Inuktitut by Elisapie
I haven't been this excited to discover an album in months.
Inuktitut is Elisapie's fourth album, and it's nominally a cover album. Except for two differences: It's sung entirely in the Inuit language, and these 'covers' are absolutely brilliant rearrangements. Familiar songs are completely transformed, both through genius reorchestration and subtle changes that make each song sound like it was originally written in Inuit—as if no other language could really be suited for those songs.
Elisapie's vocals deserve plenty of credit too, of course. Her voice is rich and enveloping, but with a certain chilly depth that lends even the lightest of pop songs gravitas.
My favorite song is almost certainly Elisapie's entirely brass take on Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", but every single track stands out and stands alone. Metallica, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Cyndi Lauper, Led Zeppelin, Blondie—Inuktitut includes and perfectly reappropriates a broad swath of popular music, fearlessly and effortlessly.
I do not know how to recommend this album to you strongly enough. It is a must-listen.
