Slow Dance at Village Underground – Friday 2nd September
w/ Folly Group, Saint Jude, AYA, Glows, DJ Bus Replacement Service

A live and club music crossover show from one of the definitive platforms for alternative music in London over the last few years. With techno punk energy from Folly Group, innovative ambient pop from Saint Jude and heavier stuff from AYA and DJ Bus Replacement service guarenteed to bring a wonky end to the night.

Tickets

Manchester Psych Fest – Saturday 3rd September
w/ Kurt Vile & The Violators, Black Midi, Tinariwen, Warmduscher, Gwenno, Hinds, The KVB, Scalping, Honeyglaze, Fake Turins

For the cool indie kids and their dads up in Manchester, perfect fodder for those who want to sit at a pub talking about all the bands they’ve seen that their friends have half heard of. At least now you don’t have to lie about seeing Mercury award nominee Gwenno… now just to work out who Fergus McCreadie is and you’ll be golden.

Tickets

30/70 at Corsica Studios – Thursday 8th September

It’s electronic music and Jazz and yes half of the people there will probably be pretentious but if you’re still reading this then I may have some news for you… regardless they’re at the cutting edge of the Melbourne scene so very worth catching them while they’re in the UK.

Tickets

Never Heard of Ya’s 3rd Birthday at Moth Club – Friday 9th September
w/ Film Noir, Vlure & more

The end of an era for one of the coolest promoters in London who’ll be calling it a day after three years of parties. In their classic style bringing together some London and Glasgow scenesters for some more of that music that’s called post-punk but isn’t really.

Tickets

Obongjayar at Koko – Friday 30th September

Little Simz had just two features on her last album, one was Cleo Sol and the other was Obongjayar. If that’s not enough to convince you to see one of Nigeria’s finest exports to London then hyou may be lost. His 2020 project “Which Way is Forward” is a must hear and his masterpeice of a debut album sets him perfectly for the prestigious KOKO backdrop as he starts his tour.

Tickets

Pretend this month:

Shaku at The Lower Third – Friday 16th September – Tickets
Pretend & Friends Club night – Saturday 24th September – Free if you sign up to our mailing list

The post 5 Shows for September 2022 appeared first on Pretend.

After a summer off last year, Gold Sounds festival made its return to the Brudenell Social Club, albeit
with a slightly condensed schedule. Normally running over a full weekend, the 2021 iteration instead
squeezed eight bands into one evening. The bands billed also marked somewhat of a change from
recent years: Gold Sounds normally fills its roster with the latest unwashed and vitriolic post-punk
acts emerging across Europe and North America, but this year there was a much more mellowed
indie theme across the line-up. The last Gold Sounds in 2019 saw the degenerate double-header of
Viagra Boys and Fat White Family spearheading the weekend, but this year changed out the lairy for
the lovely with indie dreamboats Gengahr and The Magic Gang.

Still, the festival managed to do the thing I love so much about it, giving you some of old favourites
for a dirt-cheap price whilst exposing you to some of your new. In 2018 you went for the Phoebe
Bridgers and discovered the Bodega; the year after you went for the Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs,
Pigs and discovered the Pip Blom. If you don’t try and see every band on the bill you’re missing out
on discovering something or someone big in waiting.

The day kicked off with one of those bands that really are a force ready to blow up into the national
conscious. A last-minute addition to the line-up, Low Hummer proved why they’re so highly rated by
those in their homeland of Hull. With a recent string of singles gaining play across radio and
garnering increasing press attention, their September debut album can’t come soon enough. Martha
Hill followed across in the main room. Without her band and alone on stage with an acoustic, it
initially seemed like a mistake to have the dip in pace straight after Low Hummer, but slowly
throughout her set she won over the Leeds audience, throwing in lovely stripped back versions of
Change and Grilled Cheese to close on a high. Fifteen minutes later, Bristol’s The Pleasure Dome
introduced themselves to the community room. To start on a negative, their guitarist did that thing
that some have started doing and really annoys me where they go absolutely bloody mental when a
song slightly picks up, yanking their guitar around and embodying Flea circa 1988 wearing nothing
but his cock sock. After a few bars he calmed down and revealed a pretty decent band, driven and
energetic, with some solid hooks and a singer with some sexy sideburns.

The pleasantly-surprising-surprise act of the day award went to Baba Ali. I knew absolutely nothing
about them before walking back into the main room, and was greeted by a confident and eclectic
performance. It’s hard to really describe with too much accuracy: at times one heard the east coast
dance music of the US-artist’s home, at others the electro-funk of their current base in London.
There was central European synthwave, all combined with occasional bursts of industrial guitar
you’d expect out of Ireland. Overall, an intriguing performance and an artist to check out with their
debut album released on the 27th August. Chappaqua Wrestling followed, a band that clearly fit into
this year’s much more indie feel. They remind me of the groups that were around a few years ago,
the likes of Vant or Inheaven, that take indie and add a few fuzzy guitars without adding too much
distinction. It’s been done before but Chappaqua Wrestling do it well if that’s your sort of thing.

Now we move into the big hitters of the day, those that have graced these stages before and you
know what they’re brining. I said at the start that this year had moved away from the likes of Viagra
Boys , but I put forward the motion that Pins are the female counterpart to the Swedish wildmen.
Both create these enticing thick guitar grooves like a post-punk disco, both have discographies
challenging gender roles, and both know how to dominate the main room at Brude. A group I’d been
waiting to see live for a long time, and worth the wait.

At this point, it’s useless trying to pass this off as an independent, unbiased review. As I walked out
of Pins, passed through the bar and entered the community room, I transformed from a 24-year-old
man with a pint of water and a sore back to a teenage fanboy, because waiting for me next was
Gengahr. I love Gengahr. They just make me really happy. It’s the fourth or fifth time I’ve seen them,
and without fail I can just lean back into the songs and float. Ask someone else who was there for
unprejudiced review, for me there are few other bands I’d rather see live.

Finishing off the day were The Magic Gang. One of my guilty indie pleasures and one I’d seen only
once way back in the day supporting Spring King on a tour. I was half expecting just the standard
playthrough of the songs that a band can pull off with a crowd of buzzing teenagers, but the
Brighton four-piece really brought a punch right from the word go. One song bled into two, then
three, before allowing the audience a chance to breath. It was a well-rehearsed set and a fierce
statement on how a band can elevate their music to new heights when playing it live, something we
all needed reminding of after far too long away from it.

