Portishead‘s Beth Gibbons has teamed up with Afghanistan’s the Miraculous Love Kids to cover Joy Division’s “Atmosphere” and David Bowie’s “Heroes.” They meld the two songs into one another for an original take on both — watch the video below.
The covers were made “to mark two years since the Taliban took the reigns of power in Afghanistan on August 15 2021.” Says Lanny Cordola, the American musician and activist who produced and helped form the Miraculous Love Kids: “One of the first deeds the Taliban enacted after taking control was to ban girls from attending school and then to outlaw music. We will defy this wicked ban and break this outlandish law on behalf of all girls, women and good souls of Afghanistan.”
Says Gibbons, “I was so honoured to guest on the Miraculous Love Kids’ reconstructed cover track ‘Atmosphere/Heroes,’ and to be a voice next to these brave and beautiful girls of Afghanistan.”
The Miraculous Love Kids have also collaborated with Nick Cave and Blake Shelton and you can watch those below as well.