July 23, 2018
“The beats sometimes are direct references to patterns and rhythms that are related to our families”. Indie-rock band nêhiyawak (“all Cree people”) is made up of cousins, guitarist Kris Harper and drummer Marek Tyler, and fellow nêhiyaw bassist Matthew Cardinal. The cousins formed nêhiyawak after years of pursuing their separate music careers, inspired by their common love of 80’s shoegaze music and bands like Cocteau Twins. With the help of Destroyer and The New Pornographers producer Colin Stewart, their debut EP incorporates strong elements of Indigenous rhythms, dreamy synths, and sprawling guitars. The band calls back to their ancestors using native storytelling, their songs reacting poetically to issues like missing and murdered Indigenous women, displaced people, and revitalizing their native language. They also participate in mentorship programs as a way of channeling their passion for arts and education in the Native community. Receiving the 2017 Indigenous Recording of the Year award for their song “Tomasso” at the Edmonton Music Awards, nêhiyawak is looking to release a full-length album in 2018.
Discography
EP (2017)
Playlist
Artist (Song) Album
- JB the First Lady (Still Here) Meant to Be
- Quantum Tangle (Tiny Hands) Shelter as We Go…
- Ryder Erickson (Native Pride)
- Good Morning Hellen (Broken Little Bird) Gmh
- nêhiyawak (Tommaso) EP
- nêhiyawak (Disappear) EP
- nêhiyawak (Starlight) EP
- Logan Staats (The Lucky Ones)
- Supaman (Godly Warriors) Illuminatives
- Iskwé ft Tanya Tagaq (The Unforgotten)
