If your into the Canadian underground electronic scene then this is probably old news for you… but I hadn’t seen it before we were shown it in Visual Arts 150 last Tuesday… and I found it extremely interesting…
Here’s the best write up I could find on A Tribe Called Red:
http://2011.newformsfestival.com/2011/07/08/a-tribe-called-red/
A Tribe Called Red are a collective of 3 Native American DJ’s who are remixing tribal sounds and re-apporpriating western imagery of their people… In one way it’s very cool to see creative fusion like this, in another way I’m sure members of their culture, Elders in particular might not be happy about it… the term that might come up is sacrilegious… In addition I can’t help but feel concern about retransmitting imagery full of bigotry… like the uncomfortable feeling you get with Mickey Rooney’s part in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Alas the world of art has always been strewn with politics, power struggles, and angry stakeholders. Despite the fireworks of thoughts regarding what it all means, I have to say, I like it. It has a hypnotic beat, and the mashup is satisfyingly solid.
If you like it too check out their Facebook page and their Soundcloud page.