Music

A Tribe Called Red

| Mac

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.

Artist I Admire: Zoe Keating

| Mac

I admire Zoe Keating’s music as much as I admire her story.

I stumbled upon the music in a morning iTunes search for something new. First I found One Cello x 16: Natoma and then I quickly picked up Into the Trees as well.

What makes the music so noteworthy? It’s lyrical without words, modern yet timeless, it is a passionate, beautifully orchestrated dance of dark and light themes. More pragmatically it is one artist playing her cello into her computer multiple times and then creating wonderfully layered, complex and moving compositions.

What is her story? Passionate about the cello, professionally she went from clerk, to web programmer, to professional musician, the last of which was done without a big marketing push from a record label. She was discovered by one fan at a time through iTunes and other avenues. For more read this inspiring Mercury News article.

Spectacular!