FRANCE V HONDURAS
Guest referee:
Charlie Lyne — Freelance journalist and filmmaker
L’entourage — ‘Mourir Demain’
THE SONG ISN'T ON YOUTUBE AND THE SOUNDCLOUD LINK DOESN'T EMBED BUT IF YOU CLICK HERE YOU CAN HEAR IT OKAY.
“Mortality is a slippery subject: any significance it may hold for one person may well be lost on the next. And so, by its very nature, 'Mourier Demain' (or 'Die Tomorrow') by the French rap group L'Entourage must surely be a work rife with internal conflict. After all, L'Entourage are a twelve-strong ensemble, and to presume that Fonky Flav's understanding of death will necessarily align with Jazzy Bazz's is to make fools of us all. Sadly, my rudimentary French denies me full comprehension of the song's complexities, but I am struck by one particular sentiment expressed by the group's resident joker Deen Burbigo in 'Mourier Demain''s second verse. Deen insists that, were he to die tomorrow, he would first put out a call on Twitter (to his 43,738 followers) for a back rub. I find this paucity of ambition dismaying. For one thing, I suspect Deen could happily secure a massage from a fan any day of the week. Delaying such a minor piece of gratification until the eve of his death seems downright perverse. For another, I hate to think of Deen's unwitting epitaph: a trifling last request for the digital stimulation of his spine, forever preserved on an archival Twitter feed.”
Banda Blanca — 'Swing Latino'
“One group who could not be accused of thematic overambition is the Honduran eleven-piece Banda Blanca. Their chart-topping hit 'Swing Latino' retreads that most familiar of pop songwriting grounds: the appearance of a woman who is currently dancing. Their choice of imagery, however, is a far cry from the simple jelly-based metaphors of so many English-speaking performers. To Banda Blanca, a woman in motion variously resembles 'una culebra' (a snake), 'una mecedora' (a rocking chair) and 'loco esta por un demente que salio del manicomio' (the inpatient of a psychiatric hospital). Despite these vivid analogies, 'Swing Latino' is a frustratingly static song that lacks the lyrical drive needed to sustain its repetitive, Microsoft Songsmith-esque harmonics. For all their descriptive powers, the members of Banda Blanca never even explain the root of their interest in this mystery chica. Are they lusting after her, or simply admiring her ability to get down à la both serpents and home furnishings?"
Charlie's full time score:
France 2 — Honduras 1
Now you can vote for your own favourite.
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