STREAM: Silver Jackson - "You and I Should Try Again"

We are thrilled to have the exclusive debut of a new single from Silver Jackson. That's right, you heard "You and I Should Try Again" here first.

The new track from singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and artist Silver Jackson is from his upcoming full-length album, From Another World Like Starlight.  We already fell in love with the first track he shared - "Perfect Mistake" - and his latest single is a slow-rolling, moving, sweet and heartwrenching slice of downtempo about love and loss that features the rich vocals of another RPM favourite, Samantha Crain, and contributions from Seattle's Benjamin Verdoes of Iska Dhaaf, and hip-hop producer OC Notes.

Andrew Matson nailed it:

This song is back porch hip-hop, a fish you cannot grab. Swimming in a digital voicemail is a downtempo silvery thing, and it bumps. It’s a song about true love, feeling a type of way, being addicted to leaving, maybe turning a corner.

You'll agree. Get into the warm water now:

STREAM: Mau Power - "Island Home"

Torres Strait Islander hip-hop artist, Mau Power, reworks an Australian classic into an uplifting homage to his Indigenous homeland.

Mau Power is a force to be reckoned with. As a community leader, a hip-hop workshop facilitator with Desert Pea Media and UNICEF, and an ambassador for Indigenous hip-hop coming from the Torres Straits, he speaks to the synergies between Indigenous and hip-hop cultures with ease and confidence. Power's new album, The Show Will Go On, chronicles his autobiographical journey through experiences of incarceration, transformation and personal growth into fatherhood.

The lead single from his album, "Island Home", reworks the Warumpi Band hit from 1988 and samples Christine Anu's pop classic into an impassioned hip-hop tribute to his roots, homeland, people and relations. "Coming from the Islands", Power says, "I want to share our beautiful culture and proud history with the world. Yes I am Australian, but the Torres Straits are my heart, my soul, my love and the inspiration for much of my music."

The closing lyrics of "Island Home" distill the essence of Mau Power's music into a call for action and regeneration: "Unite the music / heart and mind reconnect / ancestors take me on that quest".

STREAM: Mau Power - "Island Home"

And keep an eye out for Mau Power's forthcoming single and video, "Freedom" featuring the legendary Aboriginal Australian artist Archie Roach.

The Long Wait for "Light" from Digging Roots

It's been four years since blues duo Digging Roots released their last album but with one listen you'll agree it's been worth the wait.

Inspired by their travels, For The Light, firmly inhabits roots and blues with a nomadic wanderlust; confidently exploring other terrains from the inner cities, the back roads and all the places in between. The husband and wife songwriting team, Raven Kanatakta and ShoShona Kish have written and produced a collection of love songs that reflects a maturing sense of storytelling. With sweet harmonies smokey wails and melodic accompaniments of ukulele, banjo, mellotron and of course Raven’s bombastic resonator guitar, this album is something special; an eclectic tapestry of light and dark sound that is vintage and fresh all at once.

Digging Roots are formidable live - be sure to catch them on the road this summer (tour dates below). Get the album on iTunes and start singing along (in Anishinabemowin and English) to the brilliant title track, For the Light:

Digging Roots' Summer Tour Dates 2014:

06/26/14 Toronto, ON Dundas Square

06/27/14 Midland, ON Midland Cultural Centre

06/29/14 Quebec City, QC Television Performance

07/01/14 Barrie, ON Heritage Park

07/11/14 - 07/13/14 Comox, BC Vancouver Island MusicFest

07/15/14 Duncan, BC Duncan Showroom Productions

07/17/14 - 07/20/14 Yellowknife, NWT Folk On The Rocks

07/23/14 Regina, SK 2014 Indigenous Games

08/01/14 Spence’s Bridge, BC N’kemin Voices of the Valley

08/06/14 Kelowna, BC Minstrel Café

08/06/14 - 08/07/14 Wayland, MI Pottawatami Gathering

08/15/14 - 08/17/14 Dunster, BC Robson Valley Music Festival

The 2014 Aboriginal People's Choice Music Award Nominees

Inez Jasper garnered the most nominations (five!) followed by Indian City and Shy-Anne (four each!) at the 2014 APCMA nominee announcement. With over 25 Indigenous artists nominated over all, this year is looking as exciting as ever

At Portage Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Manito Ahbee Festival announced the 2014 Aboriginal People's Choice Music Award Nominees. Voting is open now until July 19th - get your vote on at aboriginalpeopleschoice.com - and enormous congratulations from RPM to all the nominees, keep making music!

