Jason Groth, John Andrews and Phil Elverum are among the contributors. Photos: Getty Images / The Yawns
Jason Groth, John Andrews and Phil Elverum are among the contributors. Photos: Getty Images / The Yawns
Jason Groth, John Andrews and Phil Elverum are among the contributors. Photos: Getty Images / The Yawns
Jason Groth, John Andrews and Phil Elverum are among the contributors. Photos: Getty Images / The Yawns

Artists United for a Free Palestine: 55 US and UK artists join forces for benefit album


William Mullally
  • English
  • Arabic

More than 50 artists from across the United States and the United Kingdom have united for a new benefit compilation in support of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Palestine Legal.

The digital album, entitled Merciless Accelerating Rhythms – Artists United for a Free Palestine, features 55 unreleased songs from independent musicians across genres ranging from ambient electronic to jazz.

The title comes from the poem by Jamaican-American author and anti-apartheid activist June Jordan, who passed away in 2002. Entitled I Must Become a Menace to My Enemies, the poem was written in tribute to Agostinho Neto, former president of the People’s Republic of Angola in 1976.

The organisers on the album’s Bandcamp listing have written: “We as Artists United for a Free Palestine see retaliation as a diversity of tactics; as mutual aid; as solidarity with the people of Palestine; as direct action, if necessary; as an immediate end to the Israeli Occupation Force and a Free Palestine, forever; as a liberated world.

Artist Rebecca Pempek contributed the album art to the project, which features contributions from dozens of musicians. Photo: Hatetoquit
Artist Rebecca Pempek contributed the album art to the project, which features contributions from dozens of musicians. Photo: Hatetoquit

“Our duty as artists has – and always will be – radical acts of care; the least we can do is send aid to those facing/fighting genocide in Palestine, and those organising access to lawyers and legal support for those who need it.”

Artists who contributed to the compilation include singer-songwriter Phil Elverum, whose musical projects The Microphones and Mount Eerie have been acclaimed in alternative circles since he began releasing music in the 1990s. His 2017 album A Crow Looked At Me was the bestselling and most critically praised of his career, landing on the New York Times top 10 list for the year. The benefit album contains his new song, & Sun (Early), under the Mount Eerie moniker.

Other notable contributions to the compilation include the tenured independent rock musician Kyle Field, who releases music under the moniker Little Wings; rocker John Andrews; folk musician Libby Rodenbough; Magnolia Electric Co.’s Jason Evans Groth, and more.

Numerous projects in benefit of Palestine have been released over the last six months. Also in the independent music world, American singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker released a solo EP ahead of her latest album release, with all proceeds also going to Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

Artists from the film industry also joined forces recently for the Cinema for Gaza initiative, a ten-day auction which raised $315,000 for Medical Aid for Palestinians, a British charity that offers medical services in Gaza.

Contributions to the auction included Tilda Swinton, Ramy Youssef, Annie Lennox, Joaquin Phoenix and Jonathan Glazer.

The death toll for the continuing conflict in Gaza has reached 34,622, with 77,867 injured.

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Who has been sanctioned?

Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.

Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.

Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.

Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.

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Lexus LX700h specs

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Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

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MATCH INFO

Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
 
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned

The biog

Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.

Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella

Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Updated: May 04, 2024, 10:25 AM`