Written by Leo Joslin

The post REVIEW: Gold Sounds 2021 appeared first on Pretend.

It’s finally come around and all the boys with tiny hoop earrings and I simply cannot wait. Next Friday, the third of September, I’m setting out for 10 hours of solid reverb and I am giddy. It’s a day for all flavours of alternative and I intend to get my fingers in a lot of pies. So here is who I am planning on seeing during Wide Awake Festival 2021 in (hopefully) sunny Brockwell Park. 

12:15 Lazarus Kane at the Moth Club Stage 

The opening midday slot isn’t an easy one, but if anyone is up to the challenge it’s Lazarus Kane. There are few bands this early in their career who have such an ability to capture an audience. Whether it be their enigmatic frontman, the stonking riffs, or the big big beats, this band will force you to be enamoured, like it or lump it. Get down early for it.

13:15 The Mauskovic Dance Band at the Moth Club Stage

13:30 Dar Disku at the Snap, Crackle, and Pop Stage 

14:30 Porridge Radio at Bad Vibrations Stage 

15:40 Mandrake Handshake at Bad Vibrations Stage 

These Psychedelic wunderkinds asked what if you add some really mad guitars to krautrock? The Oxford 9-piece discovered it was pretty mint. Having released their debut EP Shake the Hand that Feeds You earlier this year, they are still on the way up. But I will definitely be stopping by to get my fix of pedals, pedals, pedals. 

16:15 PVA at The Windmill Stage 

17:00 SCALPING at The Moth Club Stage 

17:45 Lynks at the So Young Stage 

18:35 Black Country, New Road at the Windmill Stage 

20:05 black midi at the Windmill Stage 

21:00 KOKOROKO at the Bad Vibrations Stage 

No more mosh, time to boogie. By this point, I’ll have had a few pints and I will want to dance. Nobody will deliver the energy I need like KOKOROKO. Such an incredibly talented ensemble, that master the joy of Afrobeat and Jazz. Their 2020 single Baba Ayoola has had a firm spot on my party playlists since its release and I cannot wait to see what they do next. 

Clash Casualties

Unfortunately I cannot be in two places at once, but if any of the above don’t tickle your fancy, these are the honourable mentions that I’m gutted I won’t have time to see. 

12:00 Tiña at the Windmill Stage 

14:45 Fenne Lily at the So Young Stage 

15:45 Los Bitchos at the Moth Club Stage 

16:45 Pozi at the So Young stage 

17:20 Goat girl at the Windmill stage 

18:10 Dream Wife at the Moth Club Stage 

Wide Awake have really done an incredible job in representing every corner and crevice of the London alternative scene. I really think no matter your taste it’s going to be an incredible day and a chance to fall in love with some new artists you wouldn’t normally venture to watch live. That’s all from me. See you all in Brockwell Park!

Words & recommendations from Olivia Grace Maskill

The post Who I’m seeing at Wide Awake 2021 appeared first on Pretend.

Words by James Lear, photos courtesy of Khroma Collective and GALA festival

It’s safe to say the suspension of live music during the COVID pandemic has caused frustration for both promoters and punters alike. However, with everyone eager to get back into the swing of things, what better place to start a cultural renaissance than a small, woodland haven in the middle of Peckham?

GALA festival celebrates the history of dance music in London, so it was no surprise that this line-up boasted some of the very best names in British club culture such as, Dan Shake, Midland, Kornèl Kovàcs, Mr Scruff, Jayda G and Motor City Drum Ensemble. These heavyweights of house, techno and disco were juxtaposed with some of the best local talents in jazz, neo-soul and hip-hop. The Rye stage shone throughout the weekend and gave the festival much needed variety if you needed respite from the continuous four-on-the-floor.

Under the current circumstances, the UK governments traffic light guidelines would have surely complicated maintaining a coherent festival line-up. Leon Vynehall, Overmono and Saoirse were all brought in last minute to cover for unforeseen cancellations, but the program flowed seamlessly.

Just less than a week had passed since “freedom day”, yet the careful management of negative lateral flow test admission left festival go-ers free to forget about the pandemic and find themselves in and amongst one of the most convivial crowds I’ve seen.

Rain inevitably made an appearance, however after a long year-and-a-half of lock downs and live streams, dancing in the array of elements thrown our way brought out the “Hallelujah’s” and “Hail Mary’s” from the crowd around me.

Who we saw

Nabihah Iqbal

Opening sets are often foolishly labelled as the dregs of the festival but by contrast, this was the perfect start to the weekend. Nabihah quickly settled into her set, that dreamy niche she has carved out for herself drawing an intimate, attentive crowd, fitting for my weekend’s opening ceremonies. She performed tracks from her 2017 album Weighing of the Heart, as well as more recent material from her 2020 album Blue Magic Gentle Magic, the heavy delay and reverb resonated sweetly through The Rye’s timber frame.

Stood front and centre behind her dazzling polka dot guitar, her signature, indie-inspired soundscapes drew up waves of nostalgia. Stepping through the front gates you were met by Nabihah’s warm vocals and swirling guitar, which drifted out from The Rye and over to the entrance – perfectly complimenting the rush of the return to live music and kicking off the weekend to a great start.

Oscar Jerome

Oscar Jerome’s spellbinding performance at The Rye had the audience smiling from ear to ear, it looked like he’d finally come home. Standing at the side of the crowd, I could see the adoration they had for the young jazz musician who, likewise, disclosed his love to be back playing live music again.

The stage was packed, and the audience fed off the energy of the front man and his impeccably tight three-piece band. The set was perfectly arranged with a variety of older tracks, which you could see a handful of die-hard Jerome fans singing along to at the top of their lungs, as well as more recent material from his 2020 album, titled Breathe Deep. 

My personal favourites had to be Gravitate and its upbeat grooves, as well as the golden song writing in Sun For Someone.

P-rallel

Gilles Peterson & Mim Suleiman

Giles Peterson and his record label Worldwide FM continued from their previous success running a stage at GALA 2019 and hosted a Worldwide takeover at The Rye throughout the whole of Saturday. With a line-up featuring some of Worldwide FM’s best DJs including Peterson himself, Mafalda, and Global Roots, I was expecting big things. Suffice it to say, each DJ absolutely smashed their respective set, playing tracks which had me constantly reaching for my shazam button.

