Clean Living in Difficult Circumstances is a new blog looking at music/culture/politics through the unusual lens of a South London based voodoo practitioner/writer.
In this post, the author offers a new twist on the feminine/masculine pressure debate, looking at dubstep and grime in relation to My Lady Erzulie Freda Dahomey, the Voodoo Goddess of love, her influence considered to be largely absent (with some exceptions such as Grievous Angel's Devotional Dubz): 'Where was Erzulie Freda in this? What happened to the sweet vocals and champagne, the dancing and allure, making an effort before you leave the house, creating a space where the brutality of city living is overcome for a few hours and replaced with fleeting and ephemeral worlds of delight and fascination... All soundsystem needs The Lady. She's the beating heart of any night out. Queen of the dancehall, captivating and enchanting, turning the night into something you'll remember for the rest of your life... In her world, every moment is like the first kiss of an ideal lover, and her presence reminds us of how beautiful nature is, how amazing and filled with possibility London can be, and how much magic there is to be found in a night out'.
Naturally from this perspective, UK Funky gets the thumbs up for bringing back 'girly vocals, smart dress codes, and a female audience to a scene that has been dry of these mysteries for too long. Erzulie has re-entered the building, and wants you to buy her a bottle of champagne'.