Last year marked the return of the legendary Neneh Cherry with a new album Broken Politics. As you can guess from the title, the new album is a political record, and she has described lead single Kong as a protest song against the injustices refugees are having to suffer, especially in the camp in Calais. “There are a lot of children [there] who were alone, mid-journey without their parents, They were supposed to take them to England, but it never happened. People think that refugees come to places to take advantage of them – and don’t think about how they’re leaving behind things they love. I’m trying to paint a picture and put myself in the story, and the song is about putting myself in the same position as someone who doesn’t want to leave the place they are”. Produced by Massive Attack’s 3D and Four Tet, the album draws its inspiration from a lighter, brighter version of the trip-hop that crew were putting out in the 90s, soft, mesmeric electronica. She takes it live to Debaser in March.
Neneh Cherry, Debaser Strand, Mar 6
Photo: Wolfgang Tillmans