“Queer activist Steven Braines is the CO-Founder of label/club night HE.SHE.THEY. who have seen acts such as Honey Dijon, Nina Kraviz and Ellen Allien take control of it’s decks around the world and release artists such as Cakes Da Killa, LOUISAHHH and even a trans inclusive Remix album with Alanis Morrisette. When he’s not doing that Steven has managed artists such as Maya Jane Coles, Tricky, Tale of Us, Magda, KDA, Nadine Shah and Catz n’Dogz in his career at The Weird & The Wonderful. Not bad for someone who’s original life goal was to be WWE Champion.”
1. Nocturnal Sunshine ft Young MA & Gangta Boo
I’m obsessed with this video. It’s so cool the music and they almost Grand Theft Auto vibe but more female empowered, goth and queer. I love that it’s a hip-hop track that is produced, written and performed entirely by queer women of colour that smacks just as hard as the men.
2. Wax Wings ft Nimmo ‘Reclaim Me’
It’s another mix track entirely written, performed and produced by queer people and the video is queer themed too. I wish their was representation like this when I was young that was unashamedly queer and excellent. The vocal is unbelievably strong.
3. Louisahhh ‘Love Is A Punk’
It’s all about freedom, love and expression. It’s anthemic and has that vibe of Siouxsie and the banshees but present day. It’s got a really sexual edge to it too. The video is of louisahhh and her partner filming a bdsm session and the build up to it. It’s an incredible brave video and I don’t know many artists that let you in that deep. I think it’s wonderful.
4. Blankson – ‘Wraith’
I just think it’s a genuinely faultless record. I think it’s the standard we should hold all HE.SHE.THEY. Releases too.
5. Maya Jane Coles ‘Cherry Bomb’
Maya not only wrote, produced, mixed, played every instrument but she also also designed all the characters.
6. VTSS ft LSDXOXO ‘Goin’ Nuts’
I love that they are making dance music exciting again and edgy. I love sex and dance music. If you don’t find this track sexy we’re probably not going to get on :p
7. Onaka ‘Xashi’
It’s Ukraine goodness. Randomly I first saw them at Eurovision and found they make all this sick sounds which are like techno-folk. I refuse to believe a better baseline exists in the world. I think it reverberates with my paternal gypsy roots. Here it is LIVE!
![ONUKA - ХАЩІ [MOZAЇKA LIVE] / KYIV, 2018](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yi8pRet-CoE/0.jpg)
8. Engine Earz Experiment ‘Kaliyuga’
I’m not going to even explain this one – it’s incredible. Simply incredible.
9. Bjork ‘Human Behaviour’
Faultless record. The lyrics are dope in bjork’s observational way and the strings, drums and base in that broody dark way is such a vibe.
10. Kate Bush – ‘Watching Her Without’
I could Insert any Kate Bush track in here but this is such a special vibe.
Photo Credit: @Fionagarden @thefashtons
