Smoke ’em Out
Coco Rosie
CocoRosie Records
Photos by Ashleigh Castro.
CocoRosie are a group of sisters, Bianca “CoCo” and Sierra “Rosie” Casady, who grew up traveling throughout the United States. In 2003 they formed CocoRosie, combining their darling nick names given to them by their mother. Sierra studied opera in France while Bianca was focused on sociology, art and writing. They reunited in 2003 when Bianca joined Sierra in Paris, spending a summer recording their debut album in the bathroom. Now they have released their new song “Smoke ‘Em Out” feat ANOHNI, in response to political shifts and offering a taste of fresh work to come off their in progress album.
This year feels like we are starting with “zero options.” The card house is diminishing, shuffling manic in air. “Hang up, and try again.” What is in store for the future? Sharp raps and break beats of “Smoke ‘Em Out” lead us into a story about a new (seemingly ghostlike) character who will be inhabiting the White House. Hazy in scene, a thunderous 21st Century mob of “children and wives waving forks and knives” gather, suggestive of torch and pitch fork crowds. While times seem to be clouded by screens, this period of unease is inspiring action. The protesting crowd shines light. In “Smoke ‘em Out,” CocoRosie wake the masses with their demonstrative piece. On the cusp of what feels like dawn of the end of time, CocoRosie remind us that the “end of time never ends” in Bianca Casady’s poem, which was shared with the song’s press release. Like a cold wind, fellow future feminist ANOHNI’s voice croons the songs title followed by vibrating ghostlike lyrics, “Burning down the house / Smoke them Out /Burning Down the House / The dead girl shouts…”
The world continuously spins to generate the ebbs and flows of our planet full of winding rivers, which dry out and are made rushing time and time again, expansive mountain ranges, which crumble and rebuild over generations, air which is contaminated and filtered out by plants, and water which goes through both similar and different means of filtration. Eras are reflective of elements. “Smoke ‘em Out” is 4:44 minutes, numerological, as four symbolizes the four elements, fire, water, earth and air as well as the four directions North, West, East and South.
Listen to “Smoke ’em Out” by Cocorosie:
