A more timely album title would be hard to find: Battle of Santiago's third release, La Migra, literally translates to "deportation police,' certainly a topic of great discussion in North America as of late. Tapping in to the climate wasn't a purposeful decision - the album title was chosen before the change of administration - but the emotion behind the sentiment is still the same. "We chose this title last year, simply because all of the band members have had to migrate to Toronto for one reason or another. We often have trouble crossing the border because of our diverse heritage, something we expect to be even more difficult in the coming months."
The Battle of Santiago (BOS) band members are half Canadian, half Cuban, resulting in a unique and formidable sound. Led by Michael Owen (bass and production) the band's sound never veers far from their distinctive blend of Canadian art rock and afro-Cuban jazz - twisted through a dub lense. Recorded in Canada in the band's private studio, the making of La Migra was a slow and deliberate process. The band didn't want to rush, and gave each song time to come to fruition. "We like the freedom that recording in our own studio affords us, and the ability to experiment. That sense of freedom runs through La Migra, and it took the journey of doing this recording to realize how important it is to us as a band to have that liberty." The band often invites other musicians in to the studio to promote ideas and collaborations. This not only keeps the members of BOS on their toes, but also excited about the music they make together. Most notably, this is also the first time they've had vocals on a release, and all the vocal contribution come from the Cuban band members.http://www.thebattleofsantiago.com
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