News – Page 50 – 7th Level Music

Herbert Lenoir tells us a “Secret” on his new single.

After releasing his 2018 debut Darlène, the Quebecois musician Hubert Lenoir made a name for himself by ruffling a few feathers. The breakout album earned Lenoir icon status in his native Quebec, and was the rare French-language Quebec album to find international acclaim, landing Lenoir in publications like i-D, VICE, SSENSE and FADER who declared him “a pop star in any language,” on late night shows in France, where he also landed on the front page of the national newspaper Le Monde, a spot on the Polaris Prize shortlist (the first French-language record to get the nod in seven years), and even, in a bizarre turn of events, on stage at the Barclay Center opening for The Strokes at their New Years Eve show in 2019. All the while he has been a controversial and in some ways transformative figure in his home province, where his antics and transgressive attitude (his initial rise was in part catalyzed by some improvised nudity during a guest appearance on Quebec’s version of The Voice) have both upset many in the traditional media establishment and made him something of a standard bearer for a new kind of youth identity in Quebec. Now, Lenoir has returned to announce his second album, Musique directe, with a track called “SECRET” that features drums from Mac DeMarco and contributions from Kirin J Callinan and is premiering today as part of an interview with FADER.

WATCH: the video for Hubert Lenoir’s “SECRET” on THE FADER

READ: an English translation of the “SECRET” lyrics HERE

WATCH: album trailer “uber lenoir, c’est confirmé” HERE

Lenoir’s rapid rise around the release of his debut album resulted in some blowback, particularly in Quebec where he’s become quite a controversial figure, and his new album is in part an attempt to portray the strangeness of his life over the last few years and the way his sudden notoriety has affected him, particularly with regards to the way the backlash he has faced has given rise to a recurrence of some of the feelings he had as an ostracized adolescent in the suburbs of Quebec City. On “SECRET,” which arrives with a video in which he assumes the role of a skunk trying to win the favor of a popular boy in his high school, Lenoir takes these feelings on directly, with a chorus in which he sends his condolences to everyone who is different like him.

“This is a song about the feeling of unshared love and being rejected when you know that it’s only because you’re different,” Lenoir explains. “It talks about social rejection and keeping those feelings for yourself because “what’s the point” and anyway you don’t stand a chance. Not necessarily feeling bitterness or blaming the others but still finding the situation extremely sad and sending condolences to everyone that is like me, everyone that could live with the same ostracization in silence. A way of saying: I’m sorry, it won’t be easy.”

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[Thanks to Tom at Hive Mind PR.]

Levitation France announces dates and first wave of lineup.

Great news from Angers, France – Levitation France returns this September.

It will be an open air event this year, and the initial lineup is already top-notch. Shame have released my favorite album of the year so far, The Limiñanas are among the elite of French psychedelia, Slift are a powerhouse, Anika‘s new album is beautiful, and Zombie Zombie put on a killer show.

I’d go to this if I weren’t already locked into plans for that weekend (and as long as travel is open to Europe). You should go in my stead and tell me how it went. Tickets are already available.

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Levitation 2021 lineup announced.

The lineup for the 2021 Levitation Music Festival is here, and tickets are already on sale!

They’ve added shows on Wednesday night (the festival always started on Thursday night in the past), and I wouldn’t miss Here Lies Man if I were you. Speaking of Thursday, I already have my tickets to see Fuzz and The Well. No Joy, The Vacant Lots, and Public Practice will also put on a good show.

Friday? Well, you shouldn’t go to Levitation without seeing The Black Angels. I mean, they help curate the thing and pretty much started it. The fact that they’re playing with Tinariwen is an added bonus. Black Midi‘s show will probably be nuts, as will A Place to Bury Strangers‘ set.

Thundercat‘s live set is always a groovy show, and I hope to catch Frankie and the Witch Fingers and maybe Ganser – since they’re coming all the way from Chicago. As for Sunday, I’m excited to see The Hives again. They’re one of the best live bands on the planet.

More bands and sets are to be announced, so the weekend is sure to be packed with good stuff. Don’t miss it.

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Kelly Lee Owens announces U.S. tour and remix EP.

