May 2020 #FuturePicks: Ms Mohammed, Idealistics, Beckie Margaret. Three musical truths against the grain of the post-truth age.

Ms Mohammed

Meet a living battery with which to recharge the world, the goddess force is strong in this one. Ms. Mohammed is a Queer Trinidad Brit Soca Punk Star who is fierce and feisty, kind and tasty. All in one politicised and articulated charisma. 

TheZineUK documentary would go nowhere as a story without us being able to dip in and out, watching the true back story of future heritage creators and performers develop NOW since the austerity nightmare’s decayed decade. Having started so many musical fireworks with her Clit Rock band and DJs nights, then playing our Tin Pan Alley show with deux furieses. Officially hooked.

By 2018 Iggy Pop, DecoloniseFest and more are woven into her journey. Lauren Laverne digs one of my favourite quotes on BBC 6 Music; “We Are The Future, Stop Fucking Ignoring Us” (from The Guardian article on Decolonise Festival)

Now? Frankly. Get. To. Know. Ms. Mohammed if you don’t already. A musical HERO –  ‘Never Again’ – could be shown before a movie at the cinema.

“It’s coming, the fight of our lives, we summon the will to survive” exactly how relevant that line would become. Every time I play it live it feels more urgent. I don’t have the answers and people keep voting in the worst possible option for progress the world over. Climate disaster, war and even more destruction are not coming they are here.” (Ms. Mohammed, January 2020). Oh how the poignancy of ‘Never Again’ increases with every month that goes by since her Summer 2019 Ted Talk.

14th May 2020 – get involved with #LivingTheStream at Free Word Decolonise Power – A night of music by punx of colour and discussion challenging oppressive ideas of power in society and plastic pun(k)s within the punk scene. 

Hosted by Free Word’s Jon Bellebono (gal-dem, more), stream performances from thread/inspirations of this documentary; Steph Phillips (Big Joanie), Nadia Javed (The Tuts), No Home and, of course, Ms. Mohammed! https://freeword.org/event/decolonise-power/ 

Idealistics

The tangent pop-tunes of social justice warriors, Idealistics, get under the skin and lodge there. Kudos to the Vanadian Avenue #MusicWomen who champion and recommend to anybody who will listen. From there, the songs do the rest, as a slew of support and MOMENTS in their story already, prove.

With influences that include Manic Street Preachers and Wolf Alice, they make an off kilter and chaotic alt-rock sound that is turning heads. Seriously good souls like James Dean Bradfield and Steve Lamacq are on side.

Some events/promoters are afraid of singer Ali’s feeding tube (for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome a charity which they support) or potential frailty, so along with the usual barriers and hardships of being a new band, it’s not easy getting shows eiether. Let’s not beat about the bush, the last four years have taught us clearly that there are a load of narrow minds around. Even where you’d expect them to be more open.

It’s bollocks though in a world where all kinds of images are part of Entertainment. Idealistics are a closest knit band who are champions in the new music scene with their guitary goodness powered honest songs and political sensibility.

They challenge ableism and stereotypes, while helping to educate potential new allies. They challenge themselves, having to work harder just to be a band. It’s a positivity from the dimension of manic street preaching life (which is fitting as Idealistics were discovered by Rosey of R*E*P*E*A*T the (key) multi tasking music media movement who used to be based in their home town of Cambridge).

Turned away by venues, but turning new friends on during the lockdown days with some really on it live streams, Idealistics are an ideal new inspiration to have.

Beckie Margaret

From the get-go, Beckie Margaret has been on the radar of early spotters at all levels. The new single, ‘God’, feels like her strongest outpouring yet. It is a grand, theatric production with something essential, well expressed.

The descriptions of women through the ages speak volumes. Being the hurtfully dismissed “bit-on-the-side” says more about the adored cheat -on-a-pedestal, than the heart that they view as a toy to be tossed away after being played with.

‘God’ sounds like the sweetest voice articulating bitter accustations with shards of ice in every crashing beat. Beckie Margaret, the one-woman, angel-war choir wins. 

Sublime power in an electro wave ideas-fest that washes out, dynamically, to make room for strongly voiced and vocaled truths, then crashes back to shore with an expansive rock-heavy sensibility.

It is a glimpse into the forthcoming debut album (Maybe ‘New York’ will be on it?) Anyway, ‘God’ sounds like a chapter of this major (and highly effective) audiovisual art pop star.

Beckie Margaret is part of the creative Cool Thing collective. It’s probably one of the most aptly named labels with a rosta-fam that increasingly reads like a DIY Essex Motown. ‘God’ is disfunction in distopia deliciously defined. Definitely #AnotherCoolThing

Lockdown Look Up. There is time to investigate during our altered attention’s musical genre clash. #FuturePicks : May 2020 Ms. Mohammed, Ideaslistics, Beckie Margaret. * March 2020 Felixity, Billy Nomates, Jean Genie’s Massive Hugs. * April 2020 MIRI, RtN, Beija Flo.

Words: Caffy St Luce