Problem with a lot of protest music is that it gets dated rather quickly. It could be that tying your creative work to a hot-button issue of the day may gain the artist some attention, but in the long run might also make it look like an anachronism unless the issue either persists well into the future and/or the said work is strong enough to stand on its own.
Thankfully Harm (off of upcoming Farewell, Doomed Planet! LP) by New Orleans composer/producer Elizabeth Joan Kelly checks off both of the aforementioned boxes. The issue of climate change is unlikely go away anytime soon, thanks in no small part to a flood of anti-scientific views / policies that took hold over the last few years.
More importantly, even if one is to separate concept from music, Harm (both the song and the video) is still utterly impressive on its own. Its sole focus is Atmosphere with a capital A, one of utter coldness and desolation – the ethereal/melancholic vocals being a cherry on top of the proverbial cake. While it may not cause millions to change their mind about climate it certainly moves you in a way that any really well crafted song should.
Farewell, Doomed Planet! is out on Oct. 25
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