New Video: retropxssy - SHUT UP!
Are you sitting uncomfortably with an overwhelming sense of existential dread? Then we shall begin.
I don't often share much of my own forays into the thick end of the music industry, mainly because it's a tale as old as time. Working class nobody starts a band to the general disapproval of all who were unfortunate enough to see or hear, so decides to write about others doing it better - nothing out of the ordinary there. However, that time has indelibly etched something on my psyche that I see playing out in others time and again.
I'm not going to mention our name, because it's embarrassing and on reflection, a little bit pretentious, but the band I started in 2002 ended up writing some half-decent songs and looked on the way to be starting to gig, before the dreaded 'musical differences' put paid to us ever having an audience to yawn at us. We wrote a grand total of 5 songs.
One of the songs we wrote was an ode to my own self esteem issues and that most annoying and persistent of barriers to the creative process: imposter syndrome. Of course, it wasn't called that then, but the feeling was most definitely whirling round in my head. This song was called 'Delusions of Grandeur' and if you want to hear it I have MP3s recorded live on a Minidisc player - ask your Dad.
I fully recommend you don't listen to it as you might never want to listen to music again. The world wasn't ready or even vaguely trying to be.
It's fascinating then that artists still finding their way in this industry and creating their own world often feel this sense of imposterdom. Those of you who listen to our every-so-often-when-I-can-be-arsed podcast The Partisan Contingent will have heard our latest episode with London-based rapper and singer retropxssy; an artist that oozes talent, charisma and screams *STAR* at me every time I hear or see her work. You can listen to that episode at the link below.
A big part of what makes retropxssy worth your time and effort to discover is the balance between the music and the vibrant, and often surreal videos that she consistently makes. Creative partner JoeJas produces the beats and often helps with the video production, and between them they make visual spectacles that are fun to watch.
In 'SHUT UP; THE MOVIE', retro performs in front of a man who seems bored and bad mannered and soon finds herself wanting to run away to discover herself again. She steps in chewing gum and is then caught up with by a giant chewing gum bubble that explodes in her face. Before you know it, she's cleaned up by animals in human clothing and taken to party in the woods. It's a world I'd like to live in thank you very much.
The single is a defiant primal scream into the ether; an attempt to take hold of those inner demons and give them a ruddy good kicking. Not only are those attempts successful, but retropxssy has again made something bold, vibrant, original and waiting to be discovered. What are you waiting for?
You can find out more and follow retropxssy at Instagram and buy music from her directly at Bandcamp
You can help support independent, alternative music journalism by buying NNWNF a coffee at the Q.R code. I'd be very much obliged if you can find the time, money and inclination. Mine's a flat white.
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