Algiers are about to release their new album 'SHOOK' next week, with Backwash being one of the featured artists. The Quietus took the opportunity and invited them to interview one another about metal, rap, gospel, cage fighting, cocktails and more. An amusing read.
"Instead of enduring pain, it’s best to excise those demons entirely — through her music, Backxwash confronts the darkest parts of herself and depicts how impossible it can be to leave those parts behind" - Stereogum reviews the latest album by Canadian alternative rapper. "In expressing her pain so directly and viscerally, Backxwash’s music offers a sense of genuine catharsis and connection. It is, in its own haunting way, strangely comforting" - The Quietus adds. Collaborators on the album - clipping., Speedy Ortiz, Code Orange, Code Orange, Black Dresses - speak plenty of the sonic side of this record.
Amazing Pakistani band Jaubi share a very groovy South Asian-jazzy 'Raga Gujri'; produced by David Lynch, Donovan's 'I Am The Shaman' is very minimal, with only acoustic guitar and voice, and atmospheric; Mina Tindle shares angelic, gentle, beautiful 'Indigo'; Backxwash expands on her rap-meets-metal energy on 'I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and My Dresses'.
PopMatters made a selection of new artists who are expected to brake quite big quite soon (for some it had actually already started to happen). Among the selected there are: Polaris music award winner Backxwash; indie-rock foursome Porridge Radio; critically highly acclaimed Sault; Moscow all-female prog/post-punk girls Lucidvox; genre-defying Bartees Strange.
Avant-garde rapper Backxwash has won the 2020 Polaris Music Prize for her album 'God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It'. Backxwash, the stage name of performer Ashanti Mutinta, blends gothic elements of rap and metal music with her own personal experiences with faith, family and her queer identity. Also nominated were Caribou, Junia-T, Kaytranada, nêhiyawak, Pantayo, Lido Pimienta, Jessie Reyez, U.S. Girls, and Witch Prophet.
The UK rock/metal publication Metal Hammer called Canadian rapper Backxwash one of “modern rap's more avant garde artists” after hearing her EP 'Stigmata' and her debut album 'God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It. MH's online output described her debut as "thrilling trap metal" and "fucking brilliant". Complex sees two reasons for it - her lyrics are cathartic, but also dark, aggressive, and loaded with goth and biblical imagery; her music is powerful and dark, with plenty of classic rock and metal samples.
The 2020 short list for the Polaris Music Prize has been officially unveiled, with 10 albums for the Canadian music prize whittled down from a 40 albums list. One grand prize of $50,000 will be awarded on October 19. The other short list contenders will receive prizes of $3,000 each.
The nominees are:
Backxwash - 'God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It'
Caribou - 'Suddenly'
Junia-T - 'Studio Monk'
Kaytranada - 'Bubba'
nêhiyawak - 'nipiy'
Pantayo - 'Pantayo'
Lido Pimienta - 'Miss Colombia'
Jessie Reyez - 'Before Love Came to Kill Us'
U.S. Girls - 'Heavy Light'
Witch Prophet - 'DNA Activation'