What I didn’t expect to enjoy so much at The Rye on Saturday was the live performance of Mim Suleiman. The energy Mim gave off was both endearing and infectious and by the end, she had the crowd eating out the palm of her hand. Her Afrobeat/soul vocals combined with the elaborate percussion provided a rare opportunity to buss a move. One of my favourite sets of the weekend and definitely one to check out.

Jayda G

GRAMMY Nominee Jayda G was given Saturday’s closing set and came through with a selection of groovy disco classics and more modern house remixes. However, her skills to select were eclipsed by her enthralling interaction with the audience. She descended to the front of the stage to lead a clap during the euphoric breakdown in her self-produced track Both Of Us and brought a level of positivity which translated across so easily. Everywhere you looked you could see strangers turning to each other with smiles on the faces, declaring their love for Jayda and the chance to be back grooving again.

The Main Stage had been bolstered into a formidable show-stopper and the event organisers complimented Jayda’s performance with big inflatable balls that were released into the crowd mid set. This, combined with a dazzling light show made it a set to remember, and left me eager to return the next morning.

Pinty

Peckham MC Pinty came to this festival with a mission to kill his set and he did just that. Playing tunes all the way through his discography from tracks off his debut EP, City Limits, to the new, intriguing steps found in tracks off his recent project such as Red Lorry (I’m Sorry). He came out supported by friend and Rhythm Section collaborator Bradley Zero and the energy on the stage was super-charged.

Having said that, he came across incredibly humble and grateful to be playing in his local park and you really got the impression he was a man of the people. His music, landing in the grey area between jazz, house, garage and hip-hop, captured exactly what the young audience was after and the energy in the crowd was probably the most electric and energetic one I saw all weekend.

Dan Kye

Following Pinty was another member of the Rhythm Section family. Hailing from New Zealand and going by the alias Dan Kye, Jordan Rakei’s live set was possibly my most anticipated set of the weekend. He delivered hits such as his long-standing single Like You Wanna, as well as my new-found favourite Focus – SE Edit, a track taken off his most recent album.

You could tell the man is an incredible musical talent. Delivering a triple fret masterclass, Dan Kye manned the decks, a mic and processed live piano loops all at the same time. I found myself again, in awe at a performance in The Rye stage. Decorated with colourful DOJO-like panels and a tasteful amount of jungle-like greenery, this stage brought the energy out of the crowd all weekend long. It was a real joy to experience.

Motor City Drum Ensemble

The final set of the festival seemed to come all too quickly, but the atmosphere and jubilation from the crowd combined with the euphoria in Motor City Drum Ensemble’s set combined for a perfect finish. Their set had a little something for everyone, packed full of groovy bass-driven house for your die-hard raver entwined with unheard, joyful disco that would’ve left any crate digger in awe.

There was an overwhelming feeling of togetherness and community within the crowd. As the night ended, dancers gradually turned and exchanged details of their weekend highlights. I could sense a genuine feeling of relief and appreciation for the music after such a long wait. An immense golden confetti cannon topped off the set, my only complaint being that they wrapped it up all too soon at 10pm.

A success in the face of chaos

The GALA crew should be proud of their efforts this year, curating a line-up that flowed seamlessly. The focus on sound production, set design and line-up shows how staying true to your humble beginnings will often result in the perfect balance between flare and necessity.

The site was littered with thoughtfully placed decorative fixtures, such that everything fit satisfyingly together. Big shoutout to Peckham Platform’s highly talented Youth Group, who designed an interactive installation inspired by their local communities. This featured mesmerising Batik and Ankara fabrics and a wall for sharing personal messages and doodles, something perfect to bring the community back together again.

For me, the success of GALA 2021 marks the start of a cultural renaissance. With careful attention to creating a COVID-secure environment, the festival guaranteed an opportunity to break away from “the new normal” and look to the future.

The post GALA 2021: The Festival Platform Peckham Needed appeared first on Pretend.

According to Spotify, the 7 million artists that distribute music through their platform should count themselves lucky. In the eyes of the corporate giant, Spotify has provided musicians with unprecedented access to the eager ears of music fans, triumphantly demolishing the … barriers associated with traditional music distribution. Whilst Spotify and its shareholders pat themselves on the back, artists continue to raise concerns with the platform’s royalty model, regularly referencing the exploitative ideas that underpin it. 

For the consumer, streaming services are truly a marvel. For just £10 a month Spotify Premium members can delve into a catalogue of over 70 million old favourites, underground tracks and brand new releases, beamed directly to their device of choice. Gone are the days of “rare” records that are only heard by hoarding DJs and collectors. In this environment of endless and affordable possibility, spending a tenner on a CD or digital album feels somewhat ludicrous.

At its core, Spotify might also appear as a symbol of welcome liberation for musicians. Long held at the mercy of vicious contracts designed to line the pockets of company executives before themselves, artists now have, in theory, more opportunities to cut out the royalty-sucking middle man than ever before. Why then, do musicians continue to criticise Spotify and even go as far as to remove their catalogues from the platform entirely? 

Spotify insists that they do not pay artists on a “per-stream” basis. Instead, all the streaming revenue from a particular geographical region is put into a single monthly pot, before being dished out to rights holders in line with their artist’s “streamshare”. That is, if an artist contributes 1% of the overall streams in a region, whoever owns the rights to their music takes home 1% of the money pot. Spotify uses this approach to produce some pretty compelling statistics, focussing on the 13,400 artists who generated over $50,000 in revenue in 2020, and the $5 billion that the company paid out in total across the year. 

The shine on these numbers quickly dulls when you start to investigate the claims more deeply. The 13,400 earning over $50000 make up the top 0.01% of artists on the platform (and that’s only counting artists with over 1000 monthly listeners). Even amongst this elite group, it’s highly likely that many of the musicians and groups will be locked into record contracts that skim off the majority of the streaming revenue before it reaches the artists themselves. Ed Sheeran might get handed a healthy streaming cheque at the end of the month, but the payouts scale down rapidly as you descend below the global superstars.