Producer and musician Kelly Lee Owens is “reclaiming space for women in dance music in really powerful and important ways” (NPR Music). Last year, she released Inner Song, one of 2020’s best albums, via Smalltown Supersound. Today, she announces a US tour in support of the album — tickets are on sale. Kicking off at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg, Owens will play across the states, including appearances at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival and Miami’s III Points Festival. Additionally, she will release the Inner Song Remix Series EP this Friday. It features remixes by Loraine James, Coby Sey, Roza Terenzi, Elkka, Breaka, Yazzus, and Haider.

Inner Song Remixes EP Tracklist
1. Re-Wild (Breaka Remix)
2. Wake-Up (Loraine James Remix)
3. On (Elkka Remix)
4. Night (Roza Terenzi Remix)
5. L.I.N.E. (Yazzus Remix)
6. Corner of my Sky feat. John Cale (Coby Sey Rework)
7. Jeanette (Haider Remix)

Kelly Lee Owens Tour Dates
Wed. Sept. 8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Fri. Sept. 10 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
Sat. Sept. 11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Making Time
Mon. Sept. 13 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Tue. Sept. 14 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Thu. Sept. 16 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
Fri. Sept. 17 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
Sat. Sept. 18 – Seattle, WA @ Nuemos
Sun. Sept. 19 – Portland, OR @ Holocene
Wed. Sept. 22 – Oakland, CA @ Starline
Sat. Sept. 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
Fri. Oct. 22 – Sat. Oct. 23 – Miami, FL @ III Points Festival

Watch/Listen/Share
Preorder Inner Song Remix Series EP
Stream/Purchase Inner Song
“Melt!” Visuals
“On” Video
“Corner of My Sky” Video
“Night” Stream

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[Thanks to Ahmad at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Madi Diaz returns with a strong new single – “Woman in My Heart.”

“History of a Feeling” cover art – photo by Lili Pepper

Nashville-based songwriter Madi Diaz announces her new album, History Of A Feeling, out August 27th on ANTI-, and today presents a new single/video, “Woman In My Heart.” History Of A Feeling undeniably marks Diaz’s status as a first-rate songwriter, a craft she’s spent years refining. Across the album, Diaz cycles through the full spectrum of emotions as she comes to terms with the dissolution of a meaningful relationship. She plays the line between the personal and the general with dexterity: in Diaz’s hands, quiet moments of self-pity are transformed into grand meditations on heartbreak, and unwieldy knots of big existential feelings are smoothed out with a sense of clear-eyed precision.

Diaz started working on History Of A Feeling three years ago, before beginning collaborations with co-producer Andrew Sarlo (Big Thief, Bon Iver) with whom she worked closely to flesh out the album’s instrumentation. It’s a homecoming record of sorts that points to her Nashville songwriting roots. Pulling from a range of folk, country and pop leanings, as much influenced by Patty Griffin and Lori McKenna as PJ Harvey and Kathleen Hanna, History Of A Feeling is comprised of the most direct and introspective songs Diaz has ever written. Throughout, she seamlessly weaves a profound sense of intimacy and camaraderie as her lyrics are relatable to anyone who has experienced heartbreak and great change in some manner. These universals are shaded by the fact that the relationship breakdown Diaz is chronicling coincided with her former partner transitioning, a complex reckoning Diaz approaches with empathy, candor, and care. “The bulk of this music came from dealing with a kind of tsunami clash of compassion, both for my former partner while she was discovering a deeper part of her gender identity long hidden, and my own raw heartache over having lost the partner I knew,” Diaz says. “I felt so torn through the middle because half of me wanted to hold this person through such a major life event, one that is so beautiful and hard, and the other half felt lost—like I had lost myself in someone else’s story.” It was a sea change that reverberated and ricocheted in her reflections on their relationship and her own sense of self moving forward and her process of healing.

