The Jerry Cans

"Ukiuq" (video)

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Oct 25, 2016

Iqaluit folk outfit the Jerry Cans are set to follow up Aakuluk with a new record called Inuusiq/Life next month, but before the full LP lands, Exclaim! is giving you a bit more insight into the new material with the video premiere of "Ukiuq."
 
As previously reported, the track features lyrics in both Inuktitut and English, pieced together to capture and convey the brutality and hope that come hand-in-hand with long cold Arctic winters.

"There are so many different types of heartbreaks and souls lost during those times but when you look up to the lights it can bring you comfort," band member Nancy Mike previously said in a statement. "Sometimes it is hard to find that light and warmth in the winter, and we hope this song gives you a bit of that spark."
 
The song has now been given visuals courtesy of director (and the album's producer) Michael Phillip Wojewoda, who described the song as a "haunting and exotic" example of "passionate music from the often misunderstood treeless tundra."
 
The infectious folk-rock anthem blends acoustic strums, lush strings and bouncy percussion, with catchy refrains of "whoa-oh-oh-oh" and powerful, rhythmic throat singing. You can hear it all come together in the new clip, which captures the band performing against the gorgeous landscapes of their home territory, but also raising awareness for the less beautiful realities of life in the North.
 
"This video is only a very small window into what we see in Nunavut," Mike tells Exclaim! "I look to the land and the northern lights in order to find balance in dealing with the more challenging issues up here like high suicide rates, poverty, and high cost of living we face everyday in our communities."
 
Watch the video for "Ukiuq" below. Inuusiq/Life is due out on November 4 through Pheromone Distribution, Fontana North and Aakuluk Music.
 

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