HAWK are a band with key issues at heart. Their last release, "Glass", focused on the recent Marriage Equality Referendum that took place in Ireland, where the country became the first to legalise same sex marriage through popular vote. On their next single "Once Told", which we're premiering below, the band have centered on the still-important-and-will-be-important-until-things-change abortion laws in Ireland - where it's still illegal to have an abortion. Who said bands these days write songs about Snapchat and sing emojis over backdrops of tropical house? That's not HAWK, at least.
All of the above is set to a stunning sketch which skitters and soars along beautifully. Guided by Julie's lead vocals, it's like a keen-eyed bird of prey that's dipping and diving along a mountain range. Watch the video below, followed by some thoughts from Julie on Ireland's abortion laws.
"Once Told" was written in protest against the current Irish laws on abortion, where it’s illegal except in very rare circumstances. Ireland has some of the most restrictive abortion regulations in Europe. It jeopardises the lives of thousands of women every year, leaving them without the support they need. There are so many layers to this situation that make it incredibly unhealthy for women in Ireland. In the video we tried to express a sense of claustrophobia and frustration of trying to get your voice heard when there is no real desire from much of society to acknowledge a problem in the first place.
Up until pretty recently, Ireland’s situation has been kept relatively silent, both on a local and global scale. In my memory, at least at school, there’s always been an air of secrecy and shame surrounding the topic. It was always discussed with an atmosphere of ‘otherness’ – something that could never happen to you. It’s incredibly alienating; the idea that you might have a support network or even an open discussion was totally distant.
Literally thousands of women have to operate in secret every year, travelling abroad for medical care. But the way it’s taught gives the next generation of young Irish people the idea that ‘this kind of thing’ never happens. There’s a horrible dichotomy of trying to do what’s best for you alongside the expectation to carry on with life as if nothing’s happened. In the video we tried to capture this false sense of reality with the flashes of light and dark scenes, as if there’s a constant struggle between the two. James was amazing to work with – we shot the dark scenes later in the day, and I think by that stage we were feeling genuinely exhausted and like the walls were caving in around us.
The system is hugely damaging to female identity, and even more-so to women in more vulnerable circumstances. The very people who would need support the most are left by the wayside, unable to cope financially, and potentially putting their lives at risk. I could go on and on about how unfair the situation is, but luckily there are more and more people going public and fighting back, hoping for constitutional change. Hopefully it will change soon. This song is just a tiny fraction of the frustration that’s being felt every day - Julie Hawk
from Noisey http://ift.tt/1nu05vW
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