Hillside Inside features two fantastic artists for the price of one
The picturesque and cozy St. George’s Anglican Church hosted two illuminating performances for Hillside Inside on the gorgeous afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 8. An improvised soundscape featuring singer Tanya Tagaq and electronic musician Michael Red opened for the afternoon’s main attraction, art-folk group Timber Timbre.
Hailing from Nunavut, Tanya Tagaq makes improvised music utilizing the traditional method of Inuit throat singing. In a chilling, transcendent set of sounds and contortions (both bodily and vocal), Tagaq takes the traditions of Inuit throat singing and improvised electronic soundscapes and places them both in harmony and at odds with each other, often at the same time. The practice has been used for countless generations as a way to understand and manipulate the sounds of the land, and in this case, performing it becomes an example of improvisation as “necessity,” both in the context of the land and the manner of expressing ancient traditions. There is a particular sense of passion and urgency in it that is refreshing to see, and undeniably powerful to hear.
Timber Timbre followed after a short break. Featuring a new instrument configuration and new songs from their upcoming album, Hot Dreams, the material performed felt at once familiar and fresh. Their sound is characteristically dark – Gothic flourishes in the fashion of Nick Cave and Tom Waits set the tone for Taylor Kirk’s stark, sardonic vocals and storytelling, all arranged in a subtly complex fashion. Material off of Hot Dreams was mainly showcased throughout their set, aside from some older material in the three-song encore. It doesn’t seem to mark a big departure from their earlier work, but is nonetheless an engrossing listen.
With dynamics ranging from fragile and brooding to wild and abrasive, the afternoon’s music was complemented, if not highlighted, by the beautiful church venue. Both performances were appropriate for the winter weather, evoking images of cold wilderness and the dread that follows it. It is unfair to consider Tagaq’s set as merely the opening act, as her aggressive and devastating improvisational style was much more immersive than Timber Timbre’s cold, nearly taciturn stage presence and musical approach. That being said, both acts offered a unique experience to a diverse and enthusiastic audience, as is characteristic of Hillside.