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Apr 30, 2018 By Christopher Roberts Young Fathers

Scottish hip-hop trio Young Fathers released a new album, Cocoa Sugar, last month via Ninja Tune. Now they have shared a new video for “Toy.” Salomon Ligthelm directed the video, which features child dictators. Watch it below, followed by the band’s upcoming tour dates.

Ligthelm, who had worked with the band in the past and approached them to direct the “Toy” video after hearing the song, had this to say about the video in a press release: “The tone of the track is so visceral and abrasive, which I think marries the political subject matter perfectly. I honestly just really like the idea of seeing dictators behaving like spoilt little children - pissed with the world, because things aren’t going their way. Looking at the political climate of our time, I’d say truth is certainly stranger than fiction.”

Young Fathers had this to say: “Once it is done, it is yours. We gave ‘Toy’ to Salomon who listened and saw dictators as children playing a game of ‘who has the most power. What do you see when you listen?”

Young Fathers surprised everyone by winning the Mercury Prize with their 2014 debut album, Dead. Previously they shared Cocoa Sugar tracks “In My View” (via a video and it was one of our Songs of the Week),“Lord,” and “Toy” (which was also one of our Songs of the Week).

Cocoa Sugar was our Album of the Week.

Read our Soundtracking the Resistance interview with Young Fathers on music and politics.

Pick up or download Under the Radar‘s current print issue (Spring 2018) to read our interview with Parquet Courts on Wide Awake!

Read our review of Cocoa Sugar.

Young Fathers Tour Dates:

05/01 Brooklyn, NY - Zone One at Elsewhere (Sold Out)
05/02 Los Angeles, CA - Moroccan Lounge (Sold Out)
05/03 Los Angeles, CA - Amoeba Hollywood *6pm In-Store
05/04 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl++
05/05 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl++
05/25 London, UK - All Points East
05/26 Belfast, Ireland - BBC Biggest Weekend Festival
06/02 Edinburgh, Scotland - Hidden Door Festival
06/08 Helsinki, Finland - Sideways Festival
06/09 Milan, Italy - RADAR Festival
06/15 Mannheim, Germany - Maikmarkt-Gelande
06/15 St Austell, UK - The Eden Project**
06/16 St Austell, UK - The Eden Project**
06/17 Mannheim, Germany - Maifeld Derby Festival
06/21 Bucharest, Romania - Arenele Romane**
06/23 Budapest, Hungary - Papp László Budapest Sportaréna**
06/25 Istanbul, Turkey - Zorlu Performing Arts Center**
06/29 Montreux, Switzerland - Montreux Jazz Festival
07/12 Madrid, Spain - Mad Cool Festival 2018
07/14 Bilbao, Spain - BBK 2018
08/30 Drumlanrig Castle, Thornhill, Ireland - Electric Fields

++with LCD Soundsystem & Yeah Yeah Yeahs
**with Massive Attack

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