Stepping Stone/Raga Onagra
Stepping Stone
Escape From The Junkyard // Safe Inside Records
Escape From The Junkyard is the 4th release from Saskatchewan hardcore kings , Stepping Stone, and if you weren’t paying attention before, you should be now. Stepping Stone have a fun and catchy, yet heavy and mosh-able vibe, and this new EP is no different! If you are a fan of their previous releases, you will love Escape From The Junkyard! If this is your first encounter with the band, you can expect hard hitting drums and guitar, with an aggressive, yet coherent vocal performance of inspiring, thought provoking lyrics. All of these elements make for a captivating live performance, but if you aren’t ready for a chaotic mosh pit, you may want to observe from a distance.
The EP kicks off with an intro track to prepare you for the high octane 15 minute ride ahead! Next is somewhat of a title track, “Escape The Junkyard”. This song is especially high energy, and showcases their fast pace, punch to the teeth style wonderfully! This song, at least the way I interpreted it, is about trying not to let your past control your future, and escaping the mental “junkyard". Track three on the EP, “Driver 2001” , is a sequel to their fan favourite “Driver 2000” which can be found on Stepping Stone's 2018 EP, Unreal Form. Even though, unlike its predecessor, “Driver 2001” does not feature a revving engine at the start of the track, but it still carries the same exciting NASCAR vibe to it! In comes track four, “Ultimate”, to keep the energy consistent throughout the listening experience! To me, this song is about finding someone who can add a little peace and light to what can be an incredibly chaotic life. I might have misinterpreted the song, but it’s a wholesome meaning so I’m sticking to it. Second to last is the banger “Soul Division”, which will have you moshing on the spot as soon as you hear it! This one touches on the idea that you should never compare yourself to others, which is something I think everyone could learn from. “Mind Astray” is the last track on the EP, and it’s an eventful end to a short but thrilling experience! The lyrics are about being your biggest enemy, and letting doubt and fear prevent you from achieving your goals.
Escape From The Junkyard may be only 15 minutes long, but it has incredible replay value, and I find myself listening to it twice in a session on a regular basis! If you want a good summary of the sound of this EP, just look at the cover art. Bearing teeth, fast cars, reapers, and it’s very colourful! What’s not to love?
- Justin Olson
Raga Onagra
Meditārī // Independent
Raga Onagra is a solo project of Edmonton’s Matt Meeker who is also one of the members of Edmonton’s far-out experimental collective “Holy Drone Travellers”. The three tracks on the aptly titled Meditārī (from our modern term “meditation”) act as an ode to mountains, rivers and other elements that form mother earth. The synthesis of tabla, shawm, clarinet, tanpura, bass, trombone and drones create a beautiful alchemy of sounds bubbling with musical ideas and warm sonic textures.
The opening 12-minute track “Sagarmatha”, a Nepali word derived from “sagar” meaning “sky” and “matha” meaning “head” and used to refer to Mount Everest in Nepal and surrounding areas is colossal in scope just as its namesake. Similar to mountains which are formed through gradual shifts in tectonic plates over time, “Sagarmatha” doesn’t feel constrained by the concept of time. Raga Onagra and members of Holy Drone Travellers who make an appearance on all the three tracks seem content with building layers of mostly improvised soundscapes over time and space. The tabla played by Bhuyash Neupane (also part of Holy Drone Travellers) gently glides into the mix at about five minutes paired with a delicious thick baseline causing a ripple-like effect to the ever-present drone melody as the piece reaches its beautiful end. It’s hard not to imagine the visage of Mount Everest jutting out into the sky since time immemorial while listening to the track. The last piece “Journey of a River” showcases the dramatic and powerful ability of the “shwam”, a double reed woodwind instrument that Raga Onagra has been practicing and honing over the years. The tension created by the modulating shwam adds a medieval flare to the track and would feel at home as a score for a period film, perhaps during an establishing panoramic shot of an ancient dusty civilization or as a dramatic call to arms before a war.
There is plenty to like on Meditārī for fans of ambient, experimental, kosmiche, free jazz, drone and psychedelic music genres. The prairies are often equated with abundance of punk and garage rock bands but I for once am excited to see this project germinate and spread its roots in the Edmonton music community which has a lot of room for growth.
- Piyush Patel