Best Music Video

• A Tribe Called Red - Sisters
• Genevieve Fisher - Bad Enough
• Inez Jasper - Dancin' on the Run
• Keith Secola - Say Your Name
• Supaman - Prayer Loop Song

Best New Artist

• Crystal J
• Ghost Town Orchestra
• Iceis Rain
• Jasmine Netsena
• Leonard Sumner

Best Peyote CD

• Delbert Blackhorse -Friends & Family
• Joe Tohonnie Jr. - Apache Peyote Songs
• Keving Yazzie - Charity
• Meewasin Oma - God Saw it Was
• Utin Machiskinie and Lance Crowe - Life of Happiness

Best Pop CD

• Indian City - Colors
• Inez Japer - Burn Me Down
• JB the First Lady - Indigenous Girl LifeStyle
• Moodie x 2 - Never Alone
• Red Rockerz - Electronic Gangster

Best Pow Wow CD - Contemporary

• Bear Creek - Kaagige - Forever
• Eastern Eagle - Twenty Years of Powwow
• North Bear - #NBallday
• Northern Cree - Loyalty to the Drum
• Northern Voice - Dance of the Moon
• Young Bear - Live

Best Producer/Engineer

• Christa Couture - The Living Record
• Dallas Arcand - Thunderbird Spirit
• Indian City - Colors
• Inez Jasper - Burn Me Down
• Kristi Lane Sinclair- The Sea Alone
• Samantha Crain - Kid Face

Best Rap/Hip Hop CD

• KASP - K.A.S.P. #Livingthegoodlife
• Mike Bone - Rain Dance
• Shawn Bertrand - Livin Like Stars
• Supaman - Gorilla
• Winnipeg Boyz - Ab Initio

Best Rock CD

• Ghost Town Orchestra - Dead Wait
• Iceis Rain - The Queen
• Kickin Krotch - Kickin Krotch
• Kristi Lane Sinclair - The Sea Alone
• When Darkness Falls - The Power

Single of the Year

• Desiree Dorion - Turn to Me
• Elisapie Isaac - Life is What You Make It
• Inez Jasper - Dancin on the Run
• Samantha Crain - Somewhere All the Time
• Shy-Anne - Be Your Girl

Best Television Program of Aboriginal Music

• Live From the Hundred Years Cafe
• The Candy Show
• Wabanaagig

Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year

• Cary Morin
• Dallas Arcand
• Gary Sappier
• Kasp
• Shy-Anne

Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year

• Desiree Dorion - Mama Got a Shotgun
• Donny Parenteau - Sun Shower
• Genevieve Fisher - Bad Enough
• Indian City - Colors
• Janet Panic - Somewhere Warm

Best Album Cover Design

• Indian City - Colors
• Inez Jasper - Burn Me Down
• JB the First Lady - Indigenous Girl LifeStyle
• Shy-Anne - Bones
• Utin Machiskinie and Lance Crowe - Life of Happiness

Best Blues CD

• Cary Morin - Streamline
• Gary Sappier - Who Ya Foolin
• Joel Johnson - Blues Joose Volume II
• Young Medicine - Be Your Own Person

Best Country CD

• Genevieve Fisher - Bad Enough
• Kelly Derrickson - Warriors of Love
• Leanne Goose - This Time
• Nelson Little - The Little Things
• Shy-Anne - Bones

