Northern Haze - ᓯᓈᒃᑐᖅ Sinnaktuq

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Unnuakut
	2	Qaina	03:23
	3	Aiviq
	4	Tukisi

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Anivunga
	2	Puigo
	3	Nutaraq
	4	Qailaurit
	5	Quviasuk
	6	Inusivut
	7	Sinnaktuq

Photos

Videos

Information/Write-up

Northern Haze were a rock and roll band unlike any other, with all members born and raised in Igloolik, Nunavut. The lineup of Kolitalik Inukshuk, James Ungalaq, Elijah Kunnuk, and John Inooya grew up in one of the most remote communities in Canada, where music was as much a part of daily life as hunting and storytelling. Starting out on toy instruments and homemade gear, they developed into a tight, powerful unit whose playing carried the grit and drive of classic garage rock while staying true to their own traditions.

In 1985, with support from CBC’s Northern Service, the band traveled 3,000 kilometres south to Ottawa to record their debut album. It was the first Inuit rock album ever made, sung entirely in Inuktitut and blending heavy guitar riffs with themes rooted in the old ways of the Arctic. The sessions were raw but inspired, capturing fuzzed-out leads, pounding drums, and songs that carried the thoughts of yesterday and the hopes of tomorrow. The cover artwork, created by the band themselves, and John Ough’s stark photography underscored the record’s sense of identity and place.

What makes this album extraordinary is not just its historical significance, but its sound. These four young musicians played with conviction, energy, and fire. The production may not have had the polish of big-budget studios, but it hardly matters—the spirit is in the performance. This was music that could only have come from Igloolik, where modern rock collided with the Inuit tradition of voice and drum to create something completely new.

Pressed in a tiny run of 500 copies, the original album quickly disappeared into obscurity. Today it is one of the most sought-after Canadian records among collectors worldwide, prized for both its rarity and its cultural importance. As the original liner notes put it, Northern Haze blended “the music of today with the thoughts of yesterday and the hopes for the future,” creating a bridge between generations through the universal language of rock and roll.

Not your average 1980s heavy metal band, Northern Haze extended tradition into new territory. At a time when southern critics debated whether hard rock and metal should be banned, these young Inuit musicians were using those very sounds to keep their culture alive. It remains one of the most special artifacts of Canadian music—raw, heartfelt, and utterly unique. In my opinion, this is the most important reissue of the decade, containing a vital collection of northern rock, finally brought back to light thanks to Jason Flower and Supreme Echo. Issued in a limited edition of 650 copies—228 of them on striking “blubber vinyl”—this set is essential. Ya gotta get the blubber, so order now.

The deluxe reissue includes seven songs from 1985, one from 2002, and three recorded in 2010, ranging from tight heavy metal-rock with new wave edges to heavy, melodic doom-rock. Fully authorized under exclusive CBC license, it has been carefully remastered, paired with the original artwork painstakingly restored, and presented with a 12-page booklet overflowing with vintage photographs, artwork, and detailed history. The true Rock Shamans of the North have never sounded better. (Supreme Echo, 2012)
-Robert Williston

check out the documentary film here: http://www.isuma.tv/igloolikmiut/living-the-dream-northern-haze

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