Here is the fourth edition of Honey on the Knife Radio. As per usual, we’ve got 11 songs, some new, some not as new, and all of them great.
Listen to Episode 4 here:
If you’d prefer the print format of this episode, continue reading below.
Zeroh – “HEYOKA”
We open this episode with the stunning “HEYOKA”, a rumbling and smoky piece of jazz rap psychedelia. Across the canvas, Zeroh deftly delivers poetic bars that culminate into a chilling outro.
CGI Dog – “Livin’ in Delay”
CGI dog is back with two new ones – “Livin’ in Delay” and “Hypo”. He’s put together a solid string of singles this year that show off his versatility as a producer and songwriter, and on “Livin in Delay’ he serves up some dizzying and digitally gritty noise pop. About the song, CGI Dog said “This was the first new song I started while quarantining in my apartment. It’s about maintaining a connection to those around you, not looking away from the bad news, and understanding the interconnectedness of our collective wellbeing.”
The Livin’ in Delay/Hypo single is available for purchase on Bandcamp and all proceeds will be going to The Okra Project, a “collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people by bringing home cooked, healthy, and culturally specific meals and resources to Black Trans People wherever [Okra Project] can reach them.”
Hexosphere – “Lexi vs. The Universe”
Hexosphere’s latest single is an explosive chiptune experience, with hard knocking drums and tense synth melodies that ERUPT into a massive Wall of Sound that will be sure to knock you off your feet.
AceMo – “I Don’t Wanna See U Here”
New York-based AceMo has had a busy 2020, releasing three solo projects, an EP with Les Sins, and a collaborative album with MoMa Ready as AceMoMa (with whom he runs the Haus of Altr label). He’s demonstrated all kinds of versatility with across his discography, and “I Don’t Wanna See U Here”, the fifth track on I Want To Believe, is a an especially grimy and groovy banger that serves as a great entry point into his world of dancefloor-commanding music.
BarbWalters – “Oh!”
The summer of 2020 has at times felt like the partial realization of the cancelled future that vaporwave and other hauntological musics and muzaks have long made reference to. Thankfully, any sense of despair can be erased immediately by the boogielicious future funk of “Oh!”, which conjures up past images of neon swimsuit-clad bodies moving, grooving, and sipping Crystal Pepsi at a pool party. These memories are not my own, but sometimes the comforting familiarity of nostalgia is a nice reprieve from the anxiety of an uncertain tomorrow. The dance-induced endorphin release is also helpful, and it’s impossible to sit still during this track.
Kee’ahn – “Better Things”
Kee’ahn is a Kuku Yalanji, Jirrbal and Badu woman who has made a grand opening statement with the soulful debut single “Better Things.” In a press release, she explained, “This song is about being grateful for what I have, looking towards the future and having hope. I think that’s how I’ve been able to share my voice, express my emotions, and heal through my music. With today’s situation, when we are all experiencing loneliness and isolation, I hope that my music can help others.”
Greg Foat – “Yonaguni”
When I think about music that sounds like a perfect fit to soundtrack a day at the beach, jazz is usually not the first genre that comes to mind. But with Symphonie Pacifique, the latest album from pianist and composer Greg Foat, I must reconsider that notion after taking in its sunshiney sound. “Yonaguni” in particular, with its bright and bouncy piano chords, evokes the place where the sand and surf collide, with a choir of voices lifting us up like a kite into a cloudless sky.
Willie Dunn – “I Pity the Country”
Willie Dunn was a singer songwriter, filmmaker and politician of Mi’kmaq and Scottish descent who portrayed candidly in his work the issues faced by Indigenous peoples living in so-called Canada. In 1968, he directed the film The Ballad of Crowfoot, which was soundtracked by his song of the same title. Through the story of Crowfoot, the former chief of the Siksika Nation, Dunn tells in grave detail the pain and injustice that Indigenous peoples have been dealt by the Canadian government across hundreds of years. It was the first National Film Board of Canada film by a Indigenous director, and went on receive several awards. Other notable films directed by Dunn include “The Other Side of the Ledger: An Indian View of the Hudson’s Bay Company” (1972), which provided an Indigenous perspective on the exploitative colonialist practices of the fur-trading company.
As a musician, Dunn released several solo albums, created musical scores for several films and theatre performances, and was given a lifetime achievement award at the Indigenous Music Awards.
Dunn passed away at the age of 71 in 2013, but his legacy of work lives on and remains very relevant to this day. Speaking about his father, Willie’s son Lawrence had this to say:
“I think he would appreciate some recognition for the issues he was trying to push forward. A lot of these issues are still something we’re facing today, like the recent Idle No More movement. It perfectly encompasses the song Crowfoot — everything he says applies, to this day.”
“I Pity The Country” is another one of Willie Dunn’s best known songs. Originally released in 1973, Willie sorrowfully notes the racism, bigotry, incompetent governance and the resulting public outcry widespread in Canadian society. Unfortunately, perhaps the most powerful thing about this song is that it still rings incredibly true nearly 50 years later.
Samia – “Stellate”
Across Samia’s debut album, The Baby, her voice takes a powerful centre stage role as it falls into the hushed tenderness of sparse indie rock before exploding into huge hooks of affective emotive potency. The vocal fireworks make these songs ones that are felt just as much as they heard.
Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin – “Dollar Dr. Dream”
These two rappers have a collaborative project titled Flysiifu on the way, but an arrival date has yet to be announced. On this first single, the duo show some great chemistry over dusty piano-led beat with smooth rolling drums produced by Animoss of Hermit and the Recluse.
LazyGod x Cartier’GOD – “Go for a Ride”
This is the first time I’ve covered these artists on HotK, but I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last. Both LazyGod and Cartier’GOD are part of Reptillian Club Boyz, one of the most fascinating collectives in underground hip hop today. “Go For a Ride” follows the duo’s earlier 2020 collab, the VaporDrip EP, and continues in a similar vein with ghostly breathy vocals flowing over an ethereal beat with production that wouldn’t have sounded out of place during the chillwave/hypnagogic pop heyday of the early 2010s.
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If you are a musician and you would like to submit your music to be featured in a future edition of Honey On The Knife Radio, send an email to contact@honeyontheknife.com