Utopia, by Pete Josef

Utopia

by Pete Josef

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julianneregan I'm listening to this as the morning sun streams through the window. A suitable soundtrack. It's a *gorgeous*, gently funky and soulful piece of summeriness but with a strong ecological message.

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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Lost Yourself, Carbon, Sunny Side Up, Utopia, Remixes, I Rise With The Birds, Lavender, This Sun / Snatching Time, and 6 more. , and , .
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	1.	Utopia 04:26	lyrics	buy track
	Tell me where are right now Gimme some future to hold on to Where my babies can live in peace Where'd the waters end, when the summer dry to dust A straight view to the outer rim Strangely glowing embers, gust of wind to take us in, yeh In a puff of smoke Utopia, they doping ya so be wise, be alive Don’t look up, ya house is on fire Utopia, they doping ya so be wise, be alive Gonna be the summer, the summer of our lives Hallowed place of prayer, on our knees we kiss the dirt Soil of mother, soil of mother earth On your back you shoulder, a hundred years of worldly hurt And who dare's ta, will ya dare to hope

about

Pete Josef is not just a singer, songwriter and multi- instrumentalist from the South-West of England. His social conscience and inherent need to create, build, share and protect as well as educate himself about issues regarding the environment, society, politics, race and gender have seen all of these permeate into his musical output in recent years. This has never been more overtly the case than with his brand new single, Utopia.

The song is ultimately about “greenwashing” - the method by which businesses exaggerate their environmental credentials for financial gain, and how this trickles down to consumers. Pete for one is frustrated by how companies, for decades, have made a calculated refusal to engage with the facts about climate change. This is reflected in the song’s lyrical content - “They doping ya, so be wise, be alive. Don’t look up, ya house is on fire.” Lyrics inspired by the film Don’t Look Up and a famous speech by environmental activist Greta Thunberg. The ironic lyricism continues in that it’s “Gonna be the summer, the summer of our lives” reflecting on how people bask in high temperatures without under- standing why these changes are happening, and the danger it poses to our future.

Pete is very aware that he himself could be accused of “greenwashing”, but at the very least hopes that he can be a small part of a growing movement to force change. Artists like Lil Simz, SAULT and Michael Kiwanuka are very much leading the way with that and Pete feels that he has little choice but to add his voice, but at the same time is conscious that his “consciousness” may never be enough.

Musically, the track has a retro and somewhat South American feel. The introduction features Pete playing a vintage 1960s Harmony Bobkat guitar, before he’s joined on suitably haunting vocals by Marie Lister. The song builds around Miguel Andrews’ steady drums as percussion and horns bring more weight to the proceedings. Imagine a politically conscious Curtis Mayfield backed by Khruangbin and you get the idea.

Utopia is taken from Pete Josef’s forthcoming third album, to be released in 2024, recorded in his self-built and self-sustainable studio cabin in his garden. The exchange between studio and live has become a unifying force since the resurrection of his live quartet in 2022. This year will bring choice live shows, featuring the mercurial Eli Jitsuto from Bristol based outfit Snazzback on guitar and longtime collaborators Jihad Darwish on bass and Miguel Andrews on drums.

credits

released May 25, 2023

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about

Pete Josef Bristol, UK

Pete Josef has always been a soul boy at heart, but his Multi-instrumental skill's have led him into some interesting situations. He has for years been recording and playing live with with Roni Size and Reprazent, and fronts and co-produces the lo-fi house duo White Lamp with Darren Emerson (underworld). As album two is already bubbling in his mind, his focus now will be his new live trio. ... more

shows

Sep 26

HydeAway

Frome, UK

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