nipiy by nêhiyawak

nêhiyawak hails from amiskwaciy (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory. On the band’s debut album, nipiy – out October 24 on Arts & Crafts – the trio of Indigenous artists – KK Phelan Harper (vocals, guitars), Marek Tyler (drums), and Matthew Cardinal (synths, bass) – transcends a new intersection of traditional storytelling and contemporary sound. A collection of songs strongly inspired by the Idle No More movement, says Harper, “nipiy is for those who don’t seem to fit in for myriads of reasons. To inspire others to use their voice and to send messages to future generations.”

nêhiyawak – whose name refers directly to their nêhiyaw ancestry – is a spirited expression of Indigeneity. nipiy, which translates to water, is the title of nêhiyawak's first full length album. The flow and pace of the album, symbolic of the flow and pace of water, begins and ends with pieces dedicated to kisiskâciwanisîpiy (North Saskatchewan River), a river that flows through the center of amiskwaciy. In the band's words, “There are many important ideas and teachings that we were raised with in our lives, but few more important that water. It’s a modern conversation with complex meanings and understandings. Our record is dedicated to the life-giving force of water.”

Produced by Colin Stewart (The New Pornographers, Black Mountain, Destroyer), nêhiyawak’s sound combines terse post-rock soundscapes and dreampop, with sheer electronic ambience, chiming guitars, and propulsive rhythm. At times grand and emotional, at times cool and reticent, their music is a tapestry of sonic explorations, both synthetic and acoustic. Anchored by the hollowed pounding of carved cedar log drums and Harper’s resilient poetry, nipiy stands as the first moccasingaze recording, (a cheeky term created by Harper to describe their band in 2016; a group of indigenous people playing shoegaze style compositions). The messaging in this recording was intended to combat against the language of erasure, so commonly found in the popular hybrid, genre-based tracks that permeate the popular music airwaves globally.

ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐊᐧᐠ


nêhiyawak hailed from amiskwaciy (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory (active 2016-2020).

progenitor of moccasingaze.

All songs written and arranged by KK Phelan Harper prior to 2016.

nêhiyawak (band) arrangements include
kisiskâciwanisîpiy pêyak, copper and kisiskâciwanisîpiy nîso

Instagram
SoundCloud