XAMBUCA is a group hailing from Asheville, NC. The multimedia a/v collective, including a cast of many, has released an album dedicated to the indigenous Ainu people of Northern Japan, Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands of the Northern Pacific. The album is entitled  “カムィ”  (read as: Kamuy); named after the main Ainu Bear God deity of the same name.  This album along with XAMBUCA’s album released last year entitled Joulupukki are part of an ongoing indigenous trilogy of Northern Indigenous Peoples inspired music including the Saami, the Ainu and the Inuit. The Inuit named album, finalizing the trilogy, will be released next year.

The music however non-traditional Ainu music, electronic in form, intends to emanate Ainu archetypes and concepts with each track titled in the Ainu Itak language. XAMBUCA’s intention was to stay clear from dabbling with or insulting the traditions and heritage of the revered Ainu. Early next year will see the hard copy of this release available for purchase on vinyl, and proceeds from the album will go to the The Foundation for Research and Promotion of Ainu Culture “FRPAC.”  You can also donate money via Bandcamp to this cause, and if you donate money now. that same money will go towards the FRPAC.

Listen and download the album for free from the XAMBUCA bandcamp page: http://xambuca.bandcamp.com/album/-

Other XAMBUCA links:

http://www.erototox.com/artists/xambuca

http://www.facebook.com/xambuca

http://www.vimeo.com/channels/xambuca

http://www.soundcloud.com/xambuca