Belgian/Iraqi trio Use Knife have shared a new single, ‘Sowieso F ed’, AKA ‘F ed على أي حال’ or ‘F *ed anyway’, which premieres exclusively with tQ above ahead of its digital release tomorrow (October 20).
The band, consisting of Stef Heeren, Kwinten Mordijck and Saif Al-Qaissy, describe the new single as "a cynical ‘c’est-la-vie’ anthem, set to a heavy 95 BPM beat and a disarray of fucked-up samples and sounds, about ten little wanderers who wander kilometres from home trying to belong."
The track marks the first new material from Use Knife since they released their debut album, The Shedding Of Skin last year. Mixed by Radwan Ghazi Moumneh of Jerusalem In My Heart, the video for ‘Sowieso F***ed’ features distorted and deconstructed visuals by Youniss Ahamad. Its unveiling comes ahead of an in-depth tQ interview with the band, to be published next Monday (23 October).
A digital-only release, ‘Sowieso F***ed’ also comes along with a new T-shirt depicting a design by Lebanese graphic designer Farah Fayyad. You can see it, and purchase one, here.
The band have stated that proceeds from the release will be donated to aid humanitarian efforts in Gaza. They said: "The release was initiated before the brutal reality of the genocide happening in Gaza. Now, the cynical message must make way for solidarity with the Palestinian people. The profits made from this release and the accompanying T-shirt will therefore go to the Gaza Crisis Appeal of Oxfam International."
On November 3, the band will perform at an event titled Benefit 4 Gaza at the Viernulvier arts centre in Gent, Belgium. All profits made will also go to Oxfam’s Gaza Crisis Appeal. Viernulvier have also promised to double every euro spent on ‘Sowieso F***ed’ and the accompanying T-shirt, and will also donate all profits from the food sold at their restaurant until November 3.
‘Sowieso F***ed’ is out on October 20, 2023.
