New tracks “Kaukuarjuk” and “The Nice Angakkuq (feat. Kevin Qamaniq-Mason)” are out now
What does it sound like when the ancestors sing again? Acclaimed Inuit throat-singing duo Silla returns with two highly effective singles — “Kaukuarjuk” and “The Nice Angakkuq (feat. Kevin Qamaniq-Mason)” — that attain throughout generations and genres to embody Indigenous resurgence, kinship, and sonic evolution.
Comprised of Charlotte Qamaniq (Iglulik) and Cynthia Pitsiulak (Kimmirut), Silla has been fascinating audiences with their genre-defying fusion of katajjaq (Inuit throat singing), arduous rock, digital, IDM, and post-industrial textures since 2005. Presently based mostly in Ottawa, the duo has acquired two JUNO nominations and two Summer time Solstice Indigenous Music Awards for his or her work with Silla and Rise. With these new singles, they assert themselves not solely as keepers of custom however as creators of future worlds.
“Inua and Sila is Boss is a double-album idea,” says Charlotte. “One facet is our inheritance, songs sung for generations. The opposite facet reimagines that world — similar roots, however plugged into amps, synths, and storytelling arcs.”
These twin singles mark the arrival of each albums: Inua (out June 21) and Sila is Boss (out July 9).
“Kaukuarjuk” is a conventional throat tune composed by Charlotte’s brother Kevin Qamaniq-Mason — and the title of a strong Angakkuq (shaman) handed right down to him by the Inuit customized of tuq&urausiit (namesake kinship). Carried out by Cynthia and Charlotte in highly effective rhythmic counterpoint, it’s “A reminder that these songs are a tribute to our previous, a lesson in kinship, and a step ahead for utilizing our conventional music in new methods.” Charlotte says.
The reimagined counterpart, “The Nice Angakkuq,” transforms that custom right into a cinematic soundscape of off-kilter rhythms, synthwave pulses, and overdriven guitar — a collaboration with Kalalliit (Greenlandic) superproducer Andachan, and that includes Kevin on vocals. “It begins with footsteps crunching snow and a constructing storm,” Charlotte shares. “Then comes the calm: a second that includes qiarvaaq — an historical type of Inuit throat singing with lyrics.”
These lyrics, written by Charlotte, are a love letter to Inuit Nunaat (our land):
Una Nuna — This Land
Tigumiattiarlugu — Maintain it dearly
Piummarittu — Is so stunning
Uumaju — It’s alive
These releases are extra than simply songs. They’re vessels of reminiscence.
“Inuit naming isn’t nearly id — it’s about continuity,” says Charlotte. “It retains our neighborhood shut, and the reminiscences of our family members alive for future generations”.
Each tracks are launched below Qamaniq Data, the duo’s personal imprint. The one paintings comes from a longtime good friend and Iqaluit-born artist, Josh Qaumariaq, identified for his daring acrylic depictions of Arctic wildlife.
“Josh’s work glows with the sunshine of our folks,” Charlotte says. “His polar bear work remind me of Nanurluk, the good polar bear spirit we reference within the subsequent tune to come back.”
Hello Charlotte! Good to fulfill you! Care to introduce your self to the readers for these not conversant in your music?
Hello! I’m Charlotte Qamaniq from Iglulik, Nunavut. I’m one half of Silla–the Inuit throat singing duo. My associate, Cynthia Pitsiulak, is from Kimmirut, Nunavut. We get requested who we’re and have been saying the identical sort of reply for years, so as a substitute I’ll inform you a bit about my house of Iglulik. Iglulik is an Inuit cultural capital of types. We’re nonetheless heavy practitioners of tuq&urausiit, which is our conventional kinship and naming system. It retains our neighborhood shut – anybody can ask to call a toddler after somebody, it isn’t nearly id — it’s in regards to the continuity of our ancestors. I’m proud to be Iglulingmiut, and I’m very fortunate that regardless of dwelling between Iqaluit and Ottawa, away from my hometown for a few years, I nonetheless have a robust connection to my household and neighborhood.
These new releases really feel like greater than music—they really feel like dwelling reminiscence. What does it imply to you personally to hold ahead songs like “Kaukuarjuk” in 2024?
Completely, Inuit tradition is oral. Any conventional throat songs that we sing have been handed down by generations, and so they’re a dwelling reminiscence of our ancestors. There’s a tremendous quote from Margaret Aniksak, that captures the essence of their significance:
“The phrases contained within the throat singing (qiaqpaarniq) custom are the phrases spoken by our distant ancestors. Over time, their meanings have been forgotten, and maybe that’s the reason their significance stays elusive… They got here from the mouths of the ancients.”
Katajjaq (Inuit Throat Singing) is a musical type practiced primarily by Inuit girls. It entails two singers standing face-to-face, utilizing their throats, breath, and voices to create rhythmic, interlocking patterns that mimic sounds of nature, animals, and on a regular basis life. There’s each deep religious significance to the follow, and sensible, playful significance as nicely.
