Tank And The Bangas upcoming album Red Balloon won't be arriving until May, but they've been bringing it all Black History Month thanks to new singles "No ID" (which technically arrived at the end of January) and "Black Folk." They have one more cut for us before we call February a wrap, though, as they drop off their new single "Stolen Fruit."
"Stolen Fruit," produced and co-written by Austin Brown, looks to the painful past of Black people in the Americas for inspiration. But instead of focusing on the lasting trauma of then, it instead looks to the triumph that we come from. With heartfelt piano backing her, singer Tarriona "Tank" Ball gives voice to the idea. "Your roots be golden / Your new springs ford," she sings at one point. "All that was stolen / Now can be reborn." Meanwhile, a fuller, more joyous sound recalling arrangements of '70s jazz fusion greats like Bobbi Humphrey or Roy Ayers is delivered on the chorus.
The video captures that feeling by focusing on a young boy coming to in a field. Seeing a woman in red, he touches her and ignites the dance that continues throughout the clip. Soon, other red-clad dancers spring to life and move along with him as the band performs the song in earnest as the clip's breathtaking imagery flashes before our eyes.
Tank And The Bangas know how Black History Month should be done and have left us feeling bolder and Blacker with all the inspiration they've given. And we have no doubt that they'll keep that energy coming the closer we get to Red Balloon's release of May 13th. Listen to "Stolen Fruit" right here and then watch the touching visual for the song below.
