on injustices both global and domestic. They also tap into the Iranian heritage of vocalist Mani Mostofi and guitarist Dan Binaei. such as the potent opening track “Eid”.
Integrated Tech Solutions – Aesop Rock
The 9th album by the veteran underground rapper is a loose concept album focusing on a fictional tech company that markets algorithm-based lifestyle apps. He insightfully examines the historical misuse of new technology and the current potential dangers.
Harmonizing Soweto: Golden City Gospel & Kasi Soul from the new South Africa – Diepkloof United Voice
South African apartheid may have ended in the early 1990s, but the economic divides and inequalities remain. These are the conditions that gave birth to Diepkloof United Voice. Their debut album is an impeccable blend of soul and gospel and is heavily influenced by the makwaya (choir songs), that gave root to many anti-apartheid tunes.
Los Angeles – Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee
This is the debut album by the trio featuring ex-Cure drummer Lol Tolhurst, ex-Siouxsie and the Banshees drummer Budgie and producer Jacknife Lee. The album touches upon socially conscious themes, such as the stirring antiwar tune “Country of the Blind”, featuring Primal Scream‘s Bobby Gillespie. Other notable guests include LCD Soundsytem‘s James Murphy, U2‘s The Edge, Modest Mouse’s Issac Brock, and avant-garde musician Lonnie Holley.
The Aux – Blockhead
The latest effort by the hip-hop beatmaker features a slew of underground rap luminaries including Quelle Chris, Open Mike Eagle, Danny Brown, Aesop Rock, The Koreatown Oddity, and billy woods. Several tunes refer to systemic racism and religious hypocrisy.
Bring The Kids – Hamell on Trial
The 17th release by the veteran folk-punker finds him in fine form. The album features his trademark biting wit as he tackles religious hypocrisy, corrupt billionaires, and a failed justice system.
Depressed Joy – Time
The latest album by the socially conscious rapper features a blend of the personal and the political. The album has a galvanizing theme of being able to persevere through depression and maintain your joy. The tunes deal with other social issues as well, such as support for political prisoners.
BDS Mixtape Volume 2 – Amplify Palestine
Inspired by Artists United Against Apartheid in the 1980s, Amplify Palestine has a similar mission to use music as a tool to fight for Palestinian freedom. Featuring a vocal sample from South African Lindi Yeni, “Checkpoint / Dompass / Hajiz” by the Free Radicals effectively draws comparisons to South African apartheid and Palestine occupation. Other album tracks effectively incorporate traditional Palestine musical elements. Throughout the 16 tracks, the album features tunes that will engage the mind, heart, and body.
Conquer – No Turning Back
Forming in 1997, this EP from the veteran Dutch hardcore band features their relentless musical attack and fist-pumping anthems of perseverance.
Never So Red – Frankie Archer
On the debut EP by the UK singer-songwriter, she flips the long-standing folk tradition of murder ballads where men are generally the murderers and women are the victims. One example is her reinterpretation of the traditional tune “Lucy Wan”. “I gave Lucy Wan power and a voice in the song, just as she and endless other women in endless other folk songs deserve,” Archer told Folk Radio UK.
Revision For Regrowth – JK-47 & Jay Orient
This collaboration between indigenous Australian rapper JK-47 and producer Jay Orient is a compelling introspective album that taps into JK-47’s personal and generational struggles.
REPRÍS – Javiera Electra
This EP by the Chilean singer is a blend of the personal and political. The tunes embrace the concept of queer sovereignty emphasized in “Cuarta pared” with includes the empowering lyric “Desde hoy declaro amarme y odiarme/ Soy mi única amante y mi única enemiga” (From today I declare to love me and hate me/ I am my only lover and my only enemy).
Superhero Adugbo (The Memoir) – Oladips
On November 15th it was reported that the Nigerian rapper died at the age of 28. But this was misreported and he was alive. His debut album was released a day after his supposed death. The album addresses several political issues such as the #ENDSars protests against police brutality in Nigeria.
Also, check out the ongoing 2023 playlist of protest music that has been featured on the site.