Only Dust Remains by Backxwash

In a society that feels actively, systemically self-destructive, a collective of people actively committed to the destruction of human life, our own tendencies towards depression, hopelessness, and despair feel inevitable. The new experimental hip hop record Only Dust Remains by Backxwash begins at this confluence of internal and environmental negativity, examining this self-perpetuating cycle and beginning the excruciating climb out of this emotional pit. A stunning variety of live instrumentation breathes life into every second of this record, from dark, metallic riffs to sweeping orchestral melodies all backed by organic percussion that solidifies this record’s presence in the real world. Combative lyrics and firm delivery conduct an all-out assault on the life-negating systems that control our political, economic, and cultural reality, drawing a through line between genocidal imperialism, rampant addiction, and personal despair. However, Backxwash finds glimmers of hope in those she holds dearest, rebuilding her faith in humanity by envisioning a world reconstructed by universalizing the type of deep empathy we typically only reserve for those we interact with one-on-one.