As Animal Collective prepares most of its discography to be released on Bandcamp tomorrow, including the new EP below called Bridge to tranquilityThey sent out a newsletter to fans tonight acknowledging “some things that we thought were important to address and correct.” The group has promised to change the 2006 artwork Persons EP, citing their inclusion of a “racist stereotype” and the title of their 2003 album Here comes the Indian. The changes they announced will take effect in the coming days on all digital platforms. Find the full statement below.
PersonsThe artwork features a black babysitter with two white children. “There is no way to excuse the use of a ‘mommy’ in our artwork, so we have decided to remove it,” they wrote. “We now understand that using a racist stereotype causes more harm than an explanation can repair, and we apologize.” The gang pledged to donate future royalties from the registry to the Fair Justice Initiative.
About Here comes the IndianThey wrote: “With the utmost respect for indigenous peoples, we feel that having the word Indian in our record title sends the wrong message by targeting the American Indian people, which is not what we intended with music.” The album will now be called Ark and a part of the royalties will go to Sow Sovereignty.
The group also announced plans to donate a portion of 2017 revenue. Meeting of the waters EP to Cultural Survival. The album features samples they recorded of the Tatuyo tribe in Brazil playing music, and after its release for Record Store Day, a portion of sales went to IDESAM. “As we were guests in her world, we feel it is right to continue to show our gratitude,” they wrote.
All proceeds from the group’s Bandcamp day will go tomorrow to Cultural Survival, the Equal Justice Initiative, Sowing Sovereignty, Southerners on New Ground (SONG) and Project Okra. They are also making a donation of $ 10,000 to divide among those groups.
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