Toronto, ON – July 12, 2016 – On September 16th, A Tribe Called Red’s music will give voice to those that rarely have one, with the release of their third full-length record, We Are The Halluci Nation (via Pirates Blend). The 15-track album is an intense, incendiary collection; a visionary blend of electronic and dance music that’s forward-thinking with a deep sense of heritage and cultural identity. Pre-order the album here and listen to the title track, which premiered today on Mic.com.
We Are The Halluci Nation features guests Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def), Saul Williams, Polaris Prize-winning throat singer Tanya Tagaq, Shad and many others. Indigenous Canadian artists like Black Bear, Northern Voice and The Chippewa Travellers recorded with A Tribe Called Red and are prominently featured. The album title comes from a series of works that poet and activist, John Trudell, wrote for the band before his passing away last year. Some of his recitations also appear on the album.
The album opens with the title track, a meditation written and recited by John Trudell, and joined by the pow wow drum group Northern Voice. Trudell’s words act as a mission statement; reverence for the earth and a rallying cry to activism. It quickly segues into the scalding R.E.D. featuring Yasiin Bey, a bleak beat stacked with synths, shouts and a flurry of percussion.
Last month, the group released The Manawan Session mini-documentary (produced with the financial assistance of MuchFACT a division of Bell Media Inc.), which followed the group’s album making process while recording on the Manawan First Nations reserve in May 2014. Watch the film here.
[styled_box title=”A Tribe Called Red- The Manawan Session” color=”red”][/styled_box]
Since 2010, the group – currently made up DJ NDN, Bear Witness and 2oolman – has been mixing traditional pow wow vocals and drumming with cutting-edge electronic music. In a sense, ATCR’s music is the soundtrack to a contemporary evolution of the pow wow: their Electric Pow Wow events in Ottawa showcase native talent and aboriginal culture, alongside an open, wild party. Within a couple of years, they have become the face of an urban Native youth renaissance, championing their heritage and speaking out on aboriginal issues, while being on top of popular music, fashion and art. Bear Witness doubles as the crew’s visual artist and creates stunning, political, and sometimes humorous, videos that incorporate film and pop culture references to native people and reclaim the aboriginal image.
Their second full-length album, Nation II Nation (May 2014), was shortlisted for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize, was nominated for four Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards – Best Group, Best Producer, Best Album and Best Cover Art – and earned the group a 2014 JUNO Award for Breakthrough Group Of The Year, as well as a nod for Electronic Album Of The Year.
WE ARE THE HALLUCI NATION TRACKLISTING:
1. We Are The Halluci Nation Ft. John Trudell, Northern Voice
2. R.E.D. Ft. Yasiin Bey, Narcy & Black Bear
3. The Virus Ft. Saul Williams & Black Bear
4. BEFORE
5. (Sila) Ft. Tanya Tagaq
6. The Light Ft. Lido Pimienta
7. Maima Koopi Ft. OKA and Chippewa Travellers
8. JHD Ft. Junior Ottawa
9. Eanan Ft. Maxida Marak
10. The Muse Ft. Jen Kreisberg
11. Indian City Ft. Northern Voice
12. How I Feel Ft. Leonard Sumner, Shad & Northern Voice
13. For You (The Light Part II) Ft. Lido Pimienta
14. ALie Nation Ft. John Trudell, Lido Pimienta, Tanya Tagaq & Northern Voice
15. SOON
UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
07/15 | Folk on the Rocks Music Festival | Yellowknife, NWT (Tickets)
07/23 | Way Home Festival | Oro-Medonte, ON (Tickets)
07/31 | The Banff Centre – Shaw Amphitheatre | Banff, AB (Tickets)
08/15 | Festival Acadie Rock – Riverfront Park | Moncton, NB (FREE)
08/18 | Boyce Farmers Market | Fredericton, NB
08/19 | The Marquee Ballroom | Halifax, NS
08/20 | 2016 Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Summer Games | Membertou, NS (FREE)
08/31 | Pacific National Exhibition | Vancouver, BC (FREE with gate admission)
09/02 | Chevrolet Courts – New York State Fairgrounds | Brooklyn, NY
09/21 | Baby’s All Right | Syracuse, NY
09/23 | The Wayfarer | Costa Mesa, CA
09/24 | The Hideout | San Diego, CA
09/26 | The Troubadour | Los Angeles, CA
10/04 | Urban Lounge | Salt Lake City, UT
10/06 | Larimer Lounge | Denver, CO
10/07 | Larimer Lounge | Denver, CO
10/10 | Ft. Lewis College | Durango, CO
11/15 | Wonder Ballroom | Portland, OR
11/16 | The Crocodile | Seattle, WA
11/17 | Wild Buffalo | Bellingham, WA
12/06 | Skyway Theater (Studio B) | Minneapolis, MN
12/07 | Lincoln Hall | Chicago, IL
