A Tribe Called Red, Suplex

Suplex - A Tribe Called Red

No one ever retires permanently anymore, do they? Even dead artists have made returns to the stage. A year into my so-called retirement, I’m feeling antsy and decided I needed to get back into this blog that has given me so much. I won’t be trying to keep to the daily schedule that wore me out the first time, but I’ve got some ideas brewing and thoughts to share. (Plus, there’s a new Wind-up Birds EP coming in the near future.)

First off, though, a quick post to share the great news that First Nations DJ/producer crew A Tribe Called Red have a new EP out called Suplex. ATCR continues to combine native song and drum elements with compelling beats for the same heady effect that intoxicated me when I first heard them back in 2012. Fader recently premiered the video for title track “Suplex” (featuring pow wow drum group Northern Voice), described as “a story about native youth, wrestling and becoming a role model without needing the stereotypes.”

A Tribe Called Red Ft. Northern Voice - Suplex (Official video)

Suplex is available via the ATCR website, Spotify, and iTunes. (And you can get one of those sweet bandannas as featured in the video at ATCR website.)

If you missed their massive debut, it’s still available for free, and it’s still well worth your time.

A Tribe Called Red will also be going out on tour starting next month.

06/19 | Indian Beach | Fort McMurray, BC

06/20 | Malkin Bowl | Vancouver, BC

06/23 | Neumos | Seattle, WA

06/24 | Doug Fir Lounge | Portland, OR

06/27 | Muscogee Creek Festival | Okmulgee, OK

07/12 | PanAM Park – Echo Beach | Toronto, ON

07/17 | GrassRoots Festival | Trumansburg, NY

07/18 | Aboriginal Pavilion – Fort York | Toronto, ON

07/24 | Brandon Folk, Music & Arts Festival | Brandon, MB

07/31 | Osheaga Music & Arts Festival | Montreal, QC

08/07 | Indian Summer Showcase – Potomac Atrium | Washington, DC

08/12 | Parapan American Games – Nation Phillips Square | Toronto, ON

08/15 | Up Fest | Sudbury, ON

A Tribe Called Red
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A Tribe Called Red

 

Got some worthy free music to start your weekend. A Tribe Called Red is a collective of Native DJs who mix samples, beats and pow wow music into something they have dubbed Pow Wow Step. When I first read about this, thanks to Rick Saunders, I wondered why I hadn’t heard about anyone doing this sooner.

I’ve been a fan of pow wow music since I first attended the Great Mohican Pow Wow (where they let white people in) in my early teens. The highlight of any day spent at the Pow Wow was going down to the ring to watch the dancers compete as the thumping drums and otherworldly vocals set their rhythm. Pow wow music is, essentially, dance music. It may be more ceremonial than the dancing you see in a club on a Saturday night… but, on the other hand, from a sociological viewpoint, maybe it’s all one in the same.

I was endeared to A Tribe Called Red as soon as I watched this video for “Electric Pow Wow Drum”, which includes clips from Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man.

 

 

How frigging wicked is that? And there’s a whole album, also titled Electric Pow Wow Drum, free to download below.

 

 

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