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Ombiigizi — Sewn Back Together
(Arts & Crafts no#, 2022, LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2022-04-04

Sewn Back Together Cover art

Ombiigizi is a Canadian duo that produces an appealing type of art pop tinted with shoegaze and psychedelia. Daniel Monkman (AKA Zoon) and Adam Sturgeon (AKA Status/Non-Status) are from the Anishinaabeg First Nation, which has its roots in the Great Lakes area of Canada. Their heritage is a matter of pride for them, though they do not make music that fits any expected stereotypes. Their music is clever, modern, and melodic, sometimes rocking, sometimes more gentle. They translate the group’s name to English as “This Is Noisy,” which could be considered an accurate description when compared to acoustic music. Guitars form the basis of most of the tunes, both acoustic and electric, with a variety of tones, from clean and jangly to distorted and aggressive. There are also some nice keyboard parts, including piano and electronics. Although some of the song titles are not in English, the lyrics are, and deal with a variety of topics related to the culture and history of native North American people. They’re never preachy or directly political: “It’s our prophecy / The spirit in me / I look to the past after all that’s been cast / And whose land are you on / We’ve known all along / Get sewn back together / Yea we’re still survivors.” (From “Spirit in Me”) The vocals are all strong and very melodic, never harsh. In addition to Monkman and Sturgeon, both of whom sing and play guitar, bass, and keyboards, there are contributions from Andrew McCleod (guitar, piano, percussion, bass, backing vocals), Eric Lourenço (drums, percussion, drum machine), and Kevin Drew (bass, synth, backing vocals, drum machine). Sewn Back Together is a fine album, and worth checking out for anyone who’s looking for a distinctive artistic vision within modern rock music.

Filed under: New releases, 2022 releases

Related artist(s): Ombiigizi

More info
http://ombiigizi.bandcamp.com/album/sewn-back-together

 

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