CD Review: Tanya Tagaq's 'Animism'

Tanya Tagaq 
Animism
Six Shooter Records

Hailing from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada, Tanya Tagaq is an innovative and experimental performer of throat-singing, rock, electronic, and avant-garde music inspired by the spirits of the great North. Sometimes the music is repetitive and meditative, but the wide variety of metallic, grinding, squeaking, and ancillary sounds makes it an intriguing and artistic piece of history. In addition to Tanya's sporadic vocals, there are drums, electronics, violin, viola, synths, bass, trombone, french horn, and assorted vocals throughout the eleven tracks. The combination of melodies and rhythms creates a dark and swirling masterpiece that is both chilling and exciting. Some of the sounds are quite abrasive and fairly removed from the traditional throat-singing structures, but this is contemporary music anyway. Still, Tanya succeeds with another stellar recording that has won--and will continue to win--awards. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Barefoot Divas' 'Walk A Mile In My Shoes'

Barefoot Divas
Walk A Mile In My Shoes
VGM/MGM

Barefoot Divas is a collective of six women with a connection to the indigenous people's of Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. The vocal group is comprised of Aboriginals Ursula Yovich and Emma Donovan, Maori's Whirimako Black, Maisey Rika and Merenia. Ngaiire represents the Papua New Guinea connection. The opening vocal track by Maisey Rika is rather contemplative without any instrumentation. The serenity is short-lived, as "Never Forget" brings an amped-up, R&B and gospel composition to light. The Spanish-tinged, "Fortuna," is driven by the world fusion repertoire representing Greek, Chilean, and Peruvian elements. The work is largely vocal with a poetic, social commentary. However, the combination of vocals and contemporary instrumentation represents an edgy mix of world fusion worth listening to over and over. There are fourteen tracks in all. The recording was recorded live in 2012 at the Sydney Festival. This project could not have been possible without the group's creator, manager, and producer, Vicki Gordon. ~ Matthew Forss   

CD Review: Susan Aglukark's 'White Sahara'

Susan Aglukark
White Sahara
EMI Music Canada

Northern Canada's native singer, Susan Aglukark, has been dazzling Northern crowds since the early 1990s. Now a national and international phenomenon, Susan has taught the world about Inuit pop-rock music with English and Inuktitut lyrics. White Sahara is a collection of mostly previously-released material, including favorites, Pond Inlet, O Siem, Casualties Of War, Big Feeling, and Hina Na Ho. In short, every song is magical, catchy, and rich with musical textures. Fans of Susan will find solace in this work, and new music lovers will find a new singer to love. If you have not heard of Canada's best aboriginal singer, Susan Aglukark, then you have been missing some of the best music the world has to offer. It's that good. Guaranteed. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Asani - Listen

Asani

Listen

Self-Release

An Edmonton-based trio, Asani, which means 'rock' in Cree, is a Canadian vocal group that sings in Cree, English, and French. "Nitohta" is a fine folk song with hints of throat-singing. The soulful "Okisikowak" is another gem. Instrumentally, the music is fairly simple with marimba, percussion, drums, and vibraphone. The bluesy "Boil Water Advisory" at first sounds like a comedic tune, but it is based purely on reality and is a serious problem among many communities. The traditional instrumentation and vocal harmonies are definitely above-average. The Aboriginal Award winning group sings songs of Canadian life and Aboriginal legends. The final track, "O Canada", is the Canadian National Anthem, but this one celebrates their Woodland Cree heritage. The twelve tracks are pleasant and educational at the same time. Asani proves you do not need a guitar to create beautiful and moving music. ~ Matthew Forss