[DARK INDIETRONICA] Portugal The Man- Modern Jesus (Mike D Remix)

[DARK INDIETRONICA] Portugal The Man- Modern Jesus (Mike D Remix)

[DARK INDIETRONICA] Portugal The Man- Modern Jesus (Mike D Remix)

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portugal

The only rule we need is never
Giving up
The only faith we have is faith in us

And with those lines, Portugal the Man laid down the gauntlet (in what, clearly, is one of the year’s best singles). I’m a big pusher of go-it-alone, inwardly turned anthems; particularly ones that slash with iconoclast’s fiery heart at the binds that tie us down, that stymy us.  American society is all about the cultural war against passion, against emotion, against expression. And whether that comes from pastors spewing pulpy condemnations from their pulpit out of a laughably archaic rulebook, or  pharmaceuticals that seem more hellbent on dampening despair and real emotion than curing psychological ills, American culture doesn’t you want to feel all of anything.

But ‘Modern Jesus’ is a direct spat in the eye to that bullshit; and the Mike D remix (unlike the idiosyncratic Alt-J version) explodes that spirit outward, into a gird-yourself-against-fuckery anthem.  It’s a track about recognizing American society as a whole has failed an entire generation of peoples (mine) and their only intent left is to make sure they live brightly, after all

We know that we’re helpless
At least we always assume
But we don’t need to prove nothing to you

When society limits your upward momentum, your potential; when emotional and economic malaise don’t rue the day, but instead rule it, what use do you have for their  shaming rules?  What makes this track/remix so wonderful is in the way it finds no need to sneer a need for ‘Modern Jesus’ to give you ‘hope’, to give you ‘salvation’, but instead amps up every  every war like feeling of self taught triumphalism that turns one into a courageous, dark little warrior for the cause of ‘having an interesting fucking life’ to spite it all.

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Kavi Senior Editor. Currently based in Bangkok. I review dark indietronica/pop with my signature style of delving into the sexuality, sensuality and emotionality of every song. If you'd like me to premiere your track, contact me at the email below or at soundcloud.com/discordbeing