Medicine Singers have released a new single today in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day. The group comprises the Eastern Medicine Singers, who sing and drum in the Native American pow wow style, plus guitarist and former Monotonix leader Yonatan Gat. Today’s single “Honor Song” is their first release since last year’s self-titled debut, and it finds them backed by an all-star team of noisy experimental rock veterans. Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth is in there; so are Thor Harris (Water Damage, ex-Swans) plus folks who’ve been part of Fever Ray and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, among others. The result is a formidable storm of sound behind Arthur Red Medicine Crippen’s lead vocal.

Crippen says “Honor Song” is a tribute to those who’ve passed on, including his wife Kathleen and the jazz titan jaimie branch. It was recorded two weeks after branch’s death last year, live at Hotel2Tango in Montréal. A statement from Crippen:

“Honor Song” was given to me by my uncle Wayne Red Dawn Crippen. When my wife Ms. Kat wasn’t feeling well I used to sing it to her when she was in the hospital every night. Ms. Kat is from the Ramapo tribe of NJ and NY, she’s also Montauk, her name is Spirit Dancer. When we were in the KEXP radio station in July, that was the song that came to my mind – the Honor Song. I didn’t know how sick Ms. Kat really was, until I came home and she passed away in August. This song lingers because we lost her since we recorded it. When I sing this song I think of her the whole time. It’s a part of my prayer, I end each day singing this song and I know she’s listening. “Honor Song” is a travel song, when people leave this world they travel to another dimension, and songs like this reach them.

Listen below.