ALSO OUT THIS WEEK
ONDA JAMBINAI | BELLA UNION
In the promo material for the latest album from this Korean folk fusion crew, band spokesperson Lee Il-woo notes “most people expect Asian traditional music to make something smooth for yoga or meditation, we wanted to break all of that.” And they do. Square Wave sounds like Evanescence put through a blender and poured out into a Wax Trax remix. Sun.Tears.Red is pure sonic noise. Really quite a remarkable recording.
MOTANKA MOTANKA | NAPALM RECORDS
Folk metal has, for the most part, been variations on Celtic or Scandinavian traditional musics with amps. But the genre appears to be blowing up with groups like The Hu’s Mongolia thrash and Ukrainian quartet Motanka, whose “mystic metal” bridges heavy, folk, psychedelic and more styles for a mix that will most certainly appeal to Tool fans. Atmospheric hammered dulcimer, chant-along choruses that wouldn’t bug The Lumineers, and big melodic lines make songs such as Air assured arena anthems.
SKYE WALLACE SKYE WALLACE | SKYEWALLACE.COM
A coast to coast to (almost) coast musician, Toronto-based singer/songwriter Wallace has lived everywhere from Norris Point, Newfoundland, to Dawson City and Vancouver. Each of these places has its own dominant styles and she manages to bring them together on songs such as the opener Death of Me, a rocker with a killer chorus, guitar riffs that wouldn’t be out of place on the first Rush album and folky choruses. She rips through punky numbers like Coal in Your Window, Always Sleep With A Knife, and Iced In with swagger, and can get her roots rock ripping on Body Lights the Way. It’s clear a lot of experience went into crafting this record, because all the songs stand out, each benefiting from her voice, which can go from a whisper to a bluesy growl with ease. Anyone with a love of The Pretenders, PJ Harvey and the like would do well to seek this out.
LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE THOMAS BECKMAN | REDSHIFT RECORDS
Produced to accompany a 25-minute video — put together by the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre for its 50th anniversary — to look at where in the known universe are the essentials to sustain life as we know it. Violist/composer Beckman puts on his science hat right away with the opening A-A-C riff on the vibraphone meant to mirror the HO2 molecular make up of water. Performed by the Borealis Quartet, the first movement is, as the title demands, expansive and atmospheric. In total, there are five movements to the work. Highly recommended for fans of modern classical music, soundtracks, and all other aliens.