Flying Down Thunder & Rise Ashen

In 2011, an Ottawa-based electro DJ teamed up with a Long Point First Nations member to release One Nation, an inventive, mesmerizing and refreshing piece of art. With North Wind, the duo's follow-up LP, Flying Down Thunder & Rise Ashen expand upon this rock-solid blueprint, inviting a stable of musicians, vocalists and teachers to add a distinctive flavour to the mix. Ashen's beats come off as leaner and sharper, managing to complement Flying Down Thunder's musical vision faultlessly, as the rhythms never approach genre travesty. In fact, this time around, it's Flying Down Thunder's songwriting that gives the album its distinguishing, driving force. There's no singular moment on North Wind that sounds forced or trampled-upon, as the duo add chanting, beat boxing, spoken word work and rapping to an array of electronic tones, including pow-wow, hip-hop, dub and house. North Wind is an unbridled artistic success, the type of album that celebrates innovation and community without flaunting it.