The brainchild of Anishinaabe vocalist/guitarist Tashiina Buswa and multi-instrumentalist Billy Riley, Montreal’s Ribbon Skirt are a post-punk art-grunge band making dreamy, swirling compositions complemented by Buswa’s powerful, breathy vocals. Melody and anxiety commingle, a distinct tension running through these songs. It’s all so very crunchy and rhythmic, deftly blending elements of pop, shoegaze, ’90s alternative and riot grrrl.
At the centre are Buswa’s direct yet poetic lyrics, which explore Indigenous identity, systemic racism, the police state, shapeshifter intimacy, colonialism, religion, grief and relationships; vehicles are a recurring motive, both as a means of escape and confinement. The words are vivid, questioning, provocative, yet also strangely familiar, as if we’ve heard them before — from a half-remembered night out, perhaps? A text argument with a former friend-slash-lover? Through a megaphone at a protest? Or during a bout of self-reflection (and -doubt)?
Easy to swallow yet difficult to digest, “Bite Down” is an exercise in juxtaposition, simultaneously dark and dynamic, fun and unsettling. During the inevitable repeat listens, you’ll find yourself analyzing every cryptic note and fuzzy word in minute detail, wishing it were much longer than just nine glorious songs.
The Fat Angel Sings 