The exhilarating rocker “DKA” is the latest from Oakland-based act Feefawfum. Dexterous guitar lines and shout-y vocal passion lead an invigorating sound, steeped in art-rock and math-rock sturdiness. The release is accompanied by a striking music video, above, that plays as a “Lynchian riff on John Carpenter’s Halloween.”
Thematically, “DKA” brings to attention the USA’s ghastly pharmaceutical and medical industry, ripe with insurance companies that value the bottom line over public health. Specifically, the track recounts the deaths of Alec Raeshawn Smith and Jimmy Aldaoud from DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) because they were denied access to insulin. Feefawfum bandleader Farley Miller has been living with type 1 diabetes for over twenty years, and such horrific potentials prompts the resonating chorus: “I hope I live to see a raise, so I can change my blood’s pH.”
“DKA” proves commanding in its evolution from quaint guitars into propulsive rhythms, with the chaotically gripping vocal rise during the bridge culminating in the aforementioned, anthemic chorus; it’s a fierce, riveting production with a timely thematic prowess.
The rousing track represents the third single from the band’s upcoming album, 100, releasing on September 8th.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of August 2023’ Spotify playlist.
The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Rock.
