Unkle — Cowboys or Indians
James Lavelle: “Right back since the beginning I’ve always wanted to make a record that comes from a soul background. For some reason it never happened, so I’ve gone right back to the beginning, like Massive Attack’s ‘Blue Lines’ or Smith & Mighty, and I wanted to give sound system records a modern twist. It’s a nod to my childhood.”
“‘Cowboys or Indians’ was recorded in Berlin, London and Somerset,” he continues. “London is incredibly important to me. I wanted to make a record that is an ode to the past with a foot in modern London. This track comes from more of my hip-hop roots than my most recent records, going back to a similar process to ‘Psyence Fiction’. It’s a love letter to London and the music it’s influenced by.”
“The track looks back to the way I grew up with records as a teenager. When I grew up I was exposed to sound systems, hip-hop, post punk, and acid house. I’ve tried to combine these influences in a modern way, working with young artists such as Elliott Power, YSÉE and Mïnk. Their inspirations have made this record more contemporary. Elliott Power is very English; he’s not a rapper that’s trying to be American. He brings that British multi-cultural feel to the music.”