The Herd have reunited to share their first new music in 12 years: A single titled ‘Soul Of My Soul’. The track is the final ever release for Elefant Traks, the independent label founded by The Herd’s Kenny Sabir in the late 90s. It features Palestinian artists Sereen, Mo and Big Rigs, and lyrically deals with the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza by the Israeli military.
“The [United Nations have] just published a report detailing the ‘unprecedented scale’ of violations against children in Gaza by Israel, and yet we see little action being taken beyond lip service by the Australian government,” said Tim Levinson – AKA Urthboy – in a press statement. “The frustration at the normalisation of the most extreme state-based violence cannot be ignored.”
Levinson also calls out the Australian music industry for largely not platforming the issue publicly. “The silence has been deafening,” he said. “A sector that prides itself on being at the forefront of progressive movements, recognising the value of representation from different cultures, is strangely silent on a matter that the entire world is grappling with.
“Artistic expression in Australia is under threat, with many anti-genocide creatives experiencing or being threatened with loss of funding and platforms. The absence of Arab voices, let alone Palestinians, in boardrooms and leadership positions may have more than a small part to play in this.”
The Herd – ‘Soul Of My Soul’
Levinson notes the song politically parallels the group’s 2003 single ‘77%’, which referenced a national survey taken which claimed that percentage of Australians agreed with then-Prime Minister John Howard’s 2001 decision to refuse entry of an MV Tampa carrying over 400 refugees into Australia.
“[That song was written] about the shocking racism projected at refugees,” said Levinson. “After all this time the sentiment is stronger than ever, and The Herd are proud to stand by their values and commitment to justice.”
The Herd’s last release was the 2012 EP Better Alive, which served as a companion piece to their 2011 studio album Future Shade. Since then, the group have only performed sporadically – with members such as Urthboy and Jane Tyrrell releasing solo albums. They reunited for shows in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019.
Most recently, The Herd performed as part of Elefant Traks’ finale concerts, which included a show at the Sydney Opera House as part of this year’s Vivid Live. They were joined by the likes of Horrorshow, Hermitude, L-Fresh the Lion, The Last Kinection and Joelistics.
Further Reading
Watch The Herd Cover Wafia’s ‘Bodies’ For Like A Version
