The child of musicians, they started writing and playing music at the age of four. They studied violin, viola and composition at the Purcell School before being offered a scholarship to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study composition. Levi performed as a DJ and MC around the UK garage and grime scene in London, and released a mixtape titled Filthy Friends, which was posted on their Myspace page in 2006. For Filthy Friends, they enlisted the help of friends and musicians of various backgrounds including MCs Baker Trouble, Brother May, Man Like Me & Ghostpoet, singer-songwriter Jack Peñate, jazz band Troyka, London pop-band Golden Silvers, producers Kwes. and Toddla T. Following its release, Filthy Friends became sought after on the London club scene.
While a student at Guildhall, Levi was commissioned to write an orchestral piece for the London Philharmonic Orchestra which was performed at the Royal Festival Hall in April 2008.
Levi formed a band called The Shapes, which includes Raisa Khan on keyboards and Marc Pell on drums. They signed to Accidental Records who released their debut single "Lone Ranger" in May 2008, followed by "Golden Phone" in August 2008. With the Shapes, Levi's focus has been on experimental pop music. Most of this music prominently features an acoustic half-guitar with various non-standard tunings, extensive distortion, and use of noise and found-object elements, as well as occasionally unusual time signatures. Despite these experimental leanings, the artist categorizes her output with The Shapes as pop music.
Their debut album, Jewellery, produced by influential electronic musician Matthew Herbert, was recorded around Mica's composition studies at Guildhall School. Advance copies of the record reached the press in early 2009, and generated positive feedback. In the wake of this growing buzz, Micachu and the Shapes were signed to Rough Trade, who released Jewellery on 9 March 2009. Drowned In Sound consequently hailed the record as "thrillingly improbable pop made by a grade-A maverick."
Levi describes the music they performs with The Shapes as "pop", without many of pop's defining characteristics (obvious choruses and accessible lyrics). They often use unorthodox instruments, many of which are homemade. These include a modified guitar played with a hammer action, called a 'chu', and a bowed instrument fashioned from a CD rack. This multitude of objects, varying from broken bottles to a vacuum cleaner, help Mica achieve their distinctive and unique sound. They also own a 3rd bridge Home Swinger built by Yuri Landman.
They produced the very effective horror-like music to the 2013 Jonathan Glazer's movie Under the Skin.
Just In Case
Micachu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In case I, case I
Tell you half of everything first
In case I, case I
Just in case I've covered for the worst
In case I, case I
Tell you half of everything first
It will probably come out a jumble of words
It will probably come out a jumble of words
Just in case I won't let myself breathe
In case I, case I
Got a vaccine for every disease
In case I, case I
And I won't have sex 'cuz of STDs
No, I won't have sex 'cuz of STDs
I don't have all day long for worrying
I don't have all day long for worrying
Just in case I won't work hard enough
In case I, case I
In case I fail, 'cuz disappointment is too much
In case I, case I
And I'll stumble along expecting life to be tough
Yeah, I'll stumble along expecting life to be tough
I don't have all day long for worrying
I don't have all day long for worrying
The lyrics of Micachu's "Just in Case" are a manifestation of anxiety and fear of uncertainty. The opening lines, "Just in case I've covered for the worst, in case I, case I / Tell you half of everything first," suggest that the singer is taking preemptive measures to prepare for the worst-case scenario. This approach applies to every aspect of their life - from covering every possibility by getting vaccines for every disease to avoiding sexual contact because of STDs. The use of "just in case" repeatedly emphasizes the singer's need for control and preparedness.
The second verse underlines the extent of the anxiety that the singer is dealing with. They reveal that they are afraid of disappointing themselves and others, that they won't work hard enough, and that they are prepared to stumble along the way. The use of "I don't have all day long for worrying" twice in the song creates a sense of urgency - the singer is signaling that they know they can't continue living with the same level of anxiety and pressures themselves to move on.
The music video for "Just in Case" features a man muttering the lyrics to himself while walking through an empty city. The minimalist arrangement of the song, with its emphasis on percussion and samples, complements the anxious lyrics. The song received critical acclaim and was listed on many year-end lists of the best songs of 2009.
Line by Line Meaning
Just in case I've covered for the worst
I have taken precautions for the worst outcome
Tell you half of everything first
I am cautious in disclosing information to protect myself
It will probably come out a jumble of words
I may not be able to articulate my thoughts clearly
Just in case I won't let myself breathe
I am overly cautious and anxious
Got a vaccine for every disease
I am careful to protect myself from illness
And I won't have sex 'cuz of STDs
I avoid sexual activity to prevent contracting sexually transmitted diseases
I don't have all day long for worrying
I don't want to waste time worrying unnecessarily
In case I won't work hard enough
I am afraid of failure and disappointment
And I'll stumble along expecting life to be tough
I anticipate and prepare for challenges and difficulties
Contributed by Grace W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.