Director Steve McQueen's new film, 12 Years A Slave, is the story of a man struggling against the titanic might of racial oppression whilst also being the victim of monstrous irony. Much of the music we enjoy today was borne out of those troubled times from the mouths of the people in chains, and the film's soundtrack is a moving collection of spirituals, blues numbers and period pieces that reflect the film's tone. Familiar sounds are given profound context when played against the backdrop of African-American slavery, and some great contemporary artists make moving contributions.