Following the previously released singles “Nervous,” “New Person, Old Place,”and “Man In Me,” which all appear on History Of A Feeling, “Woman In My Heart” came out in one long stream-of-consciousness sweep. Throughout the track, Diaz’s resounding voice pierces through building guitar and percussion. “This song came out in a sort of waking dream while I was actively learning how to part with someone,” says Diaz. “It was hard enough not to miss/hurt/hate/fight/fuck/feel/get over them, and, what was even harder, was the love we had felt more and more like a mystery and the pain was the only thing coming in clear.” The accompanying video, directed by Diaz and Jordan Bellamy and filmed in Colorado, visualizes Diaz’s feelings of unfamiliarity. It was made with no treatment and no plan, just impulse and excitement, letting the music be the guide. Diaz elaborates: “Stumbling in the dark in old abandoned gold mines, whispering to horses at 9500 feet and digging relentlessly, all of these physical motions called out to us as a signal in a desperate attempt to unearth the truth.”

Watch Madi Diaz’s Video for “Woman In My Heart”

Pre-order History Of A Feeling

Watch Madi Diaz’s “Nervous” Video

Watch the “New Person, Old Place” Video

Watch the “Man In Me” Video

History Of A Feeling Tracklist
1. Rage
2. Man In Me
3. Crying In Public
4. Resentment
5. Think Of Me
6. Woman In My Heart
7. Nervous
8. Forever
9. History Of A Feeling
10. New Person Old Place
11. Do It Now

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[Thanks to Jessica at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Jyroscope and Montana Macks are “Frozen in Time” with their new single.

Chicago’s Jyroscope – consisting of MCs I.B. Fokuz, Collasoul Structure and DJ Seanile – and producer Montana Macks announce a collaborative EP, Happy Medium, out July 23rd. Today, they present the EP’s first single, “Frozen In Time,” alongside an accompanying video. Over the last decade, Jyroscope has recognized how difficult it can be to strike a balance between focusing on one’s craft, career, and the life responsibilities that come with putting down roots and starting a family. Happy Medium is a potent manifestation of that endless journey for balance. Over sleepy jazz samples, layered in well seasoned breakbeats, these tracks are born anew by Montana Macks. Collasoul and I.B. trade pointed verses about fatherhood, bills, the hypnotic self-erasing loop that is heading to-and-from the gig and blowing off steam with a beer or three before tomorrow means doing it all over again.

Preceding Happy Medium, Jyroscope released several projects including the Hip House mixtape, On The House, in 2016 and the bouncy boom bap-filled, MUTE EP. Happy Medium is the result of over a year’s worth of work that began with a wildly fruitful session in late 2019. They felt the title best reflected where they currently are as artists and people. With other obligations taking up more and more of their time, how much does making space for music matter in the big picture? At what point do the records start to count and people begin to truly take notice? How do you find the sweet spot, especially when little about life is sweet or easy? As I.B. Fokuz says, “As husbands and fathers, artists… asiatic men. The balance is defined by spinning plates. Managing the day-to-day with our families on our backs. A leap of faith is the dice we roll on our kitchen tables. Still hungry, still crafting our magnum opus. Still men of principle… keeping our worlds intact.”

In the percussive lead single, “Frozen In Time,” Collasoul raps “On the long road to peace baby we gettin’ all the best of it/ it’s scenic wit delicate petals/pedals and we don’t wanna step on it.” He elaborates: “The first 4 songs we created were seeds we planted prior to the pandemic. Those initial songs were actually going to be the full project according to I.B. and I, but Macks called me and said hey, I think something’s missing….He sent over ‘Frozen In Time’ and the moment I heard the horns on that beat I knew we had something special with that one. To me it sounds like we actually start working towards finding peace with the help of those calming horns.” Montana Macks adds: “I had a beat I was stashing for my next instrumental project, but thought it could round out this EP. I hit up Collasoul and pitched doing another song and he wasn’t terribly receptive to the idea. He agreed to listen to it and passed it along to I.B. Fokuz, I got a call probably 30 minutes later like, ‘say no more’ and it became the single.” The accompanying video, directed by Kory Stewart, was shot across the city of Chicago and is donned in a hazy, black and white filter.

Watch the Video for “Frozen In Time”

“Frozen In Time” is a first offering of the poetic rhymes and heart-felt imagery across Happy Medium. It makes for a captivating listen, one that is sure to have fans new and old itching to run it back well before the final note has faded away.

Pre-order Happy Medium EP

Happy Medium EP Tracklist
1. War Going On
2. Work
3. Auto-Pilot
4. Frozen In Time
5. Take It Easy

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[Thanks to Jim at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Durand Jones and the Indications proclaim the truth on “Love Will Work It Out.”

