WHOOP-Szo - NIIZHWAASWO
WHOOP-Szo presents Niizhwaaswo, the third and final document of their adventures in Arctic Canada.
Technically these songs came first, recorded to 4 track at home, but finished while in the north.
It melds elements of sound collage, disjointed parts, complex arrangements, and supreme momentum to weave sonic stories, all at once disorienting and enjoyable.
Following the release of a double album representing the band’s time spent living and working in the Inuit community of Salluit, Quebec, WHOOP-Szo are set to release a third and concluding set of recordings gathered from those experiences. The circumstances under which these albums were born are both remarkable and inspiring, I would highly recommend listening to an interview that band member and Out of Sound Records founder Adam Sturgeon did recently for campus radio in which he touches on the process.
Jan. 3rd” is the first track to debut from their new record Niizhwaaswi and it already feels like my favourite WHOOP-Szo track to date. Written prior to leaving for the north and finished while in Salluit, the track exudes an audible warmth fitting of the K Records catalogue. The sincerity and earnestness with which the band executes their songs was one of the elements I felt allowed the band to succeed in exploring such a diverse range of sounds on their earlier release, Qallunaat/Odemin. Those same elements are ever-present on this track and the more minimal instrumentation allows for each sound to sink in even further. Make sure to grip the first two parts in this series out on beautiful silkscreened packaging and if this track is any indication you’ll be back for more soon.
