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Bizhiki: Unbound review – commanding Native American songcraft

Powwow singing from Joe Rainey and Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings blends with electronic production on a spirited album that reframes a rich cultural tradition

Bizhiki (taken from Jennings’ childhood nickname, meaning “little buffalo”) deliver a stirring take on Native American music, splicing the elongated syllables of the traditional songs sung at tribal powwow gatherings with a range of electronics. Opener Franklin Warrior sets the tone, building an ambient soundscape of synth pads and dulcimer strings before Rainey’s voice enters the frame with a slow crescendo of plaintive, elongated vocalisations. Psych group Sababa 5 and Japanese singer Yurika Hanashima produce a charming brand of synth-funk on their debut album Kokoro (Batov Records), peaking on the soaring vocal melodies of the title track.

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