Durand Jones & The Indications release a new single/video, “Love Will Work It Out,” from their forthcoming album, Private Space, out July 30th on Dead Oceans in association with Colemine Records. Anchored by the high-low harmonies of Aaron Frazer (drums/vocals) and Durand Jones (vocals), and rounded out by Blake Rhein (guitar), Steve Okonski (keys), and Mike Montgomery (bass), Private Space leans into hope, coalescing around the idea that joy can set us free. “I want listeners to know that through really rough times something beautiful can be birthed,” says Jones, who proclaims on “Love Will Work It Out” that “All the people lost made me fall right onto my knees/all I could do was cry and shout/I knew I had to trust the faith that love would work it out.” The track – inspired by both the pandemic and social justice movements of the past year – is a mellow groove, as Jones’ voice is carried by drifting keys, relaxed percussion, and elegant strings.

“For months into the pandemic and the racial/political chaos that ensued, we found it hard to write,” says the band. “The biggest creative dry spell we’d experienced in a decade. The constant barrage of horrible news felt overwhelming, and songs just seemed inadequate in response to police murdering people in broad daylight. Songs felt inadequate in the face of a virus that decimated communities and kept us apart from our loved ones. We marched, protested, cried, wiped down our groceries, stopped wiping down our groceries, unplugged, breathed, replugged, reengaged. And when music finally flowed, the first song we wrote together was ‘Love Will Work It Out.’ Because conflict and confrontation require bravery, AND so does keeping the faith in the goodness of one another. It’s a big part of what so many people are fighting for- the benefit of the doubt, the ability to be seen as whole, the space to love and trust. It’s been a tough year, but we’ve come out the other side steady and hopeful.”

The accompanying video, directed by Weird Life, presents the band’s retro aesthetic as they perform.

Watch Durand Jones & The Indication’s Video for “Love Will Work It Out”

Following The Indications’ 2019 album, American Love Call, Private Space unlocks the door to a wider range of sounds, boldly launching the band into a world of synthy modern soul and disco beats dotted with strings. The Indications are true masters at melding revival sounds with a modern attitude. The ten tracks across Private Space provide for both an escapist fantasy and a much-needed recentering after a tumultuous 2020.

Developed after being apart for much of the year, Private Space is creatively explosive and delights in upending expectations. Throughout, The Indications highlight a collective resiliency – as well as the power of a good song to be a light in the darkness. From ideation to the final album cut, Private Space is a meditation on what gets us through isolation and loss: community, love and friendship. As the world slowly resets from the chaos of the past year, Private Space comes at just the right time. “I feel we’ll be arriving into people’s lives as they’re exiting a really tough period,” Frazer theorizes. “We’re not out of the woods, but hopefully this allows people to get together again, to share and experience catharsis.”

Watch the Video for “Witchoo”

Pre-order Private Space

Durand Jones & The Indications Tour Dates (new dates in bold):
Sat. Sep. 4 – Hershey, PA @ Harrisburg University At The Englewood
Tue. Sept. 7 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club w/ 79.5
Wed. Sep. 8 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer w/ 79.5
Fri. Sept. 10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel w/ 79.5
Sat. Sept. 11 – Washington DC @ 9:30 Club w/ 79.5
Mon. Sept. 13 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre w/ 79.5
Tue. Sept. 14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line w/ 79.5
Thu. Sept. 16 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theater w/ 79.5
Fri. Sept. 17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Commonwealth Room w/ 79.5
Mon. Sept. 20 – San Diego, CA @ Soma w/ 79.5
Mon. Sep. 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium w/ 79.5
Wed. Sept. 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium w/ 79.5
Thu. Sep. 23 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl w/ My Morning Jacket
Fri. Sept. 24 – Dana Point, CA @ Ohana Fest
Sat. Sep. 25 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley w/ My Morning Jacket
Tue. Sep. 28 – Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield w/ My Morning Jacket
Wed. Sep. 29 – Spokane, WA @ Spokane Pavilion at Riverfront w/ My Morning Jacket
Fri. Oct. 1 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater w/ My Morning Jacket
Sat. Oct. 2 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater w/ My Morning Jacket
Sun. Oct. 3 – Bend, OR @ Les Schwab Ampitheater w/ My Morning Jacket
Fri. Oct. 8 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
Thu. Oct. 28 – Sun. Oct. 31 – Live Oak, FL @ Suwanee Hulaween
Sun. May 22, 2022 – Monterey, CA @ California Roots Festival

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[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Liam Kazar announces debut album coming August 6th and releases new single, “Frank Bacon,” to boot.

