The story of Aukkauti may sound like Shakespearean tragedy, or even Coen-brothers farce, but in actuality it’s a true story carried down generationally as Inuit legend within the Québécois region of Nunavik. Naturally the subject matter was a perfect fit for Inuk/Mohawk songwriter Beatrice Deer, who adapts the complex story of tragic accident and brutal revenge to a concise four-minute pop song for her new album Inuit Legend. The result is a glistening indie-pop jam laced with buzzing synths and glimmering guitar, all backing the vocalist’s gentle—though occasionally quite powerful—soprano.
“‘Aukkauti’ is my favorite song on the album,” Deer shares of the cut. “Although the subject of the song is very tragic, making the song was such a great artistic experience for me. I had fun exploring my vocal abilities with our producer Mark ‘Bucky’ Wheaton.”
The other 10 tracks on Inuit Legend similarly pass down lore native to Deer’s local ancestry through the language of contemporary indie-pop. Check out the translated lyric video for “Aukkauti” below, and pre-order the record here ahead of its April 3 release.
