Butterbones is the solo-project of Jordan Soles, an artist we have featured on Wake The Deaf a few times across his numerous guises (as Butterbones, Wand, First Nations and Jordan Soles). Walha, a gloriously strange collection of folk/rock songs, is the first release based out of Victoria after Soles made the move from Grande Prairie.
Walha is what Wolf Parade would sound like if they traded in their punk influences and played around campfires. There is the rhythmic drumming and the ominous dual vocals and ‘ohhs’ and ‘laas’ of Krug et al., but there is also guitar strumming and piano tinkling and all sorts of clicks and rattles that invoke thoughts of wild spirits wandering ancient spaces.
The experimental flavour isn’t just restricted to the sounds, with the lyrics exploring some pretty weird themes. Soles says the songs are about ‘beach spirits, lakes, the ocean, water and stuff, lethargy, aching bodies, memory, myths, real lives, war, visions, and delusions.’ The lyrics, which are available to read in full on Bandcamp (something i always like), are poetic and dark and encourage not only repeated listens but further reading. Do you know who Bucephalus was? Or what Atrophos is? Neither did I.
You can buy Walha on Bandcamp now on a limited edition CD.