Best Fiddle CD

• Boyd Benjamin - The FLying Gwitch in Fiddler
• Jason Lepine - Drivin' Force
• Midnight Mist - Still Going

Best Folk/Acoustic CD

• Diyet - When You Were King
• Janet Panic - Most of What Follows is True...
• Jasmine Netsena - Take You With Me
• Leonard Sumner - Rez Poetry
• Samantha Crain - Kid Face

Best Group or Duo

• Garry Sappier
• Ohiwisha
• Winnipeg Boyz
• Young Medicine

Best Hand Drum CD

• Cree Confederation - Piciciwin - Cree Round Dance Songs
• Fawn & Dalla - Blessings
• Nitanis 'Kit' Largo - Serenity
• Northern Cree - Ewipihcihk
• Poundmaker - The Way It Used to Be

Best International Indigenous Release

• Adonis Puentes - Sabor a Cafe
• H'Sao - Oria
• Laetitia Zonzambe - Sanza
• Saina & Geo- Songs of Gaia
• The Imbayakunas - Andean Sol

VIDEO: Hip Hop vs Harper and Ostwelve

Coast Salish multimedia hip-hop artist (and long time RPM podcast host and contributor) Ostwelve wrote and delivered some mighty words at the recent Hip Hop vs Harper event in Vancouver. #noEnbridge #noPipelines

Ever the intelligent, clever, perfectly biting provocateur, Ostwelve "dropped a couple verses I dropped a couple verses dedicated to Kinder Morgan and Enbridge and their loser friends.

Listener discretion is advised...course language and deadly flows.

Hip Hop vs Harper and Ostwelve:

DOWNLOAD: Nadjiwan - "Broken Treaty Blues"

We never know what Ojibwe/Finnish Marc Meriläinen's going to come up with next - the eclectic multi-instrumentalist has multiple projects that span electronic, atmospheric and rock. His latest single comes via Nadjiwan and we're stoked that "Broken Treaty Blues" is one to turn up, way up.

Written and recorded in one day in Meriläinen's own studio, he also performed all the instruments. A busy schedule has kept him from releasing more Nadjiwan material lately, but with the project's 20th anniversary coming up in 2015, this Nish Rock track is enough to keep us all in the loop and ready for more!

Hit play, download, listen up and sing along.

DOWNLOAD: Nadjiwan - "Broken Treaty Blues"

Western Canadian Music Awards: Aboriginal Recording of the Year Nominees 2014

This year's "Aboriginal Recording of the Year" category at the Western Canadian Music Awards is a smokin' list!

The annual BreakOut West conference also hosts the Western Canadian Music Awards (WCMAs) which celebrates the best and brightest from artists in British Columbia, Alberta, Saksatchewan, Manitoba, the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

The nominees for "Aboriginal Recording of the Year" are:

Cassidy Mann - Blue Skies and Bright Eyes (MB) Desiree Dorion - Small Town Stories (MB) Federal Lights - We Were Found In The Fog (MB) Head of the Herd - By This Time Tomorrow (BC) Inez Jasper - Burn Me Down (BC)

All fantastic! See for yourself - watch the nominee playlist and toast to their success!

This year's event will take place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, October 2-5th

"The Cup Song" and 300 Awesome Youth

This might be the best thing you see this week, from the entire school in Berens River First Nation - "Cup Song."

The Cup Song is a traditional song combined with a percussive game of playing with cups. What music teacher Ken Davidson did with students Tatyanna Munkman (singer) and Alex Semple (guitar) along with all the 300 school kids' participation in Berens River First Nation is marvellous, clever, charming, inspiring and moving. We love these kids (and their teacher!).

“When I’m gone, when I’m gone, you know you’re going to miss me when I’m gone" is sung over  images of a remote place - the Berens River First Nation is 275km north of Winnipeg - that includes a landscape of broken down cars and decay on the reserve as well as and beautiful waterfront and dense woods.

Check it:

DOWNLOAD: Mob Bounce - "Oral Tradition"

In honour of our elders, Vancouver hip-hop duo Mob Bounce recorded this track with youth at the Houston Friendship Centre. 

