On Podsongs, Xylaroo composed a new song based on a podcast conversation with Professor Steve Fuller, social philosopher and founder of Social Epistemology. Podsongs is a podcast in which musicians interview inspiring people in order to get ideas for new songs. The song is about transhumanism’s ethics, the lure of living forever, and what makes our brief time on this planet so valuable.
It vacillates between two ideas: surviving indefinitely via transhuman means or embracing life’s finiteness. Xylaroo worked remotely and in partnership with Podsongs inventor and host Jack Stafford and his Podsongs band after the Podsongs interview, which featured Xylaroo band member Holly Chant. Holly developed the lyrics and music for the song, which were inspired by Professor Steve Fuller. And it was fleshed out by Jack and his band. This is the first single from Xylaroo this year. Throughout the year, the band plans to release various tracks.
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Coco & Holly combine startling harmonies and lyrics with simple-yet-oh-so-catchy melodies. The band formed in Maidstone, Kent in the mid-2000s, but its roots and branches can be traced back to the countries where the sisters grew up and later resided: Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and now east London. As a two-piece, Xylaroo established themselves in the Medway music scene by playing gigs and open mics. The band quickly gained the attention of Sunday Best Records, an independent label. Sunday Best signed them in 2015, and their debut album “Sweetooth” was released in 2016.
The band still performs as a two-piece, although the sisters are now frequently backed by guitarist Joe Singleton. The ensemble can expand to a five-piece setup with the addition of drums and bass for some performances.
Xylaroo’s songs have been played on the radio by the likes of Dermot O’Leary (BB2), Steve Lamaq (BBC6), Edith Bowman (Virgin), John Kennedy (Xfm), and Clive Anderson (BBC 4), as well as invitations for interviews and acoustic sessions.
Over the last few years, the band has toured Europe with Mika, Frank Turner, and Pup. They’ve also toured with Will Varley, Matt Berry, and the Maypoles, as well as Meilyr Jones.
Don’t forget to follow Xylaroo on Instagram.
