Siichaq announces new LP 'The Righteous Sword'

SIICHAQ ANNOUNCES  THE RIGHTEOUS SWORD  DUE AUGUST 28 "CATTLE DRIVER" OUT NOW EXPLORES THE STIFLING, OMNIPRESENT PULL OF OUR DIGITAL WORLD  PRODUCED WITH BEN WULKAN (LUNAR VACATION) AND EVAN DANGERFIELD (FINN WOLFHARD) Photo by Will Karim

Today, Siichaq — the project of the Atlanta-based musician Kennie Mason, and also her native Inuit name — independently shares "Cattle Driver," the first new track since releasing last year's CATCHER. This new release  announces her forthcoming album The Righteous Sword, due August 28th. Listen to "Cattle Driver" here. On “Cattle Driver,” Siichaq gets more industrial, brooding, and electronic than ever before. Heavy guitars and droning bass lie over a programmed double-kick drum, finding itself somewhere between doom metal, dark club music, and the introspective indie rock found across her debut 2024 album My Dog Ate My Patriotism.  Mason has always explored the shadowy corners of life: mental illness and potentially outdated ways of handling it in youth (wilderness camps, for instance, at which she spent freezing cold nights before she was old enough to drive), heritage, and the generational traumas it can carry. On "Cattle Driver," she delves into the originality-stifling digital age in which we live.  Of "Cattle Driver," Siichaq says, "Cattle Driver is the culmination of my experiences growing up in a digital world and struggling to retain a sense of self or artistic individuality. The internet can be a wonderful tool for community building and education, but it is also insidiously claiming more and more of our time, creativity, privacy, and attention. I see how powerful it is to have an online presence and following for musicians because of the current industry expectations, but I just have so many objections to the idea that art has to be qualified by how well it performs on the internet. Plus, I don’t have the personality to be a viral sensation… "I also think that when industries of the arts become social media or trend driven, it creates an environment where originality suffers. I’ve been guilty of this in other projects by giving excessive consideration to what sound is doing ‘well’ online and, consciously or not, letting that influence my sensibilities." Awash in blown-out despondence and frayed nerves, Mason's recent record CATCHER is a ruggedly honest set that calls upon a flourishing musical community — including members of Lunar Vacation, The Slaps, and Faye Webster’s band — to help bring its bleakly beautiful world to life. Across the record you get a vastness of sound: "Project 3" creates a grungy, deep, droning, murky shoegaze/slacker rock world that proves to be perfect for introducing such an introspective, autobiographical album in CATCHER. Lush strings by Annie Leeth soar on "Life's A Mess," while “Horse & The Heretic” provides an interlude of noise rock, which sits comfortably next to golden two-tone harmonies sung about the pleasures of being alone on “A Couple Bad People.” Groovy pop melodies on  “Cannibal” compliment the bare bones banjo on “World Equestrian Center.”  Mason grew up in North Florida as the only native person, or even person of color, to note. Mason always found herself making friends with older folks; her soul much older than birthdays would suggest. On the forthcoming album The Righteous Sword, Siichaq deepens and expands upon the themes of identity, introspection, and critical societal examination she uncovered on CATCHER.  "Cattle Driver" is out now, listen here. The Righteous Sword is out August 28. TRACKLIST 1. MTSWCB 2. Cattle Driver 3. Idle 4. Nothing if Not 5. Tight Rope 6. The Righteous Sword 7. Fish Tank 8. The Fear 9. Doing Damage Stay connected with Siichaq: 23 Profile | Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp | YouTube