Bedouin Soundclash

Canadian trio Bedouin Soundclash achieved major commercial and creative breakthroughs both domestically and overseas during the mid-2010s by merging reggae, ska, dub, rock, and punk into a melodic whole. The group captured a Juno Award for New Group of the Year in 2006 and sustained momentum with the 2007 release Street Gospels. After Light the Horizon appeared as their fourth album in 2010, the band spent much of the ensuing decade on hiatus before resurfacing via successive singles that paved the way for the fifth album Mass in 2019.

Singer/guitarist Jay Malinowski, bassist Eon Sinclair, and drummer Pat Pengelly first connected in 2000 while studying at university in Kingston, Ontario, where a shared enthusiasm for dub reggae music took hold. They adopted the name Bedouin Soundclash from an album by Israeli producer Badawi and delivered their self-released debut Root Fire in 2001, which introduced their distinctive blend of reggae, ska, dancehall, and alt-rock. Extensive touring across Canada followed over the next several years, allowing the trio to cultivate a national following while refining songs for future recordings. Produced by Bad Brains' Darryl Jenifer and issued on SideOneDummy, the 2004 album Sounding a Mosaic marked their breakthrough, peaking at number nine on Billboard's Reggae chart and spawning the Canadian hit single "When the Night Feels My Song."

An appearance on the Vans Warped Tour expanded their profile south of the border, while Sounding a Mosaic reached number one on the BBC 6 chart in the U.K. At home they mounted a sold-out national tour and later received the 2006 Juno Award for New Group of the Year. Returning to the studio with Jenifer, the band completed their third album, Street Gospels, which arrived in 2007, climbed to number two on the Canadian Albums Chart, and featured the melodic hit "Walls Fall Down." Additional Juno nominations followed, along with further international touring and festival dates alongside Coldplay, No Doubt, Alicia Keys, and Paramore.

Drummer Pengelly disclosed plans to pursue a law degree and exited the group in 2009. Sekou Lumumba stepped in as his replacement for live dates and made his recorded debut with the band on Light the Horizon, released in September 2010. Earlier that year Malinowski issued his solo debut Bright Lights & Bruises on the band's newly established Sony-distributed label Pirates Blend. Once the Light the Horizon touring cycle concluded, Malinowski returned to his native Vancouver and Bedouin Soundclash entered hiatus.

Apart from a one-off reunion performance in Toronto featuring all three original members in 2014, the group stayed inactive until 2016, when Malinowski, Sinclair, and new drummer Chuck Treece began recording fresh material in New Orleans alongside producer King Britt (Preservation Hall Jazz Band). A series of singles emerged throughout 2017 and 2018, among them "Clock Work," "They Gutted This City," and "Drive." Further singles appeared in 2019 ahead of the fifth album Mass.