LAL (band)

Last updated

LAL
Origin Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Years active2009–present
Labels
Members
  • Rosina Kazi
  • Nicholas Murray
Website lalforest.com

LAL is a Toronto-based collective of musicians representing Uganda, Bangladesh, Barbados, and India featuring vocalist Rosina Kazi, laptop musician Nicholas "Murr" Murray, and bassist Ian de Sousa. [1] The group's sound fuses South-Asian roots, West Indian fruits, and melancholic vocals with jazz and hip hop influences, down tempo grooves, broken soul, and electro. Their song lyrics are socially conscious poetry. [2]

Contents

History

LAL formed in 1998. [3] LAL has produced four studio albums, including Corners (2002), and Warm Belly High Power (2004), which was named the best soul album of 2004 by Exclaim! . [4]

LAL have also performed in a variety of festivals and venues across Canada, Europe, and Pakistan. They received support from the Canada Council for the Arts for composing and recording in 2006/2007. LAL's third album is Deportation; [5] the album featured 20 guest artists. [6]

LAL released the album Find Safety in 2016. [3] LAL announced the release of a new album titled Meteors Could Come Down which will release on 6 November 2020. [7]

Discography

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References

  1. Sylvester, Daniel (3 May 2012). "LAL". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on 2 April 2017.
  2. "LAL Returns with a Passionately Political Sound, and Yuka Introduces Mighty Vocals". Torontoist, By Ryan B. Patrick
  3. 1 2 ">>> LAL Find Safety". NOW Toronto, by Benjamin Boles 27 April 2016
  4. "Toronto Quartet Lal Dodges Trip-Hop Label". straight.com . 27 January 2005. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  5. Rayner, Ben (22 May 2008). "LAL shines a light on darkness". The Toronto Star . Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  6. "Lal The shape-shifting Toronto group finds its focus 14 years in". Now Toronto, by Benjamin Boles 17 May 2012
  7. Gregory, Allie (20 August 2020). "LAL Announce New Album 'Meteors Could Come Down'". Exclaim! . Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  8. Sylvester, Daniel (27 April 2016). "LAL Find Safety". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on 1 April 2017.
  9. "'The world is not safe, so let's create our own spaces': Toronto band LAL finds power in community". CBC.ca . Archived from the original on 2 April 2017.