Dig Your Roots (compilation albums)


Dig Your Roots/Découvre tes racines is a Canadian series of compilation albums, released by the National Campus and Community Radio Association in the 2000s to promote new and emerging artists. The project was launched in 2002, utilizing development funding that Corus Entertainment provided to the NCRA/ANREC as part of a benefits package relating to a major radio acquisition transaction.
Each year's Dig Your Roots compilation focused on a particular genre of music. Submissions were judged by a panel that first chose up to 100 artists to be featured through streaming audio on the project's website. It then chose the 15 best entries for the CD compilation. The albums were also promoted by a series of live concert broadcasts which aired on participating campus and community radio stations across Canada.

Project 1: Hip Hop (2003)

The first album, released in 2003, featured unsigned hip hop artists. The five associated concert shows were held on March 17 in Surrey, British Columbia; March 20 in Winnipeg, Manitoba; March 23 in Toronto, Ontario; March 26 in Montreal, Quebec; and March 29 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In Exclaim!'s review of the album, critic Thomas Quinlan called it "the greatest Canadian hip-hop compilation since Cold Front", claiming that it had corrected "the mistakes of Rap Essentials."
  1. Vandal – Urban Camper
  2. First Words featuring Cess – Down With Putting Raps Down
  3. Wyzah – Three Angels
  4. The Goods – Monkey Motion Shuffle
  5. War Party – Feeling Reserved
  6. Illa Brown/Kutcorners – Rock On Ya Block
  7. Classified – Unexpected
  8. Dangerous Goods Collective – No More Nice Guy
  9. Kamau – Brain Storming
  10. Frek Sho – Fort Rouge
  11. Les Architekts – le diable joue un jeu 1
  12. Half Life – Secrets of Society
  13. Ink Operated – Chant It Ooh Ah Oh
  14. Josh Martinez – Another Day
  15. Eye + Eye – Snapshots

    Project 2: Spoken Word (2004)

The second album, one of two released in 2004, focused on spoken word poetry and storytelling.
  1. Steph Berntson – Barreling Madly
  2. Kevin Matthews – Arsenic and Boldface
  3. Derek Bradford – I Spy
  4. Ève Langevin – Bulletin de nouvelles en bref, version 1
  5. Gein Wong – A Paper Son
  6. Khyro – Fragment de Réflection du Mirroir 2: Forêt Vierge
  7. Jeremy Gorman – Pussycat Pussycat
  8. Barbara Adler – In the Time Before
  9. Nico Rogers – Hard to choke your artichoke heart
  10. Julie Parrell – Untitled
  11. Odessa Thornhill – I Sold My Wealth
  12. T.L. Cowan – homebody/homegirl
  13. Heather Majaury – Mother’s Song
  14. Janet Marie Rogers – Make Me / Sombrio Spirit
  15. Unblind – Mythology

    Project 3: Electronic Dance (2004)

The third album, also released in 2004 simultaneously with the spoken word album, focused on electronic music.
  1. Alexandre – Qu'elle a dit
  2. D_MON – Don't Listen
  3. Chinese Jetpilot – Return of the Phat Dragon
  4. Blackjwell – Falls
  5. East Coast Disaster Complex – Robbiemart
  6. Balboa – Ballad of the Lonely Mogwai
  7. Alucard – Triple Wave
  8. DĀV – Parisian Dream
  9. d*rogers – Did 2 Much
  10. Big Phat McNasty – Rogue State
  11. Gary Flanagan – Driver
  12. DJ Oxide – Sundae
  13. Zenobia Salik & the United ElectroSoul Underground – Headphones
  14. Guru-shishya – Cagian 3
  15. vitaminsforyou – quand peanut fait dodo

    Project 4: Roots (2005)

The 2005 album centred on roots music artists.
  1. The Cracker Cats –Darkness
  2. D. Rangers – Coughin Up Blood
  3. Paul Paulin – J'ai pas n'cent su moé
  4. Anne Louise Genest – Paradise Road
  5. John Wort Hannam – Church of the Long Grass
  6. Penny Lang – Prairie Sky
  7. Jory Nash – Citizen's Waltz
  8. Glen Reid – Lifeline to the Heartland
  9. The Flummies – Comb Your Hair Flat Down
  10. Les Chauffeurs à pieds – Marie la chamelle & reel du poteau blanc
  11. Barley Wik – View of the Station
  12. Jane Eamon – Ruckus in the Henhouse
  13. Tim Harrison – Elizabeth's Lament
  14. Petunia – The Lonesome Pine Hollows
  15. Rob Currie – Rape of Grand Pré

    Project 5: Aboriginal (2006)

The 2006 album focused on aboriginal music by First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists.
  1. Sandy Scofield – Faith
  2. Shirley Montague – Ijiatsuk
  3. The Pappy Johns Band with Murray Porter – Going Back
  4. Elaine Jakesta – Healed Heroes
  5. Ed Peekeekoot – Wild Lilies to Wheat Fields
  6. Jef Tremblay et les Éléments – Tanite Etuteiak
  7. X-STATUS – Still Around
  8. Sinuupa – Simple Man
  9. Eekwol – Too Sick
  10. Tagaq – Breather
  11. Rez Villain – Charismatic Manner
  12. Leela Gilday – Rage
  13. Richard M. Gloade – The Mean Song
  14. Graeme Jonez – Black Magic Goldmine
  15. Digging Roots – Going Back

    Project 6: Experimental Jazz (2007)

The 2007 album featured experimental jazz artists.
  1. Georges Koufogiannakis, "Yo, Mo D."
  2. TFC, "Acting on the Assumption"
  3. Colin Fisher, "Zig Zag"
  4. Bitchin, "2005-05-27 08:13:55"
  5. Duane Andrews, "Improvisations on the First Movement of Mozart's String Quintet in G Minor K516"
  6. Avi Granite: 6, "Ghetto Panda"
  7. Inhabitants, "Main Drag"
  8. UniSecs, "À Travers"
  9. Gordon Grdina's Box Cutter, "Tidal Wave"
  10. The Barriomatic Trust, "The Ruined Map"
  11. The Beni D Band, "Walk'n' the Ave"
  12. Sons of Colborne, "Up v. Down"
  13. Jesse Zubot, "Nootropics"
  14. BoboK, "Erroné"
  15. Tyler Hornby, "Shadows of a Brighter Day"