KNEECAP - ‘Sayōnara’
The headline-grabbing West Belfast rap trio are back with ‘Sayōnara’, a moshpit-worthy rave track in collaboration with Orbital’s Paul Hartnoll.
This Tuesday marked Kneecap’s second single since their critically acclaimed album Fine Art released in June of last year. The long-awaited official release of ‘Sayōnara’ comes just over two months after its stunning debut amid the trio’s contested yet blistering Glastonbury performance. The track sees Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí (real names Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J. J. Ó Dochartaigh) pair their trademark high-octane bars that flit between Irish and English with a throwback beat worthy of 90s dance royalty.
‘Sayōnara’ continues the Belfast agitators’ trend towards a more explicit clubbing sound that embraces electronic music, Drum and Bass and classic rave culture. Whilst the Kemi Badenoch-baiting summer tune ‘THE RECAP’ featured the Drum and Bass DJ and producer Mozey, on ‘Sayōnara’ Kneecap joined forces with Paul Hartnoll of the legendary electronic act Orbital, who had previously produced the song ‘Belfast’ for the Kneecap film last year. The product is an industrial track of relentless intensity and immense proportions, harking back to the darkened parties of the 90s rave scene yet still imbued with Kneecap’s fervent delivery and punkish outlook. In Hartnoll’s words, it’s “a rave festival banger…big, loud, and unashamed!”.
With an urgency typical for a group that has emerged as one of the most prominent musical voices in support of Palestinian liberation, Móglaí Bap quips “You only get one chance: a momentary bliss, a fleeting romance”. Kneecap’s distinctive bravado continues into the second verse, with Mo Chara bragging, “No more tickets on the door / Sayonara, Mo Chara’s got another flight to catch tomorrow”. The media and political maelstrom that has surrounded the hip-hop trio since their Coachella performance in April continues to raise the group’s international profile, whilst also placing them under increasing pressure and scrutiny. Most recently, Mo Chara – who was charged in May after allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig last year – had his court hearing adjourned to the 26th of September, resulting in a decision last week to cancel the entirety of Kneecap’s sold-out American tour in October.
Alongside the new single’s release came a striking music video starring Jamie-Lee O’Donnell of Derry Girls fame and directed by Finn Keenan, whom Kneecap previously worked with on the music video for ‘THE RECAP’. The video depicts O’Donnell’s protagonist torn between the monotony and sensory overstimulation of the corporate office and the explosive freedoms of raving in the darkness. Overwhelmed and in search of release, O’Donnell’s character flees her desk for a joyride in the Kneecap mobile – the same Land Rover tagged with “Free Mo Chara” that adorns the single’s artwork – before returning to dance the night away in blissful isolation amongst the staplers, shredders and phonebooks.
Discussing her experience with the project, O’Donnell recalled "I had the best time filming the 'Sayōnara’ music video. Not only is it a massive banger of a track but the intense yet euphoric video is sure to be remembered. The creativity and vision of director, Finn, created a fantastic environment for us all to create something really special.”
‘Sayōnara’ and ‘THE RECAP’ are also being released as an exclusive double A-sided 12” vinyl, with the green pressing of the two crowd-rousing bangers sold out only seconds after its announcement in Kneecap’s WhatsApp group. While in the thudding chorus of ‘Sayōnara’ DJ Próvaí’s distorted vocals proclaim “So I’m not sure when I’ll see ya”, over the coming weeks and months Kneecap are set to perform across the UK, Europe and Canada, including the group’s largest ever London show at the Wembley Arena in two weeks. They’re sure to claim more headlines, and ‘Sayōnara’ is sure to channel more raveworthy energy into their ever-growing, ever-rowdy audiences that know there’s only one music group on the planet doing what Kneecap are doing right now.
Words by Taran Will