"This is for the Elders who carry such vibrant spirits. You teach us to slow down and enjoy and be thankful for all that exists around us," says Mob Bounce of their recent track Oral Tradition. "May your vibrations be so kind to the elders that live in our communities. They have valuable stories for us. We must listen."

As for the next generation who were involved in making this music at the Houston Friendship Centre, "we give them love for being such an inspiration to the music and creative energy. "

So listen up, give love, and keep your ear to the ground - word has it Mob Bounce is in the studio on their next project.

DOWNLOAD: Mob Bounce - "Oral Tradition"

Fall in Love with Spencer Battiest's New Video

Seminole R&B artist Spencer Battiest is falling in love and you will too, in his new video "Love of My Life."

Things are getting hot in the lastest track from Los Angeles based pop/r&b artist Spencer Battiest. Get your groove on with "Love of My Life."

LOVE OF MY LIFE from Spencer Battiest on Vimeo.

STREAM: Tanya Tagaq - "Uja"

The first track from Tanya Tagaq's upcoming release has been unveiled! Her unearthly voice will get into your bones though the beats of Uja. 

Tanya Tagaq's newest album, Animism, is set for release on May 27th on the ever fantastic Six Shooter Records. This new track is the first to be shared with the world and we're stoked to hear the new work.

A few select launch dates have also been announced - mark your calendars if you're in the lucky cities below and otherwise hit play, again and again.

STREAM: Tanya Tagaq - "Uja"

The Red Ride Tour Rides Again

Four years ago, Cris Derksen and Kristi Lane Sinclair toured across Canada and dubbed it the "Red Ride Tour." The "two-er" followed the next year, and now they've established a yearly event - Red Ride 4-Way is crossing Turtle Island next month and picking up lots of other artists on the way.

Electro-cellist Cris Derksen  and acoustic-grunge singersongwriter Kristi Lane Sinclair are long time friends and collaborators. For last year's Red Ride they added the eclectic violinist Laura Ortman to the line-up. This time, they'll be joined by different artists in different cities as they make there way from West to East Coast, including Jasmine Netsena, Iskwé, George Leach, Nick Sherman, Jennifer Kreisberg and once again Laura Ortman.

It's practically a touring festival of some of the best Indigenous artists we all know and love. Get started with this Red Ride 4-Way playlist and see all tour dates below.

May 16: Pats Pub, Vancouver, BC  Cris Derksen Kristi Lane Sinclair w/ guests

May 17: Kootenay Co-op, Nelson, BC  Cris Derksen Kristi Lane Sinclair Jasmine Netsena

May 18: tba, Edmonton, AB  Cris Derksen Kristi Lane Sinclair

May 20: Ironwood Stage & Grill, Calgary AB  Cris Derksen Kristi Lane Sinclair Iskwe Jasmine Netsena

May 21:Vangelis Tavern, Saskatoon SK  George Leach Cris Derksen Kristi Lane Sinclair

May 22 : The Artful Dodger, Regina SK George Leach Cris Derksen Kristi Lane Sinclair

May 23: Pony Corral, Winnipeg MB  George Leach Cris Derksen Kristi Lane Sinclair

May 24: The Apollo, Thunder Bay ON  Nick Sherman Cris Derksen Kristi Lane Sinclair

May 26: G101 Gallery, Ottawa ON  Cris Derksen Laura Ortman Kristi Lane Sinclair

May 27: Barbeside and Tonic, Peterborough ON Cris Derksen Laura Ortman Kristi Lane Sinclair

May 29: The Great Hall, Toronto ON  Cris Derksen Laura Ortman Kristi Lane Sinclair

May 30: Cafe Aleatoire, Montreal QC  Cris Derksen Laura Ortman Kristi Lane Sinclair

June 1: Cameo Gallery, Brooklyn NY Cris Derksen Laura Ortman Kristi Lane Sinclair Jennifer Kreisberg