Kansas City-based, Chicago-raised musician, songwriter and chef Liam Kazar announces his debut album, Due North, out August 6th on Woodsist / Mare Records (Kevin Morby’s Woodsist imprint), and today presents a new single/video, “Frank Bacon.” Throughout the last decade, Kazar has been recognized for his adaptability and deftness in the studio and on stage, leading to tours and collaborations with Jeff Tweedy, Chance the Rapper, Steve Gunn, Daniel Johnston, amongst others. While Kazar has consistently been a dream bandmate over the past several years, making his own songs presented a chance to finally find his own voice. Due North is a personal revelation, where the more Kazar wrote, the more his songs showed what kind of artist he’s always wanted to be – one whose own joyous rock songs are so irresistible, full of charm, wit and heart, they feel timeless.

Like most musicians, the pandemic threw Kazar for a loop, knocking out both his touring revenue and his part-time gigs as a bartender. With so much spare time in his Kansas City home, he decided to pursue his longtime love of cooking by creating the restaurant Isfahan, which honors his Armenian heritage and his family’s journey to the United States from Iran, Syria, and Lebanon. “In COVID, my mantra was to not have my heart broken about the future and be present,” says Kazar, explaining that ethos is one of the reasons why he named the LP Due North.

Much like carving out his own space in the food world, learning how to find his own musical style was a rewarding challenge. “This record kind of all stemmed from a conversation I had with Jeff [Tweedy],” says Kazar. “I showed him some of my earliest songs I was working on and he told me, ‘It sounds like you’re writing for the people in your bands, you’re not writing for yourself.’ He was completely right.” With that needed insight, Kazar decided to start from scratch and write songs that felt like himself. Along with Spencer Tweedy and Lane Beckstrom, Kazar enlisted keyboardist Dave Curtin (Woongi), co-producer James Elkington on pedal steel, as well as Ohmme and Andrew Sa on backing vocals. Due North was mixed by Sam Evian at his Flying Cloud Recordings Studio in upstate New York.

During the making of the record, Kazar kept coming back to two words: “joyful” and “vulnerable.” Kazar elaborates: “I was trying to talk about things that I’m scared about but acknowledging that I’m not that powerful and you can still be joyful in the face of your own insecurities.” Take album highlight “Frank Bacon,” where Kazar sings, “When you’re running uphill and swimming upstream / Nothing’s ever gonna be the way it seems.” Despite any lyrical uncertainty the track is bursting with life, especially in the monster groove from the rhythm section of Tweedy and Beckstrom. “With time I’ve grown wary of lying to myself,” says Liam. “I don’t know if it’s a defense mechanism we do, or just something we grow out of, hopefully. But ‘Frank Bacon’ has become a personal mantra in recent years to be honest with myself and stick with it, because I’m worth it. We all are.” The accompanying video was directed by Austin Vesely and shot in Kansas City, MO.
Watch Liam Kazar’s Video for “Frank Bacon”
Previously released single “Shoes Too Tight,” an undeniable jam with a swaggering exuberance, was a clarifying moment for Kazar in this journey. Kazar slowly tinkered with a synth sound and happened upon the song’s bouncy chord progression, which was “probably the closest to an aha moment that I had of ‘Oh, this is me and this is what I’m into,’” says Kazar. Soon after, Kazar switched gears for the yearning and delicate “On a Spanish Dune” which showcased his emotional resonance as a writer. Though completely different songs, Kazar used these two earliest offerings as guides for what would come next.

