In "The Cabin," Hughes, the indie folk project of Yellowknife's Benji Straker, harnesses the quiet power of place. From his self-titled debut album, this song is a true gem of the album and the emotional core of his first record. With the help of fellow Yellowknife artist Shea Alain (Rubens and the Dark, Sub Islands, Maazes), Straker creates a folk-rock ballad that feels warm, contemplative, and rooted in something more profound than words. The song was inspired by a remote canyon cabin Straker's father built far from the sound of modern life, accessible only by boat or snowmobile. Even the fact that half of the establishments have a washing machine indicates how much this space is valued.
"The Cabin" is soft-spoken yet suggestive, fittingly coming from Hughes's background in indie rock and folk. Shea Alain's ambient guitar layers and harmonized vocal lines add another dimension to the song, creating a partner voice that calls across a frozen lake. The production is an embrace of space, letting each note hang rich with remembrance. The true beauty of "The Cabin" is in its storytelling. You don't have to have been raised in Yellowknife or cut off the grid to feel what Straker is feeling. Anyone who's ever had a retreat, a stand of trees, a quiet dock, a hidden cabin will understand the pull of such a spot. It's more than memories. The cabin, in this instance, is a symbol of inheritance, healing, and the enduring connections we have to land and family.
Straker's voice is humble and sincere, welcoming you in as if an old friend is chronicling a familiar tale. And like a favorite place in the woods, "The Cabin" earns attention, drawing the viewer in with warmth and wisdom a little at a time. With this release, Hughes further solidifies himself as an essential voice in Canada's indie folk universe, one that pays homage to place, memory, and emotion with nothing to prove. "The Cabin" is a song to revisit, just as it is a place that inspires a visit back in the real world.
Discover Hughes on Instagram