Our accelerated 21st century post- Brexit and climate change culture continues. Keir Starmer resigned yesterday morning, his support rapidly shriveling up like that tomato I left on our garden table last night.Two years ago he was a new Labour Prime Minister with a huge majority in the House Of Commons and seemingly a mandate to bring in change. Now he's gone, widely reviled for reasons that aren't entirely clear- his vibe was off *. He was unable to communicate the good things this government have done and doubled down on the bad by, say, arresting hundreds of pensioners for protesting. In the end a huge parliamentary majority that should have given him the freedom to govern for five full years has to be tempered by the fact that he won only a fifth of the electorate at the 2024 general election. The big win two years ago was a Get The Tories Out vote in reality.
Sincerely, I hope Andy Burnham can galvanise people and turn things around. He's a genuinely popular figure (at least round here he is- and there aren't many of mainstream politicians with genuine popularity), has a relatable personality and a back story as Mayor of Greater Manchester that works. He needs to present some policies soon that hit the spot. There's no doubt the familiar right wing media will swing into anti- Burnham mode quickly.
Meanwhile we're baking under temperatures that are entirely beyond the average. Trump's view of Starmer's failure was that he failed on immigration and energy (Open North Sea Oil!' he typed, a view which is part of the problem). I hope his reflecting pool continues to filled with algae.
Some new music to soundtrack societal collapse. First, Daniel Avery remixing Fluke's Atom Bomb, a breath of fresh apocalyptic air- gorgeous synth chords, rattling drums, whispered vocals and big rumbling bass. The Nuclear Summer remix has Avery proving once again he's a master of this kind of thing, ambient techno and rave dynamics. Fluke are mining their back catalogue for updated versions and modern remixes with more to come. Music to soundtrack the shadow of the mushroom cloud.
Second is OBOST, otherwise known as Bobby Langfield, a young man making music beyond his years. His newest track is Blame, four minutes of dancing synth melodies, the thud of the kick drum and a woozy vocal. In the the second half of blame the energy levels rise, arpeggios and piano blasting out while the voice carries an Arthur Russell- esque feel. Blame (JAB) strips the track down, more acidic, abstract and distorted. Blame is at Bandcamp for less than the cost of two pints of milk.
Thirdly, Secret Soul Society have a two track EP out this Friday, a collaboration with Flash Atkins, that is aimed squarely at summer dancefloors even if dancing this week is likely to bring on heat exhaustion. Crunk Funk is lighter than air and loose at the seams, breathy and fresh, a lovely groove and insistent chords with a distant vocal. Sunrise, sunset- either will be improved by Crunk Funk. Get it at Bandcamp.
* There are reasons: he didn't bring enough change quickly enough for people's liking; he was poor at presenting policy and telling a story; he was blank and flat when speaking in public; he U- turned several times which looked weak; some of his policies seemed to hit people Labour should be supporting; he lost left wing support to the Greens due to his pursuit of Reform- friendly policies; he made the disastrous Mandelson appointment; he became a lighting rod for right wing Facebook group politics (the Save Our Kids, flags and hotel mob, the 'two tier' policing critics, the free speechers who want to be able to promote racist views in public with impunity, the far right echo chamber that view him as a communist, the daily battering from the Express and Mail, The Telegraph and The Times). These things come with the territory but the hatred and venom people have for Starmer is a little bizarre.
