Led by the the inimitable Leilani Le Fleur, Le Fleur is the Melbourne six-piece that blend funk, pop and acid jazz, their high-tempo vibes and infectious rhythms often used as a vehicle to tackle important social issues and promote change. Perhaps the group’s most unreserved offering yet, ‘Strange Moonlight’ doesn’t equivocate on its point. As Leilani shares “it’s a song about standing in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, discussing the effects of systemic racism through the lens of a person of colour, that white supremacy is very much alive in Australia and how Australian’s need to do better.”

Following on from their debut self-titled EP in 2017, ‘Strange Moonlight’ continues down the same energetic funk path. While the energy and dynamism of Le Fleur surely shines brightest in a live setting - their tracks made to fill a dancefloor - the determined grooves and raw passion embedded within ‘Strange Moonlight’ makes it just as potent on record. The instrumentation of the track acts somewhat as a musical ‘Trojan Horse’ - the happiness and groove of its disco beat subtly carry the important messages that form the song’s heart. Leilani is a strong vocalist, crooning her vital words. “You’ve got your fist in the air / do you really care”, she asks, calling out performative politics.

Perhaps it’s an unfounded association, but the similarity of the song’s title to Billie Holiday’s iconic ‘Strange Fruit’ is striking - that song stood as a protest anthem in the United States and a key song in the Civil Rights Movement. It makes sense for Leilani as a BIPOC artist to align herself with Holiday’s song, as now some 80 years on, it’s just as pressing a time to confront the deplorable treatment of people of colour around the world, particularly in Australia. And when Leilani’s vocals amass at the powerful bridge as she rails “police brutality, that’s a no from you and me,” it’s not only an obvious choice to stand with her - it’s just as compelling to boogie along.