Setting the tone with an immersive soundscape crescendo featuring elegant keys, cerebral textures and a banjo, CLAPMUTT and TrescaLou open U=U with hypnotizing compressed vocals before we experience clarity with vocals and their important message.
The opus expands into a futuristic electro pop anthem with a genre bending energy whilst the London-based artists tackle an important and often misunderstood topic. The song is called U=U in order to convey the scientific fact that Undetectable=Untransmittable with reference to HIV. CLAPMUTT wishes to “end stigma and challenge HIV-related misconceptions deeply rooted in society” with his prose and artistic venture.
We appreciate the poetic depth, and the mantra-esque delivery of the hooks including the repeated positive affirmation, “Everything is working out for my highest good…”. The dimensionality of the soundscape is incredible and we love the jazz nuances.
Self-described as “a clown of all trades with lipstick and a blue plaster bow tie as a trademark”, the rising multidisciplinary “trashy pop artist” expresses himself through music as well as dance, modelling, acting, and visual arts.
Speaking on his chosen medium for activism, he confesses, “I believe that art is the most potent tool to redraw what people think.” We learn that his motivation in writing U=U is personal and stems from the presence of HIV in the lives of those closest to him, inspiring his choice to volunteer for various HIV charities throughout the years.
As a gay man from a Christian background, CLAPMUTT was raised in an environment where HIV was perceived as a “gay disease”, so he wishes to address the invisibility of the most prominent group affected by HIV globally – women.
U=U was written, composed, and performed by CLAPMUTT and TrescaLou in June 2021, post-production was carried out by Zhero, Blair Jollands recorded vocals, and Angelina Namiba and Mina Kakaiya sang the backing vocals. The artist cites Lady Gaga, Stromae and Peggy Lee as influences, although it is clear that CLAPMUTT is creating a progressive universe of his own.
We have added U=U to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we anticipate the music video for the release and more releases from CLAPMUTT!