Quite staggeringly, lacklustre earnings from Spotify and other streaming services have completely redefined the role that recording plays in a musician’s career. It is almost accepted that the creation of art is no longer enough – recorded music must be supplemented with live shows, merchandise, and other endevours for even a slim chance of making a creative living. The stripping away of the value of art and music is by no means a new phenomenon, but it’s hard to argue that streaming hasn’t taken it to new extremes. 

It’s quite possible that Spotify will not be able to pay artists any more than they currently do. The platform does not exist within a vacuum, instead operating inside a wider context of rampant commercialisation, disposability, and the upholding of capital above all else. Despite an astronomical growth in users over recent years, Spotify has famously struggled to turn a profit. If a business cannot even make money whilst exploiting those who generate its revenue, how can it ever be considered a success?

Is Spotify did decide they wanted to pay their artists properly, then they’d be put in a difficult position. The “free market” renders an increase in subscription fees practically impossible, unless other streaming services were to follow suit. It’s also hard to imagine the company ever wanting to give up any of their meagre profits in the name of “fairness”. Outside of a dismantling of the current economic systems we live under, there seems to be a distinct lack of solutions to the problems that streaming services have created. 

In reality, Spotify was never designed to provide a reliable livelihood for artists and its consumer-led model has been the biggest driver behind its continuing popularity. Perhaps changing consumer habits would accelerate positive change, but it would probably take a monumental drop in subscriber numbers for Spotify to take notice. I am writing this article with Spotify playing in the background, and recognise that I am also perpetuating the company’s exploitative practices. Again, maybe I should be doing more to support artists directly and break the damaging cycle in any small way.

Spotify could have liberated millions, and it’s possible that it still can. Without radical societal change though, it’s difficult to see where Spotify’s liberating power will emerge from.

The post How Spotify Could Have Liberated Millions, and Why it Didn’t appeared first on Pretend.

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The city of Limerick in Ireland might seem like an unlikely location for a musical revolution, but a vanguard of artists have planted the city firmly on the map of the blossoming Irish music scene. A rich culture of collaboration and a golden generation of talent has propelled the Limerick sound past the city’s boundaries and towards much-deserved recognition around the world.

MuRli is one of the city’s leading lights. In 2014, alongside fellow Limerick-based artists God Knows and MynameisjOhn, MuRli formed Rusangano Family, a group that demanded the attention of music fans in Ireland with electric samples, heavy breaks, and razor-sharp lyricism. Since winning the Choice Music Prize in 2016 with the Rusangano Family album Let the Dead Bury the Dead, MuRli has been involved in a whirlwind of projects, linking up with Denise Chaila, God Knows and frequent collaborator Denise Chaila to name but a few.

MuRli’s most recent releases are filed under Ra Gerra, which came about from a joining of forces with Irish electronic producer Kobina. Fresh off the back of his own solo EP Four Poems, Kobina (AKA Sean Arthur), reached out in 2019 after hearing MuRli’s The Intangibles LP. As Sean describes, “I’d been a fan of his for ages, but some Friday evening, maybe had a beer of courage in me or something, I thought I’ll send him these beats and see if he responds”. 

MuRli did respond, sending back a trio of tracks built around the “challenging” instrumentals Sean had crafted. After knocking ideas back and forth over twitter in a game of musical tennis, the pair found themselves, somewhat unexpectedly, with an album’s worth of material. “When you work with a mate, you’re always trying to one up one another, in a positive, competitive way”, Sean explains. “He probably thinks I’m gonna send him his type of beat, so I’ll send him something else […] there was a moment when we were 11 songs deep – is this an album?”

The resulting LP, New Vessels, is an extremely varied listen that is a clear break from both of the artists’ back catalogues. Sean’s beats take inspiration from a spectrum of genres, swinging from melodic hip-hop sounds to an epic shoegaze/krautrock marriage on new single Pressure. The vocal delivery is equally as diverse and intriguing, sections of heavy autotune are contrasted with straight-up poetry. MuRli discusses why these characteristics developed, “When I’m making my own beats, there’s a certain lane that I find myself in a lot of the time, his lane is totally different. If I approach this with an open mind, and forget about what I do as “MuRli”, I can be reborn.” 

One of the most interesting aspects of the Ra Gerra project is that Sean and MuRli have never properly met in person. In 2019, whilst most of the tracks were being recorded, MuRli was travelling across Europe and America – at one point crafting a makeshift studio in a Cuban hotel room. Meanwhile, Sean was living in Amsterdam, where he’s still based. Despite making the album long before any pandemic lockdowns, Ra Gerra was a foretelling example of the remote collaborations that we’ve become all too accustomed to over the last year. Some of the themes of the album – reflection, uncertainty and perhaps self-criticism – are also eerily reminiscent of some of the experiences that the lockdowns have fostered for lots of people.

In many ways, the record has grown into itself, and taken on new meanings within the context of the past year, but as MuRli explains, ideas of uncertainty and contemplation aren’t particularly novel to him as a musician. “The troubles and insecurities of covid might be “new” if you look at it on a general level, but on a personal level that’s not new to me as an artist – trying to get myself out there in a world where you might be different from what most people expect”. Sean contributes a similar notion, “The lens that you see it through is different but it’s the same thing over time. You can apply this to the recession that hit us in 2011, we were all totally fucked in Ireland at the time”. 

The 2011 recession is just one of a number of factors that Irish musicians and creatives have had to contend with. Irish art is conducted against an intense political background, not least perpetuated by Britain’s continuing occupation of the North of Ireland. The Irish government itself provides little incentive to commit to a creative career, offering limited funding and upholding of supportive structures. Impressively, it seems as though these circumstances have done nothing to stem the flow of creatively on the island. 

The culture of collaboration that exists in Ireland is no doubt a direct pushback against many of these ideas. MuRli himself is currently involved in a number of projects, mainly with other artists from his hometown.  “I probably wouldn’t make music without collaboration. There’s something that happens when you get in a room with different artists, especially if they’re not like you. I’m proud of my [Limerick] scene, we’ve come a long way. We had this bad rep for so long and all of a sudden there was this sort of musical explosion and it happened throughout the arts as well. It’s been happening for years, but people are starting to ask now – how come there are so many great acts coming out of Limerick? No, it’s been like that for ages – you were just scared of Limerick”. 

MuRli and Sean are also keen to give their support for other artists operating in Ireland. “I’m always so proud of Irish artists, even if I don’t know them, when I see them get some recognition”, Sean says. “The governmental structures in Ireland, they do everything they can to stifle creativity. Making a living is not sustainable for so many. When people succeed, they succeed in spite of the fact that the government exists, not because the government exists”. 

When Irish artists do manage to find success and recognition away from Ireland, the music press is quick to lazily package them together with other acts from the country. Considering the vast range of cultures, accents, and backgrounds that exist in Ireland, a pigeon hole approach isn’t going to cut it. Sean points to the recent breakthrough of Fontaines DC as an example, “When the media sees a bunch of things that are similar, it’s easy to put them together and package them for the rest of the world. When the Fontaines came out, this scene was created hypothetically around them”. These desperate attempts to create a commercial “scene” completely obscure the true nature of creativity in Ireland, and reduce any artistic output down to tired cliches about the country and its people. 

Hip-hop in Ireland is far from a new phenomenon, but the emergence of new movements in Limerick and elsewhere has undoubtedly diversified the genre and propelled it to new levels of appreciation. “Growing up, there was never a MuRli to model myself after – I had to create a style for myself”. Now that Limerick and Ireland does have a MuRli, it will be fascinating to hear what the future has to hold.

Ra Gerra‘s album, New Vessels, will be released later this Summer. You can check out the singles Terrified and Pressure on Bandcamp and streaming services now.

The post From Limerick to Amsterdam, via Havana: Interview with Irish Hip-hop duo Ra Gerra appeared first on Pretend.

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Cut me and I’ll bleed post-punk. Or that’s what I would’ve expected. But I’ve noticed in the last year that I’m no longer excited by the same music I once was. Of course, old favourites remain so: Protomartyr is still the answer I churn out whenever anyone makes a request for my favourite band, Joy Division will probably always be a rock-steady member of my desert island disks, I still get sad when I think how The Cure went from Pornography to The Lovecats with one release. But it’s my relative lack of excitement about the current roster of 6 Music-backed, sullen and dolorous rockers that makes me wonder if my tastes have changed. Whereas before a band like Yard Act, especially one grown so close to my home, would’ve had me banging on the door of the Brudenell waiting for their next show, I must admit that I think I’ve only listened to them second-hand from background radios and friends’ car speakers. Bands like Squid or Girl Band I’ll listen to, acknowledge their proficiency at producing good post-punk, then forget about the song pretty much straight away. Even with Dry Cleaning, a band I’ve been following since 2019 was spent playing Magic of Meghan on loop, I still haven’t listened to their debut LP. 

I’m fed up of seeing bands posing with dour expressions in front of sixties council blocks whose interiors their middle-class upbringing kept them the other side of town from

Part of me suspects these are unfortunate casualties of a lack of enthusiasm brought about by the increasingly common cliches that post-punk bands seem to employ now. I’m fed up of seeing bands posing with dour expressions in front of sixties council blocks whose interiors their middle-class upbringing kept them the other side of town from; tired of early twenty-somethings all dressing like Wilson-era furniture salesmen; bored of singers trying to deploy some Ian Curtis-style erratic dance moves. When I was growing up musically as a teenager, post-punk was something fresh and exciting. Each new band I found seemed unique, with its own styles, both musically and visually. Now there’s a cooker-cutter pattern, norms that new groups have to fit in with, expectations of what they look and sound like. No longer is it an effort to fit new groups into one genre, but instead an effort to mark them out. 

The other part of me however suspects that this emigration away from post-punk is something more than just me growing tired of a diluting genre. The pandemic and its isolating side effects have changed the way that I consume music, as I’m sure it has for many others. Music has lost its communal aspect: instead of listening to music at a friend’s house or in the office it’s now done by yourself, working from home; instead of experiencing the mutual energy of a gig, we sit in our bedrooms watching live streams from empty venues. Because the way we interact with music has changed, so too has the music with which we choose to interact. In the last year, I’ve been listening to much more jazz and folk, sounds suited to the solo lifestyles we have been leading. I don’t walk to work so I don’t listen to as much heavy music, I don’t go out to tinnitus-encouraging gigs so I don’t listen to that same music when I’m on my own. What music I gravitate towards has changed during, and because of, lockdown, with the more communal forms taking the hit.

In an effort to see how other people felt and pretend this isn’t an article entirely about myself, I asked my fellow music enthusiast and radio friend Harvey Falshaw if lockdown had changed how he listens to – and what he looks for in – music. Although for him it hadn’t changed too much regarding the type of genre he listened to, lockdown had made its mark on the way music was consumed and where it came from, with much more reliance on radio. The reason I wanted to ask Harvey was because I know how keen he is on new music from across the spectrum (and I knew he’d give me a good reply). For Harvey, “lockdown has meant I consume less new music and discover less because I have less of an appetite to listen”. For him, music was a mode of relaxation: “I listen to music to relax but I’ve found that hard to do in lockdown”. 

Because of the absence of the social parts of society that we’ve always had until last year, I listen to less music that before I associated with having a communal dimension

Although we’re in slightly different boats to each other, for both of us the change in situation brought about by lockdown has changed the way we consume music. For Harvey, because there is no longer a clear separation between work and personal life and he finds it harder to relax, the passion for seeking out new music has taken a hit. For me, because of the absence of the social parts of society that we’ve always had until last year, I listen to less music that before I associated with having a communal dimension. Post-punk is the most social of genres: I have no doubt that I feel so passionately about groups like Idles or METZ because listening to them reminds me of being packed into a sweatbox of a venue, sharing the same thing with dozens of others. The music is elevated by the shared experience of listening and the passion that people bring to that. As things ease up and the prospect of live music is somewhere on the horizon, I’m sure my own passion for post-punk will return, all it needs is a few gigs. 

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If you are anything like me (a person who generally zones out anytime anything remotely related to complex technologies are brought up in conversation) then you’ve probably heard about crypto-currencies like Bitcoin, attempted to understand them, failed, and gone back into the realms of blissful ignorance. In fact I deliberately pursued a career in the music industry in the hopes that I would never really have to think about things like blockchain, NFTs and the stock market. Leave that stuff to the tech geniuses and Reddit fanatics right? I’m just here to make playlists and have a good time.

