MANGOSEED consist of four musicians of Trinidadian, Jamaican, Australian and Irish descent.
This transnational community of like-minded musical souls generate a fascinating coalition of world sounds, squeezing ska along with soca, compressing dub against jungle & funk, and pushing rock along with punk — to bring audiences insatiable sounds that are filled with vivacity of spirit.
London UK based Mangoseed was formed in 2008 by vocalist Nicholai La Barrie with guitarist Karlos Coleman. It became a fully functional live act with Richard Hardy on bass and Sam Campbell on drums, presenting a rhythmic, state-of-mind punk-rock outfit that merged happy-to-dance reggae with hot-on-topic social commentary. The sound was encapsulated on their self-released album, ‘Basquiat’.
Now the band reveal ‘Still Believe’ delivered as a tribute to the Windrush generation, and to express their anger at the British government’s deportation scandal. It is believed that at least 83 British born subjects were wrongfully deported from the U.K. by the Home Office during the period that the “hostile environment policy” run, instituted by Theresa May when she was Home Secretary.
The policy was first used by the Gordon Brown (Labour) administration. The only official record of the arrival of many “Windrush” workers was their landing cards, given to them when they disembarked in the ports. In 2009, the decision was made to destroy those same landing cards, robbing the immigrants of a chance to later “prove” their legitimacy.
“I am pondering the world we are in and looking at the chaos and uncertainty of it all…” says Nicholai La Barrie, vocals, Mangoseed. “And in America, where once Martin Luther King dreamed, it feels like that dream is lost to tyrants, racists and sexists, emboldened and loud […] It’s only love that will set us free.”
“Still Believe” is a comforting soup of sounds: with pepper & hot sauce under-vibes and sentiment held in every long note. The voice is sweet & sticky as condensed milk, and the chattering rhythms are constantly shaken and stirred… with spicy mustard seed crackles and smacks of crispy pickle. The general effect is noteworthy: but comes bitter-sweetened with a sense of overwhelming sadness.
Main Photo Credit: James Cheyne
Link: https://www.facebook.com/mangoseedband/
Mangoseed Live:
May 17 – Off the Cuff, Herne Hill, SE24 London
May 23 – Bussey Building, Peckham, SE15, London
June 29 – Luna, Leytonstone, E11, London
June 30 – South Norwood Festival
July 27 – Luna, Leytonstone, E11, London
Aug 24 – Big Feastival, Udder Stage, Cotswolds
Aug 31 – One Love Festival, Kaya Stage and Encona BBQ Session, Maidstone