Album cover of Canches debut album, To The Rescue.
An artist’s art is often influenced by the political climate that surrounds them. That is definitely the case with indie rock trio Canches. The members are from the UK, Spain and Canada. They formed while working in Guatemala. Two of the members, Daniel Butler and Erika Martinez worked for the International Commission of Jurists and Peace Brigades International.
That experience fighting for human rights helped shape the music on their 2018 debut album, To The Rescue. The album mostly explores injustices within Guatemala, but many of the themes are universal.
One of the tracks on the album is “Bones.” In an interview with Shadowproof, the band made the following statement: “The song is critical of the prioritization of economic interests over the rights of citizens; in particular the rights of its indigenous populations to resist unlawful exploitation of their ancestral territories. It is also a commentary on how the detractors of transitional justice and proponents of all-inclusive amnesties have perversely promoted “forgiveness” over accountability, victim dignification, reparation and truth.”
One lyric which resonates is “Bones in the woods traded for gold.” That line is a reference to the Guatemalan gold mining industry which forcefully removes rural communities. It could just as easily apply to pipeline projects such as Standing Rock in the USA and Kinder Morgan in Canada. Corrupt governments and corporations are willing to sacrifice indigenous lives for profits.
Music is a powerful tool for promoting social change. With that in mind, it is the bands desire that their music will “lead people to look up the story behind the lyrics, and then maybe the rabbit hole will lead them on a greater journey of discovery.”