Track of the Day #1073: Ibeyi (feat. Kamasi Washington) - Deathless

Track of the Day #1073: Ibeyi (feat. Kamasi Washington) – Deathless

French-Cuban duo Ibeyi have announced their second album Ash alongside the record’s second single ‘Deathless’.  The twin sisters gained much attention from their 2015 self-titled debut album for their distinctive fusion of traditional Yoruba music, electronic beats, trip-hop and other influences.  Ash has also been promoted with uplifting lead single ‘Away Away’.

‘Deathless’ features some saxophone work from the ever-excellent Kamasi Washington‘Deathless’ is a little more instrumental than their previous material, possibly indicating that Ash will have more production than their debut.  The video shows a continuous cycle of the two sisters symbolically giving birth to each other, in-keeping with the lyrics themes of infinity and transcendence.  The song’s deeper meaning, however, is explained in a press release.

Main vocalist Lisa-Kaindé Diaz notes it was written after she was wrongfully arrested at 16-years-old.  The song was intended to be an “anthem for everybody. For every minority. For everybody that feels that they are nothing, that feels small, that feels not cared about and I want them to listen to our song and for three minutes feel large, powerful, deathless. I have a huge amount of respect for people who fought for, what I think, are my rights today and if we all sing together ‘We are deathless,’ they will be living through us into a better world.”

 

Ash is scheduled for release on 29th September via XL Recordings.

God is in the TV is an online music and culture fanzine founded in Cardiff by the editor Bill Cummings in 2003. GIITTV Bill has developed the site with the aid of a team of sub-editors and writers from across Britain, covering a wide range of music from unsigned and independent artists to major releases.