Well, I was wrong. Turns out that blockchains (the technology behind Bitcoin) might actually end up being more connected to the music industry and even the simple act of ‘making playlists’ in more ways than I ever could have imagined. I’m only on month 3 of my first proper music industry job, and I am already realising that I may need to have a re-think of my originally dismissive attitude, as it appears that this technology has the potential to play a huge part in shaping the music industry in the not so distant future. Blockchain and NFTs have already exploded in the world of fine art and paintings, and are likely to do the same in the music industry. This past month in particular has seen the industry sit up and take note of this emerging technology, as people are beginning to realise that this is actually something we should all be paying attention to. In this article, I intend to examine some of the ways that blockchain is predicted to impact the wider music industry, as well as the repercussions it may bring to up and coming, smaller artists.

So what is blockchain and how can it benefit the music industry?

In simple terms blockchain technology allows users to digitally record information; information that can then be transferred, but not changed or erased. It can be used to create and exchange currencies (e.g. Bitcoin), but importantly it can also be used to create NFTs, or non-fungible token’s. These ‘tokens’ basically act as unique ‘certificates’ that can grant the owner with ownership over digital pieces of art, that can be exchanged or sold to buyers for money. These NFTs could include scarce products such as visual art, limited-edition merchandise, personalised digital content, or exclusive recordings. The owners of these NFTs can then only sell them to other users, and never copy them as these ‘blocks’ are ultra-secure. This stands out in contrast to the current internet, where users have easily been able to copy and pirate media, depreciating its value. However, with blockchain, buyers of NFT art are purchasing scarce, original pieces that have value added by the safety of blockchain, ensuring that they are either the sole owner, or one of a limited few. This safety and scarcity is a key factor in the desirability of NFTs for many.

By creating scarcity, these products become desirable to an artist’s fans and therefore increase in value

Users would also now be able to officially ‘own’ media again, instead of just ‘renting’ or ‘borrowing’ media from sites like Spotify or iTunes. Blockchain would allow users to secure ownership over digital copies of art, and these copies would actually be worth something again. So why not just buy a copy of a CD if you want to ‘own’ media? Well, the way that many are currently envisioning NFTs in the music industry would be focused around the concept of scarcity. Artists would probably still release their usual albums on platforms like Spotify for casual listeners to enjoy and stream. However, they would utilise NFTs to trade rare, personalised and unique content, such as a song that only 100 people are allowed to purchase, or a behind the scenes video with only 15 tokens. By creating scarcity, these products become desirable to an artist’s fans and therefore increase in value. 

For artists in the music industry, another perk of using this technology would be that blockchain exchanges take place solely between the seller and the purchaser. Artists can keep all of the money from a blockchain auction because these exchanges don’t involve a record label, and therefore they do not have to split the profits. This transaction essentially cuts out all of the middlemen. The last report into the music industry’s revenue splits released in 2018 argued that artists only made 12% of the $43 billion generated by the US music industry. Although this percentage has likely risen since this time, this figure still demonstrates the sheer number of middlemen present in the industry, and why NFTs might appear an appealing prospect to artists. 

Currently, Spotify is believed to pay between £0.002 and £0.0038 per stream, while Apple music pays about £0.0059

This also means that both artists and users don’t have to be solely reliant on third party apps. The current system involves artists uploading their content to applications such as Spotify or Mixcloud, relying on these parties to safely store their data and distribute royalties. Currently, Spotify is believed to pay between £0.002 and £0.0038 per stream, while Apple Music pays about £0.0059. These are tiny amounts leading to tiny total streaming revenues, especially for smaller artists. Although NFTs would be unlikely to fully replace streaming sites, it potentially would be able to offer artists another valuable source of income, helping put them back in control of their own music.

This March has already seen artists such as Grimes sell a collection of digital artworks for nearly $6 million and Kings of Leon become the first rock artists to release an NFT digital album, generating $2 million in sales (of which they donated a large proportion of to charity). Calvin Harris, who also currently has NFT artwork for sale has claimed that he believes this technology will “revolutionise the music industry” due to “the fact that smaller artists can have ownership over their music and literally just make what they want and then let the people decide”. But let’s pause on that thought for a moment. So far we’ve discussed the positive impact NFTs are predicted to have on the music industry as a whole, and how larger artists have already begun to find financial success with the technology. But these are artists with already large platforms, and already dedicated fan bases who would be willing to pay extra for rare and exclusive content. What about smaller artists? Is this really going to be as “revolutionary” for them as Mr Harris has claimed?

How will this impact smaller artists?

So sure maybe this technology can pull in the big bucks for already giant celebrities, but these individuals only make up a tiny percentage of the music industry. There are legitimate fears, that despite all this excitement and promise, this technology will only further create disparities within the music industry, and on a wider scale, further increase the gap between the rich and poor in society (and that’s if it even properly takes off at all, but I will get on to that in a second). In today’s current music market, 90% of streams go to the top 1% of artists and there is a chance that NFTs may simply act as another platform for already established artists to grow, leaving those who are up and coming falling further behind. Unfortunately it is unlikely anyone is going to want to pay thousands of pounds for work from an underground DJ or an unknown musician.

A recent DJ Mag article suggested that smaller artists would therefore have to be more ‘creative’
in their approaches to generating income, using an example of Candian DJ Jacques Green who sold the publishing rights to one of his tracks through blockchain, meaning that the winner of the auction now owns a percentage of his song. And it seems he’s not the only one getting ‘creative’ selling copyrights. Bluebox is a site launched by Ditto Music that uses blockchain to record full or fractional ownership of recorded
music and/or publishing copyrights, and subsequently splits royalty payments. This allows buyers of these NFTs to actually own shares of music, and potentially reap the rewards of this investment later down the line in the form of royalties. To me this feels a lot like reverting back to everything these transactions were trying to escape (e.g. record labels taking profits from a song) but perhaps the artist would have greater control over the percentages they sell. 

