Witness is the new single from Me and My Friends, out now on all digital platforms. After a tumultuous year of protest and resistance, Witness pays tribute to those who document incidents of state violence on their phones, sharing their footage to speak truth to power and initiate waves of social change:
“The guts of those behind the camera in these videos is unbelievable. In capturing the moment, sharing it live, they are flipping their powerlessness to stop the brutality taking place in front of them into a catalyst for much broader conversations on a global scale. I see the song’s message as one of hope, in spite of the violence and injustice it evokes” Singer and songwriter, Nick Rasle.
A languid, sun-soaked groove with richly canonning vocal harmonies, Witness draws inspiration from 70s Brazilian harmony trio Os Tincoas, as well as soul-influenced reggae music, such as Freddie McGregor’s ‘Natural Collie’. This is the final single coming out ahead of Me and My Friends’ forthcoming album Before I Saw The Sea. The quintet will be touring throughout the UK over March-April 2023.
Over the past decade Me and My Friends’ unique blend of Afrobeat-inspired grooves, rich vocal harmonies, languidly graceful cello and playfully funky clarinet has carved out their very own niche of sun-drenched music for the soul, gaining support from the likes of Cerys Matthews, Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum, FiP, Soundway Records and Quantic.
Tour dates:
2023
03/03 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
04/03 – Victoria Hall, Settle
17/03 – Cowley Social Club, Oxford
18/03 – The Jago, London
24/03 – The Met, Bury
25/03 – Tabernacle, Machenllyth
31/03 – Cobalt Studios, Newcastle
01/04 – Liverpool Philharmonic
06/04 – Strange Brew, Bristol
07/04 – Assembly Rooms, Presteigne
08/04 – Upfront Puppet Theatre, Penrith