Kaukuarjuk is a particular tune as a result of it’s a brand new composition. There aren’t many new throat songs being created, and my hope is that items like this—sung within the conventional model—will resonate with a brand new technology of Inuit and assist hold the custom alive. I shared a video on social media explaining find out how to sing it, and just some weeks later, once I was performing in Iglulik, a younger Inuk girl who had spent days practising approached me and requested to sing it with me. I used to be so excited! Typically you’re employed on songs in isolation for a very long time, and you then launch them and aren’t actually certain the place they’re going to finish up. Katajjaq is so area of interest, there’s not an enormous fanbase of conventional singing, and as a closed cultural follow, there’s not an enormous variety of singers on the market, so while you truly see that your work resonated with a younger Inuk they usually took the time to be taught, that makes me so proud. That’s the rationale why I sing conventional songs. That’s the rationale songs like Kaukuarjuk are vital in 2025.
“The Nice Angakkuq” is such a cinematic reimagining of custom. How did you strategy fusing historical kinds like qiarvaaq with synths, guitars, and storytelling arcs?
Silla is all about contemporizing conventional songs. We wish folks to bop and transfer to our music and actually really feel it. Our conventional music kinds like katajjaq, qiarvaaq, and pisiit have deep roots that Cynthia and I join with. Including musical parts round our conventional tales and songs provides them larger energy and helps us forge a deeper reference to the listener.
Kaukuarjuk is the title of a terrific Angakkuq — a strong shaman — and it’s additionally the title my aniannuk (expensive older brother), Kevin Qamaniq-Mason, carries, handed down from our Ataatattia (grandfather). Kevin composed the unique throat tune behind this monitor. As a fan of progressive bands like Device and Symphony X, he introduced a love of wierd meter and unconventional rhythm into the piece, giving it an off-kilter, dynamic really feel. Most conventional Inuit throat songs are in duple meter and carried out as a call-and-response between two feminine vocalists. On The Nice Angakkuq, it’s Kevin and I — his deeper vocal register provides a distinction not often heard in katajjaq.
Once we composed the tune The Nice Angakkuk, I wrote a narrative about Kaukuarjuk to conjure up the photographs and emotions I wished folks to expertise when listening to the tune. The story is a few journey that Kaukuarjuk takes, guided by his tuurngaq (spirit helper), to go to a strong and harmful spirit, Nanurluk, a large polar bear the scale of a large iceberg.
The start of the tune begins with the sounds of Kaukuarjuk’s footsteps crunching by the snow and the gusting wind, the synth lead will get launched giving his journey drive and course, after which the vocals and guitar are available in. I pictured the off-kilter vocal rhythm and driving guitar like a storm that Kaukuarjuk should endure as he pushes ahead in direction of his purpose.
In the course of the bridge of the tune, I considered the storm subsiding and Kaukuarjuk seeing within the distance his vacation spot. I envision this part just like the calm second earlier than an excellent larger problem. It options qiarvaaq, a lesser-known type of Inuit throat singing that makes use of lyrics, in contrast to katajjaq. This piece marks my first exploration of qiarvaaq. I don’t know any conventional songs within the model, nor do I do know anybody who is aware of a lot about them both, so I wrote a easy poem with brief phrases and formed it right into a tune—an try and spark curiosity and encourage others to perhaps attempt qiarvaaq and discover the thought of bringing it again. I’ve a handful of archive recordings, however I wish to do extra analysis.
After this transient pause, the tune continues with heavy guitar and drums, constructing as much as what can be Kaukuarjuk’s confrontation with Nanurluk… however the tune ends! You’ll have to attend for the following tune, The Nice Nanuq, to listen to what occurs.
You’ve spoken about custom as a dwelling pressure. What are among the methods you keep grounded in katajjaq whereas pushing the sound in new instructions?
Our previous spirituality was suppressed by Christian missionaries throughout European colonization of our homelands. It was forbidden to sing the conventional songs, and we’ve misplaced a whole lot of data. The excellent news is that there are extra Inuit throat singers than ever, and there’s a starvation to be taught and revitalize our previous musical kinds. Silla maintains the standard katajjaq follow by singing the songs within the conventional means with two vocalists, a pacesetter and follower, however we aren’t afraid to experiment with the music that accompanies our vocals. We aren’t afraid to innovate and push the boundaries of what’s attainable.
You’ve stated these songs are invites. For listeners new to throat singing or Inuit traditions, what do you hope they really feel after they press play?
For our Southern viewers, I’d like them to surprise what they’re listening to and to get inquisitive about Inuit tradition. Usually, it seems like we get lumped in with different indigenous peoples in Canada, however Inuit are a really distinct group of individuals. Our lifestyle, traditions, and language are very totally different. We reside in distant arctic communities, which most Canadians by no means get/search the chance to go to. So yeah, I’d like folks to understand how superior Inuit are. We’re resilient, good folks.
For Inuit inquisitive about katajjaq, I’d like them to concentrate and pay attention for find out how to lead and comply with, and swap seamlessly between chief and follower throughout a tune. Good throat singers attempt to throw their companions off. It’s important to have a robust associate who challenges you, and also you construct that relationship and chemistry through the years of follow. Cynthia and I’ve been singing collectively for over 20 years, and we’re nonetheless discovering methods to shock one another.
Upcoming Exhibits:
Could 13 – Nationwide Arts Centre (Tapiriit), Ottawa
Could 22 – REMAI Fashionable (Hearth Chat), Saskatoon
Could 23 – REMAI Fashionable (Klik My Heels), Saskatoon
June 7 – Arts Court docket (Pique Summer time Version), Ottawa