Florent Vollant

Katak is a truly Canadian roots album. Crafted by Juno-winning former Kastin member Florent Vollant, it weaves Vollant's native tongue with French and English (a first for him), and his earthy rhythm heavy songs with blues, country, reggae and folk. The album's first single, an Innu cover of Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows" (translated as "Tshissenitenanu"), is a borderless piece of art shedding new light on the author's mastery from an unlikely source. "Nitshiuenan" is obviously inspired by Quebec bluesman Ray Bonneville, who lays down definitive guitar and harmonica work on the track. The easy journeyman shuffle and Bonneville's delicate bluesy electric guitar riffs fit neatly with Vollant's style. The album's gem is certainly the Innu reggae track "Nete Metsheteu" with its spacey accordion licks and overdriven guitar solo. Again, borders broken to advantageous effect. The richly textured canvas of Wurlitzer and slide guitar, and it's uniquely Canadian sound, make Katak a sultry contemporary folk release.