If It's Too Loud...

Photo by David Guttenfelder I've compared previous singles from Pow Wow singer Joe Rainey to digital hardcore meets hip hop. Using that kind of comparison, his latest single is more of the chill out room at a rave. "turned engine" is more of a laid back song that truly focuses on Rainey's vocals along with Allie Bearhead. Most of the music is a quiet string composition in the background with very minimal percussion. But then the drums truly kick in and the intensity amps up quite dramatically. The previous more mellow mood is quickly replaced by something more sinister sounding. Joe Rainey talks about his latest single: “ I knew she had done some experimental singing on her own. I sent her the track and she didn’t hesitate to send back a stem.  And the title is another movie reference, this time from Dances With Wolves. In the movie, Costner returns home to his abandoned U.S. Army post as an ‘Indian’ and is immediately imprisoned. His captor, a Lawrence Bauer, taunts,...

Photo by David Guttenfelder The latest single from Pow Wow singer Joe Rainey is both the most traditional and experimental of the singles he has released so far. "can key" starts off with Rainey's singing, and then these giant beats come in. It's more industrial than hip hop and truly brings an urgency to the song. Slowly more instruments and sounds come into the song in layers, bringing the song further away from the traditional and into a more experimental and modern world. As the song begins winding down, strings start coming in giving "can key" an orchestral and cinematic feel. Joe Rainey explains the meaning of his new song: “'can key' is a reference to a scene in the movie Thunderheart where an FBI agent gets bit by a badger when he sticks his hand in a hole looking for a key in the can." You can listen to "can key" below. Niineta is due out May 20 on 37d03d, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Joe Rainey, check out his Ban...

Photo by David Guttenfelder The previous single from Pow Wow singer Joe Rainey was quite bass heavy and had a hip hop meets digital hardcore thing going for it. "no chants" was an intense, angry song. His latest, "bezhigo," is much more restrained. Instead of a blistering, in your face track, it's more like a chill out room meets noise rock kind of song musically. Of course, calling "bezhigo" chill is relative. It still has this intense industrial chugging behind it, and it's incredibly cinematic. Joe Rainey explains that "'bezhigo' is a loose Ojibwe term meaning alone or by itself," and even if you didn't read that explanation the feeling is impossible to miss even if you don't speak the language of the song. Rainey has been releasing important and moving music, and you owe it to yourself to check these out. You can watch the video for "bezhigo" below. Niineta is due out May 20 on 37d03d and can be pre-ordered h...

Photo by David Guttenfelder Pow Wow is a style of Indigenous singing that has been practiced for centuries in what is now Minnesota. Joe Rainey hails from Red Lake Ojibwe in Minneapolis and has been interested in the style since his childhood. His new single, "no chants," is this incredibly bass heavy song unlike anything I've ever heard before. It combines Pow Wow singing with pounding bass that puts any kind of hop hop you've ever heard to shame. It's kind of like a stripped down version of digital hardcore. "no chants" may not musically be for everyone, but you owe it to yourself to give this a chance. This song is an important listen for everyone. You can watch the video for "no chants" below. Niineta is due out May 20 on 37d03d and can be pre-saved and pre-ordered here .