Whether all this buying and selling of these NFT tokens is something that will be dominated by rich traders however remains to be seen, although right now it certainly seems likely

In a recent Vice interview with Shara Senderoff, (the president of Raised in Space, a music and tech investment group), something interesting was revealed about the nature of many recent NFT transactions. Senderoff argued that some of the people currently buying artists’ NFTs are likely to be traders rather than fans- people who view NFT tokens as more of an asset and something that they can later sell for a profit. She stated that “these are collectors that have been in the crypto NFT space before this recent boom. If you really dig into what’s behind these numbers, it’s the same group of 30 people”. The article goes on to suggest that this is further evidence of a widening gap between the rich and the poor, as it is those who are already wealthy in the NFT space that are going to continue making further profits. Whilst it is understandable why Vice and Senderoff are critical of the current situation, the concept of users buying and selling artists NFT tokens like traders trading stocks on the stock market is certainly an interesting one, and one that may not necessarily be a bad thing for smaller artists. In theory, it could motivate music fanatics or those interested in the industry to buy assets from up and coming artists in the hopes that one day these artists will blow up and their token could be sold for a profit. 

Whether all this buying and selling of these NFT tokens is something that will be dominated by rich traders however remains to be seen, although right now it certainly seems likely. But this idea of collaboration between artists and buyers is certainly an area for further exploration. Maybe it could prove fruitful to rising artists, and those who are successfully able to predict growing talents. 

Another route NFTs could take that could maybe benefit smaller artists is through streaming sites that utilise blockchain technology. Developing platform ‘Audius’ is attempting to develop a streaming service that isn’t owned by a for-profit company, but instead by the artists. These artists would then be able to choose exactly how they want to monetize their music, such as charging $2
a month for access to their entire catalog, or $5 a month for this plus exclusive opportunities. It certainly sounds like it could be promising for smaller artists. But this technology is still in its early days, and it begs the question whether anyone would actually want to pay this amount for individual artists, when they could just pay £10 or so for access to a range of artists on streaming services like Spotify.   Which brings us on to the problems…

Problems

The first main problem is will anyone actually be interested in paying considerably more money for services offered by these early blockchain platforms, when streaming sites like Spotify and Apple Music exist. Yes rich people with large disposable incomes may want to splash out and actually own a piece of media (or even a piece of a song), but will that translate to the average citizen. I’ve seen a lot of comments on current videos about NFTs and blockchains from people arguing that they don’t care about owning music, and they just want to listen for cheap. Maybe if streaming sites were forced into evolving and began charging higher fees, or were abolished all together, then these sites might really start blowing up. But it seems likely that this would cause uproar, as society has become very used to affordable music. As long as streaming sites exist in their current form, it feels hard to imagine a world where normal people would throw a lot of money at music NFTs, meaning that right now the NFT playing field is solely a place for the rich. 

The volatile nature of these markets makes them a dangerous place to mess around in, especially for those who have a lot to lose

Arguably cutting off the middlemen in aspects of the music industry could also result in job losses, as record labels, streaming platforms and distributors may start to lose some aspects of their role (although they are unlikely to fully disappear). However, as mentioned above, this all might be totally irrelevant because there is certainly no guarantee that blockchains will even properly take off and be accepted by the general public. At the moment this is only something the rich are engaging with, and the general public may find that they simply aren’t interested/ don’t have the access/ don’t have the money/ don’t want to learn.

As well as this, blockchains and cryptocurrencies are presently extremely volatile markets, and whilst they might be currently in mid-boom, they could certainly crash at any moment. NFTs may be worth a lot right now, but there is no guarantee it will stay that way in the future. The volatile nature of these markets makes them a dangerous place to mess around in, especially for those who have a lot to lose. People like smaller artists and those with little disposable income. If the markets crash then many could end up losing out on a lot of money, a dangerous concept unless you can afford to do so. 

Oh did I mention it’s also currently super bad for the environment due to the energy needed for creation and trading? But that’s a whole issue in itself so you might have to do your own research on that one.

Concluding Thoughts 

Am I done discussing this yet? Almost. Unfortunately once you start falling down a blockchain rabbit hole it is extremely easy to get sucked in. In fact I’ve barely even scratched the surface of all the predicted possibilities that NFT and blockchain could bring to the music industry, and the impact these may or may not have on smaller creators. But I think we will leave it at that for now. These things may end up being completely irrelevant anyway because this might just be a bunch of hype generated by a load of stock bros who want you to get excited about their latest play thing. And even if it does take off, it feels depressingly likely that the NFT playground will once again be a place for those with large disposable incomes who have easy access to new technologies and ways of learning how to use them. It certainly doesn’t seem like the beginning of a fair music industry revolution, but instead the beginning of the same old story played out on a new ground. But perhaps I’m being too pessimistic, and actually the growth of these new technologies will put pressure on music streaming sites to come up with a system that allows for fairer payments for artists, especially those with smaller audiences. Or perhaps NFTs are the start of a new evolution of the music industry; a place of transparent transactions and a more equal distribution of wealth. Whatever your take is, I think it’s fair to say that blockchain is not going away just yet, and if that is the case then it is definitely something that artists and creatives should be keeping on their radar. Smaller artists can either run from it and pave their own path, or try and tackle it with both hands, but either way they definitely need to keep an eye on this growing beast.

The post How NFTs Are Changing The Music Industry appeared first on Pretend.

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Last year saw the pause button pressed on life, slowing down all human activity which gave us a brief glimpse of a world with a smaller human footprint. Wildlife roamed city streets, the number of flights halved and the roads were clear of cars but despite the last twelve months feeling like an eternity, it has been far too short a period to have any positive lasting effects on the environment. 

Music Declares Emergency is an organisation that was collectively created in 2019 by like-minded individuals that, according to Jamieson, felt the music industry needed to “speak with one voice on their commitments to action”. Their idea was “to build a narrative that the music industry was pioneering change because [they] felt that was [already] happening”. As director of communications, he speaks on behalf of Music Declares Emergency explaining “the principle of that action would be two-fold. One; for the industry to commit to actually changing business practice to increase sustainability, reduce carbon emissions and pioneer new green business strategy”. “The other side of it was to encourage artists who individually had been speaking out about climate, some very notably, to feel like they were part of a community that was taking action. So to increase the voice of all artist, across all sectors of music, all genres of music so that there was a feeling of community.”

With founders of Music Declares Emergency coming together from other organisations such as Extinction Rebellion and Culture Declares Emergency and others who were just concerned with the sustainability of the music industry, Jamieson says they “all came with the guiding principle that music had always been a pioneer of social change. Rock n roll gave us teenagers, Elvis gave us sexuality, … [the] Vietnam war, racism, gender politics, sexual politics, music [has] always been there”. 

