Second Idol Return with New Single ‘Postcolonial Blues’
Eora/Sydney-based alternative rock band Second Idol have just unveiled their haunting single ‘Postcolonial Blues‘ – produced by Clayton Segelov (Shady Nasty, Sleepmakeswaves, Dear Seattle) at The Brain Studios.
Opening with a discordant, dark chord progression and propulsive drums, ‘Postcolonial Blues’ sets the stage for Kate Farquharson‘s evocative vocals. Gritty guitars and dissonant leads adorn the post-punk inspired hypnotic rhythm section as Kate explores themes of identity and displacement. The dynamic push and pull between the instrumentation and Kate’s lyricism and vocal stylings paint a sonic tapestry that is equal parts contemplative and soul-stirring.
Kate talks about the inspiration behind ‘Postcolonial Blues’:
“The lyrics in ‘Postcolonial Blues’ are a contemplation of my upbringing in the country town of Kempsey, NSW on Dunghutti land. It stems from the navigation of my personal experiences growing up in a cross-cultural household. It contemplates the racism I experienced and observed in my hometown’s past and present, and the inequalities, tensions and fractures that continue to exist. This song is me trying to make sense of my place in the world and how I reconcile calling Australia home. My family tree and my existence are born from colonialism, and as a postcolonial being, I question how I navigate this world and where I feel that I belong. This song is an Australian song, and it is about my Australian experience.”
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Accompanying the release is the music video directed by Throat Pasta (Mitchell Farkas), shot in Manly Dam in Eora/Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The clip is a visual representation of the immigration experience of being uprooted and seeking connection in a new environment. “The approach in this clip was Australian Gothic,” the band explains. “We pitched two key inspirations, Peter Weir‘s Australian classic, ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock‘, and Depeche Mode‘s ‘Enjoy The Silence‘. We wanted to encapsulate a feeling of claustrophobia in the natural environment and environmental horror. The ritual that Kate engages within the clip is reminiscent of Celtic clootie wells – an attempt to reconcile with nature. The analogue effects employed by Mitch Farkas, the glitches and the distortion are representative of a loss of culture and memory, and the erosion and warping of identity.”
Also significant to this song is the joint heritage of individuals and POC representation in the band, with not only vocalist/guitarist Kate’s background of Sri Lankan/Scottish, but with drummer Afeef Iqbal being of Pakistani heritage and guitarist Sunny Josan being of Palestinian/Indian heritage. Underscoring this deeply personal yet universal storytelling is Second Idol’s signature sound, reminiscent of Placebo, Interpol and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Following the band’s history of supporting Twenty10, the upcoming Eora/Sydney single launch for ‘Postcolonial Blues’ will serve as a fundraiser for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), reinforcing their commitment to global solidarity and humanitarian causes.