Kazar will play his record release showAugust 7th at Chicago’s Sleeping Village. Tickets are available here. In the meantime, Isfahan pop-up events have been announced in Chicago, North Adams, MA, Kansas City, MO, and New York State. A full list of dates can be found below.
Watch the “Shoes Too Tight” Video

Watch the “On a Spanish Dune” Video

Watch “Holding Plans” (Demo) Lyric Video

Pre-order Due North

Due North Tracklist
1. So Long Tomorrow
2. Old Enough For You
3. Shoes Too Tight
4. Nothing To You
5. On a Spanish Dune
6. Frank Bacon
7. I’ve Been Where You Are
8. No Time For Eternity (Ft. Andrew Sa)
9. Give My World
10. Something Tender

Liam Kazar Tour Dates
Sat. Aug. 7 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village – RECORD RELEASE SHOW

Isfahan Pop-Up Kitchen Events
Thu. June 10 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village
Fri. June 11 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village
Sat. June 12 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village
Thu. June 17 – Kansas City, MO @ Kanbe’s Markets
Mon. June 28 – North Adams, MA @ Tourists
Tue. June 29 – North Adams, MA @ Tourists
Wed. July 7 – Mt. Tremper, NY @ The Pines
Fri. July 9 – Livingston Manor, NY @ Sunshine Colony
Sat. July 10 – Livingston Manor, NY @ Sunshine Colony
Sun. July 11 – Livingston Manor, NY @ Sunshine Colony

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[Thanks to Jim at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Central Heat Exchange release debut single – “Tulips at My Bedside.”

Central Heat Exchange (C.H.E.) is a collaborative project by musicians spread throughout the US & Canada, primarily in the central time zone. Split across Austin, Chicago, & Winnipeg, its core members are Adam Soloway of Living Hour, Santiago RD of Daphne Tunes and Jacob and Paul Stoltz of Varsity and Pool Holograph, though their forthcoming recorded output involves a broad network of collaborators. Today they are announcing their signing to Birthday Cake, Citrus City and Sunroom Records, and sharing their debut single “Tulips At My Bedside,” which features vocals from Living Hour’s Sam Sarty and contributions from members of Lala Lala and The Hecks.

WATCH: Central Heat Exchange’s “Tulips At My Bedside” Video on YouTube

“‘Tulips at my Bedside’ tells of a brief summer fling and the exploration that happens during and afterward, with themes of self-reflection, health and growth,” explains Sam Sarty. “I see the song as almost a collective joy/celebration of silly everyday things that make up living, especially at the end with the group vocals. Everyone chiming in and almost giddy that we get to experience the simple hellos when we meet each other. That warm humid freedom of a summer night bike ride, with huge birch trees swaying way up above, rooted in the ground that has seen more than you ever will, a deep smile within yourself of knowing rolling around and your legs are alive and the person behind you on a bike is too.“

“Tulips At My Bedside” is available to purchase on Bandcamp and on all streaming services. It will appear on the forthcoming debut LP from Central Heat Exchange, which is expected in the fall of 2021.

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[Thanks to Tom at Hive Mind PR.]

Growing Concerns Poetry Collective releases haunting new single – “First You Need a Body.”

Last fall, Chicago-based group Growing Concerns Poetry Collective released BIG DARK BRIGHT FUTURES, an album that finds the common place between the personal and political as it explores the depth of social chaos while conjuring visions of collective transcendence. Today, they are pleased to present a video for the standout track, “First You Need A Body.” Throughout the song, MzKenzie Chinn describes “learning to love her body and sexuality despite a Catholic upbringing” (Bandcamp). Featuring the collective’s three members – McKenzie Chinn, Mykele Deville, and Jeffrey Michael Austin – the video shifts between a south side Chicago beach at dawn, a tennis court, and the home shared by Chinn and Deville. The dreamy visuals (captured by Remsy Atassi) kaleidoscope across environments meant to evoke both the power and delicateness of Black femininity, while lyrics like “You can’t call the cops on a body that can turn into light” celebrate the transformational magic of Black femme sensuality despite the limitations imposed on Black womanhood by anti-Black American culture.

Watch Growing Concerns Poetry Collective’s Video for “First You Need A Body”

Stream/Purchase BIG DARK BRIGHT FUTURES

Watch Video for “Shout Across Mountains”

Watch Video for “Come To Me Open”

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[Thanks to Jim at Pitch Perfect PR.]