Galactic Gala

Mixing century-old traditional vocals with the latest sonic technology has always been an attractive yet dangerous musical venture. More often than not it ends up being a mere collage, a lazy juxtaposition of two vibes that never really fuse. Silla are the duo of Charlotte Qamaniq and Cynthia Pitsiulak, throat singers from Nunavut (Canada). Rise Ashen is a beatmaker from the country's capital, Ottawa. Together, they create a sound that is urban, playful and visceral. You see, ‘throat singing’ is a bit of a misnomer. In reality, it's organic percussion, one of the ancestors of beatboxing. So Galactic Gala is a futuristic Arctic hip-hop album.

That's why it works. There is a call-and-response organic groove between the vocalists, Rise Ashen and their guest MCs, bringing the katajjaq spirit to new latitudes. Tracks like ‘Shaolinuk’ and ‘Brazilian Kitturiaq’ shine by their inventiveness and tongue-in-cheek titles, while ‘Matriarchs’ and ‘Mother Roots’ address complex social issues like colonialism, patriarchy and global warming. Astral sounds intertwine with immemorial vocal improvisations; this ain't no Deep Forest!