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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Cambridge Bay recording artist Tanya Tagaq Gillis released her second album, Auk/Blood, earlier this summer, celebrating the CD launch with a performance at Vancouver's Biltmore Cabaret on Aug. 12.

Tanya Tagaq Gillis' second album, Auk/Blood, was released earlier this summer. - photo courtesy of Tanya Tagaq Gillis

Tagaq's first album in 2005, Sinaa, which means edge in Inuktitut, introduced new fans to the artist's innovative interpretation of the art of throat singing.

This new recording doesn't rest on the novelty of her solo style of throat singing, but instead pushes her gutterine experimentation with more risk and power.

Tagaq confidently allows the sophisticated instrumentation behind her voice to share her audio stage. Her voice is a unique and captivating-enough instrument to compete even with an orchestra. She even lets the music take over her spotlight in a way that she seldom did on Sinaa.

The sixth track, Force, demonstrates the punch Tagaq packs, as her throat growls and gasps amid an impressive soundtrack of sawing strings that never falls into the background. Even though Tagaq's voice is outnumbered by strings and percussion, she makes her point.

The 13 tracks include collaborations with artists as diverse as Buck 65, who opens the track Gentle, Mike Patton and Jesse Zubot. Although Bjork's influence is still discernible in a few songs (the pair shared a track on the first album and Tagaq Gillis toured and recorded with the Icelandic artist) Tagaq Gillis is asserting her own style with more reckless abandon on this work.

She toys with beat boxing, more vocal layers and lyricism.

The singular style that garnered Tagaq Gillis awards and new opportunities with Sinaa has matured and grown.

Anyone who enjoyed either album will have to be excited with the anticipation of what comes next.