RIBBON SKIRT - Bite Down

Canada, and Montreal in particular, continues to prove fertile ground for artists looking to make their mark on the oversaturated international music scene. It's from here, after all, that acclaimed bands like Arcade Fire, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Dears and many others have emerged. And it's within this same vibrant landscape that Ribbon Skirt are making a name for themselves, led by the talented Anishinaabe musician Tashiina Buswa alongside musician Billy Riley.

Previously known as Love Language, Ribbon Skirt make their debut with a promising record titled "Bite Down", released via Mint Records, offering a raw, visceral indie rock sound with influences ranging from post-punk to shoegaze, taking in punk rock and garage along the way.

The fine production, handled by Scott "Monty" Munro (Preoccupations) and Marlaena Moore, helps guide the listener through a journey across the complex themes of memory and pain. The lyrics, deep and introspective, reflect Buswa's connection to her indigenous culture, exploring experiences and narratives with universal resonance.

The album's opening track, "Deadhorse", stands out for its well-judged balance of melody and tension, built on soft electric guitars and loosely-knit rhythms. The following "Cellophane" reveals a greater expressive urgency and a restless momentum, aided by Buswa's deep, unsettled voice.

The songs alternate between moments of intense energy and more relaxed passages, creating an ever-evolving dynamic, as in "Wrong Planet", where a sound halfway between punk-rock and garage brings to mind Mannequin Pussy, or "Mountains", where a gentle guitar rests on a sonic bed of crickets singing on a summer night, echoing the beautiful Yo La Tengo track "Green Arrow", before drifting away from it to take on the shape of a melancholic, enveloping rock ballad.

Everything flows without a hitch: on "Cut", a powerful bassline combined with scratchy guitars sketches out patterns in a veiled Sleater Kinney style. New guitar whirls kick off "41", an intense, dark-hued track, followed by the Dry Cleaning-style post-punk of "Look What You Did".

The album closes in style with “Earth Eater”, a particularly evocative track built on a crescendo of intensity and pathos.

“Bite Down” is a cohesive, engaging record that showcases a solid band already showing signs of maturity. The big challenge awaiting them in the near future is carving out a precise identity of their own, one capable of making them stand out from the vast sea of similar acts. While we wait for what comes next, we're happy to enjoy this more-than-satisfying appetizer.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

12/05/2025