Sunshine Riot Commune and Mia Grace turn compassion into rhythm with "Dementia"

Sunshine Riot Commune feat Mia Grace provide that dose of sunshine in the form of a semi-scarper Ska number with nothing but love saturated throughout in their new single, "Dementia." Based on traditional Ska, the track blossoms into an unexpected Bossa Nova strut while an easy sliver of Jazz shade envelops. The brass is warm rather than brassy, the rhythm laid back but liquid, and it all makes a soundscape that draws listeners in rather than pushing them away. It’s music that sways your hips slightly while pulling at something deeper in your chest.

“Dementia” is a song about caring for our parents and grandparents. It’s about patience. Presence. The unspectacular heroism of just showing up when recollection starts to dim. Instead of embracing sadness, Sunshine Riot Commune and Mia Grace take a compassionate, light approach. The arrangement feels deliberate, a little chipper, a bit comforting, perhaps, as if to charm us into remembering that love does not vanish with memory.

Mia Grace’s addition of human warmth brings the message to such a closeness that it feels personal, not preachy. There is, woven through the track, a sense of commonality, appropriate for a band that knows the power in community care. The juxtaposition of Ska’s rhythmic base, Bossa Nova’s delicate sophistication, and Jazz’s soulful texture reflects the song's theme, joy and ache standing side by side.

“Dementia” is not only a sound but also a tender invitation to experience empathy. It asks us to pause, to make space, to recall those who once remembered all of this for us.