Twin Flames tackle burning issues on their highly anticipated new album Omen — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The husband-and-wife duo of Chelsey June (Métis, Algonquin Cree from Ottawa) and Jaaji (Inuk and Mohawk from Nunavik) are long celebrated for their sonic landscapes spanning Canada and the Arctic, and honouring their ancestors through song in English, Inuttitut and French, along the way. But Omen is a surprising departure for the pair. Teeming with pop and synth-heavy sound exploration, the concept album is set in a dystopian reality afflicted by global warming, with a populace struggling to be free of social classes, mental health, and addictions.
“It speaks to seeking omens and signs of hope within ourselves and Mother Nature,” they say. “Mental health and addictions are battles that many people face in silence, we have both faced these battles. The album speaks to the stigma associated with mental health and the feelings that come from living a life in the shadows with addictions. In the Arctic of Canada, Inuit People face the highest amount of suicides in the world. On Omen we have a few songs written to remind our people we have to fight our own minds to survive …”
With Omen, Twin Flames not only expand their storytelling repertoire; the disc delivers offers an edgier, darker musical feel that merges alt-pop, rock, and electronica. Using unique sounds, Indigenous Spirit flutes, traditional drums and western instruments, synthesizing harmonies, and traditional Inuit throat singing — including a collaboration with two-time Juno nominees Charlotte Qamaniq from Silla and Rise — Twin Flames share a raw and honest experience. Certain to follow the successes of their previous two critically acclaimed albums — Jaaji and Chelsey June (2015) and Signal Fire (2017) — Omen dives even deeper into stories of courage and survival, revealing a true passage into the hearts and minds of the beloved couple, and a gapless release that encourages listeners to take in the entire journey. With Omen, Twin Flames question the human mind revealing how one can endure the darkness, and still find a way to bloom; it’s a truly moving experience, foretelling a brighter future while signifying a time for change and a time for strength.
Listen to Omen below, watch the lyric video for Battlefields above, and learn more about Twin Flames on their website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
