A MIXTAPE THAT CAN SAVE SOUTH EAST LONDON’S BEST UNDERGROUND LOCATION FROM DEVELOPERS
Cassette out 15th October 2021.
A new mixtape by The Rising Sun, the underground south east London art space and collective, will be released on 18th June 2021 with the goal of pulling off a dramatic heist: saving our home and vital community space and taking it out the grips of developers FOREVER.
For the last five years, The Rising Sun has been a word-of-mouth phenomenon, featured in DIY magazine and VICE. By night it has hosted some of London’s most intimate and wildest parties, including sets from AJ Tracey, Obongjayar, Yussef Dayes, Reni, Novelist, Teki Latex, Nina Las Vegas, Black Midi and Andy Blake. By day it has been a recording studio for Crushed Beaks, Shame, Lightningboy, Sheiva, Badgirl$ and also given a home to acts including Lynks, 13XL, A House in the Trees and BYFYN.
The new pay-what-you-can mixtape will give friends, supporters, and newcomers the chance to save this cultural hub (and the arts community that has grown around it) from the forces of finance and gentrification. Our city is losing affordable housing and cultural spaces at dramatic rates. In the last 15 years, London has lost more than a third of its grassroots music venues and more than a half of LGBTQ+ nightlife spaces. Due to the pandemic, the number of clubs in operation is expected to fall by as much as 50 percent, according to the Night Time Industries Association. This means that alternative spaces for the creative community to come together are more important than ever.
Facing eviction during the pandemic, as the landlord plans to sell to luxury developers, the Rising Sun Collective have instead raised more than three-quarters of the £1.1 million needed to buy their building. A final £230,000 is needed to purchase the house into cooperative ownership, guaranteeing that it continues to exist as affordable housing and an LGBTQ+ friendly interdisciplinary cultural hub and studio complex for south east London FOREVER.
The mixtape features a selection of artists from the Rising Sun Collective and invited guests responding to the theme ‘emo songs’, including Lynks, Sweat, Lightningboy, Henny Seear, Olan Monk, Byfyn, Ramara, 13XL, Hoyah, scotthatesyou, Nissan Microdose, Gummi, acab brik, Chevy Blazer, Allison’s Gate, Boyan Levchev, Issermann and Crushed Beaks. Rather than define the mixtape by any particular musical style or genre, the collective chose to respond to the theme ‘emo songs’, a theme that broadly reflects the sombre mood of over a year living through the coronavirus pandemic. As tough as lockdown has been for many of us who were making a living through the gig economy, this period has provided an opportunity to focus on recording new music, some of which is showcased on this new mixtape.
All the artists on the mixtape have kindly agreed to donate all proceeds towards saving The Rising Sun so please buy the mixtape on Bandcamp and give generously if you can afford it.
risingsuncollective.bandcamp.com/album/rising-sun-mixtape-vol-2
In this David-and-Goliath battle against the property development industry, The Rising Sun are reaching out to music fans, people who like parties, and anyone who believes the city should provide for local people and artists who make our communities worth living in.
We believe that the dark days of this crisis can lead to a better future, and we can make better, fairer cities that support people and diverse ways of life, if we construct them together. The Rising Sun cooperative housing can embody an alternative to both private renting and owner-occupation, in democratic control, while providing an environmentally-pioneering building where artists can develop and perform.
Please help us call people to action by directing people to our website:
risingsun.space/housingco-op
We welcome culture-supporting investors to get in touch about taking advantage of our loan stock offer -- an investment at a rate of up to 3% return, that will help guarantee our future.
Rising Sun Mixtape Vol. 2 is released on 18th June 2021 on Bandcamp with all proceeds going towards saving The Rising Sun. The first single, Enemy by BYFYN, is released on 11th June 2021 on all major streaming platforms.
More info on the Rising Sun Collective and how to help save the rising sun can be found at
risingsun.space
“Watching these talented artists perform in the lung-crushing confines of an ex-pub basement reminded me to feel lucky to exist at a time when London’s creative culture still reigns supreme” - VICE magazine
“A London collective based out of community hub The Rising Sun, this genre-melting rabble are creating something special, and built on togetherness.” - DIY magazine