Now with over 4000 declarers, they have “successfully identified a desire in the artist world and in the industry world” and are launching groups in France, Germany, Sweden, Chile and Canada. 

What Lewis made clear though is that Music Declares Emergency can not single-handedly save the world but that they offer a platform/hub for people within the music industry to collect and combine their voices to influence the public and incite governmental action.

When asked about what artists could be doing to become part of the movement, Jamieson expressed it is dependant on where that artist is in their career. 

We, as consumers, need to be willing to pay a higher price for merchandise that is produced ethically and environmentally friendly

“If you’re an artist that’s signed to a label or produces physical product, the first thing you can do is look at what you’re producing. If you’re producing vinyl, there [is] a tendency to print on 180gsm. We all love very thick vinyl, it makes us feel, because of the price of vinyl, like we’ve got something that’s really valuable. The truth of the matter is though, you can drop it to 140gsm and there’s no difference in terms of sound quality”. “What are we wrapping that vinyl in…get rid of the shrink wrap… that is a literal definition of a single-use plastic”. Stop and think seems to be fundamental to this process of change; being conscious and aware of how you’re creating and selling your product are small but impactful actions.

Lewis explained that it is not just the job of the artist to implement this but as a fan your relationship to product needs to change. We, as consumers, need to be willing to pay a higher price for merchandise that is produced ethically and environmentally friendly. Music Declares Emergency set a great example as their “t-shirts are made by a company called Tee Mill… [they use] solar power, wind power, it’s all renewable energy. The t-shirts are printed to order, there’s no overstock. The cotton used is sourced and certified, the water reduction is as much as they can get it to make the cotton, the inks are non-polluting and when you’re finished wearing the t-shirt you can bring it back to them, they’ll shred it and put it back in the process.” Find your size here. 

The more artists push through this door, the more change will come

Musicians can also think about the products they’re consuming; “look at your riders…obvious things, meat, dairy, etc. and there’s advice on [the Music Declares Emergency website] about green riders via Julies Bicycle”. “Look at the wider rider within the venue, try to coach them not to use single-use plastics, try and encourage them to find ways to be more aware”. Jamieson encouraged artists to seek out venues that are consciously making an effort to reduce waste and be more eco-savvy.  “The more artists push through this door, the more change will come”. He reiterates the importance of community and collaboration between artists and between audiences, “it all comes down to the audience… if the audience are on board then they will accept paying a £1 deposit in a cup that they keep all night”. 

think about the other things you might be able to convince the company to do, ask them about what their sustainability policies are if you’re in a position to do that

For artists who are yet to be signed or looking for management Lewis points out that you are in a position to “think about what you want from that…think about the other things you might be able to convince the company to do, ask them about what their sustainability policies are if you’re in a position to do that. Use your power, when you have the power”. 

An unsigned artist is less likely to be touring and be producing large amounts of merch therefore do not have the same environmental impact as signed artists. However, doing simple things like encouraging fans to car share to your gigs or creating merchandise to order are all things that reduce the music industry’s footprint but more importantly they engage the audience in the conversation about climate. During our interview this seemed to be the most important idea according to Lewis, other than getting rid of jewel CD cases. His contempt for jewel cases is unparalleled; “jewel cases are evil, end of story . They are non-recyclable plastic muck”.

More profound advice he gave is that “the most powerful thing artists can do is to engage with the issues and use their art, however big they are, whether they’re playing the Brudenell or whether they’re playing the Royal Park whether that still exists… or they’re playing the O2”. What Music Declares Emergency does is provides a platform for artists to be “starting conversations, bringing people in”. That’s when Jamieson believes “we’ll be in a place where it’s achievable”. 

Small but collective actions seem to be the way forward but what about the bigger issues like touring? How do artists and labels tackle that? When I put these questions to Lewis, he believes touring is “the biggest challenge for the industry”. This is an area that he feels the government need to assist on to help offer alternatives like providing bursaries, funding and incentive schemes.

there needs to be a business model that works, nobody is going to benefit from crippling themselves financially in order to virtuously tour because there will just be no touring

Music Declares Emergency are in talks “with some people from an electric vehicle solution for touring. In terms of electric sleeper buses there are companies developing these… obviously new technology is expensive and this is where the government comes in… there needs to be a business model that works, nobody is going to benefit from crippling themselves financially in order to virtuously tour because there will just be no touring.” Stopping touring all together is not a viable solution as, other than touring being an essential income to artists, what Lewis points out is that “when artists don’t tour and they play domestic shows, the audience comes to them… instead of moving a crew of 20 around you move an audience of thousands”. There needs to be a compromise, an equilibrium reached between accessibility and sustainability. 

What Lewis suggests musicians can currently do while touring is “look at their riders, they can make them as green as possible. They can look at their back line, they can look at the way they source their instruments, they can look at the size of their touring party and make sure it’s no bigger than it needs to be… but beyond that what can they do?” A question not asked only by Lewis Jamieson but the whole of the music industry. 

Other organisations such as Julies Bicycle, Festival Republic, Ecolibrium and Moving Arts that work alongside Music Declares Emergency are all great resources available to artists, managers, fans etc. to help strengthen the voice of this community and create some serious change. Lewis feels that “every voice saying what they want and why they want it is what we need this year”. But after a year without live music, I imagine fans are eager to book in as many gigs as possible, artists to put on as many gigs as possible almost to make up for last time. I asked Lewis whether he thinks this desire to get back to gigs will take priority over making the music industry more sustainable? 

“The experience we’ve all had has almost created two opposing desires, [it has] created an awareness for the immediate reality of the environment we live in…[but] there’s that interesting opposition of where we can find this sweet spot between those two. I think there is a balance, any solution to the climate crisis is going to have to be based on a balance. People do not want to throw away everything about modern life in order to save their lives conversely we can’t keep everything about modern life if we want to save our lives so we’re going to have to find a new way out”. There is nothing idealistic about Lewis’ or Music Declares Emergency’s outlook towards the climate emergency, every concept discussed and recommendation made by Jamieson are well thought through and achievable. What resonated throughout our conversation was the importance of one collective, powerful voice to make this change a reality. 

Head over to Music Declares Emergency to see how these words of advice are put into practice.

We’ve been following MDE since 2019, check out this video from their first march as an organisation from 2019, filmed by Becca Cribb and James Ward.

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