PREMIERE: Montreal's Never Better Perfects Indie Candour with New Track "Leash"

 

Rhys Climenhage AKA Never Better

Audio engineers: How do you pass the time when your DAW needs to reboot? 

For Rhys Climenhage, AKA Never Better, technical difficulties sparked writing the title track of their to-be-released debut record Leash. Set to arrive October 11th, 2024, the Montreal singer-songwriter shares the full-length’s opener, all of which came together in “about 10 minutes” on the faithful day their Pro Tools crapped out before heading to work in the studio. 

Climenhage is a friendly face in Montreal’s indie scene, both on stage and behind the mixing board. Since arriving in la belle province from their hometown of Peterborough, Ontario, Climenhage has found themselves “stumbling upwards” creatively, collaborating with fellow scene sweethearts like Sasha Cay, Holobody, James Clayton and Fireball Kid, all while nurturing their solo venture as Never Better. 

With their busy schedule, playing “at most, in like seven bands,” and engineering friends’ works, it makes sense that Climenhage “didn’t intend on making a record” when they first started crafting “Leash”.

“Leash” single artwork by Amery Sandford

Out today, the album’s lead offering is a tender musical keepsake for Climenhage. The song documents the early days of Climenhage’s relationship with their now partner, and fellow musician, Charlotte. With warm guitar strumming and honeyed harmonies, “Leash” is ever-inviting after the first listen, offering a glimpse into the budding closeness between Climenhage and the apple of their eye. Fittingly, recording “Leash” on a whim began the process of Climenhage seeking artistic consultation from Charlotte on more love songs they wrote for her, which would eventually become the album. 

“By the fifth song I knew it was going to be a record, and I was so excited to share it [with Charlotte], because she is also a musician and I wanted to see what she thought about it,” says Climenhage. “As we continue to date, I find myself being able to write a song in front of her from scratch, which I’ve never been able to do. I was sharing everything with her early on. She was there while I was mixing, and eventually I got the courage to ask her to sing on the record.” 

Climenhage cites the help of many friends making the production of Leash possible. Featuring instrumentation and backing vocals from a cast of local musicians, the album was entirely recorded and produced by Climenhage. Until Leash arrives this fall, Climenhage says they’re planning to roll out a few more singles and announce the album release show in Montreal, already hard at work on their next project.


LEASH

Out October 11th, 2024

  1. Leash

  2. No Choice or Chance

  3. Pockets

  4. Leaf Clover

  5. Shuffle Slump

  6. Circles

  7. Loud and Lazy

  8. I’ll Find My Way To You

  9. Herd


Never Better

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.


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PREMIERE: Ura Star Teams Up With Fireball Kid and mememe for "Hanging Out" (Music Video)

 

Fireball Kid and Ura Star. Photo by Ana-Maria Espino Trudel, logo designed by Cole Yearwood & Holly Craib

The sun is shining bright in Montreal, bringing grassy parks, cold drinks, and blossoming feelings along with it. Here to vibe through it all is Ura Star, who joined forces with Fireball Kid and mememe (Nap Eyes’ Seamus Dalton) for the easy-going earworm “Hanging Out.”

“Hanging Out” marks the first single from Ura Star’s forthcoming record Heartracer, which promises to deliver a stacked compilation of new wave-inspired jams. This album follows Ura Star and Fireball Kid’s two previous collaborations, Gas Station and Emotional Bros Hotline, and will carry their torch of synthy wholesomeness that makes the heart soar.

Produced by Zack Bruce, this latest release has Ura Star navigating the thrill of the “talking stage.” Ura Star, Fireball Kid, and mememe’s upbeat vocal harmonies sweep you away in a sugar rush, leaving you no choice but to keep the track on replay.

Even sweeter? The “Hanging Out” music video, which was directed by Ana-Maria Espino Trudel and Cody Lee. In the vid, the trio of artists exude a top-tier summer aura as they jump around on a vintage yellow sofa in the middle of a soccer field. Tapping their toes and sipping their brews, they conjure up the same innocent joy of a budding summer fling.

Watch the video for Ura Star’s “Hanging Out” below!


Ura Star

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.


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PREMIERE: Dresser Tackles Self-Doubt in Ana-Maria Espino Trudel-Directed "Competency" (Music Video)

 

Dresser, from left to right: Chrissy Lawson (bass), Finn Dalbeth (guitar and vocals), Kevin White (drums), photo by Alex Apostolidis

Trigger Warning: The following music video contains flashing lights that may affect those who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy or have other photosensitivities.

Montreal art rock trio Dresser reckons with quarter-life uncertainty with the premiere of “Competency”, a kaleidoscopic music video melt-down softened by DIY charm. Directed, edited and produced by multi-hyphenate media artist and filmmaker Ana-Maria Espino Trudel, “Competency” sees Dresser embrace catharsis at a trippy band practice in an unidentifiable studio.

Between whirring zooms, psychedelic transitions and the band jamming in strobing, red light in various degrees of focus, Espino Trudel skillfully personifies the anxious and existential monologue of vocalist-guitarist Finn Dalbeth.

On “Competency”, Dalbeth shares:

“Musically, Competency is our stab at a dancey and carefree pop tune. But lyrically it is self deprecating and faintly sinister. The first verse is essentially me calling myself incompetent, hopeless, and lazy, which I find in a light-hearted way to be quite a fun and empowering tone to take in front of a live audience. The song goes on to fantasize about sabotaging a generally harmonious relationship, and explores further feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction. While all this may seem grim, writing ‘Competency; felt like a healthy outlet at the time. Even though in hindsight it certainly could be an example of ‘writing on the wall’. In the funniest way, of course."

“Competency” is Dresser’s first offering from the band’s independent sophomore album Fuel, set to release August 2nd, 2024.

Buoyant yet gritty, “Competency” brings a garage-meets-jangle spunk to the ever-pensive Dresser. Recorded and mixed by René Wilson (Faith Healer, Anemone, Baby Jey) at Value Sound Studios in Montreal, “Competency” tempts both headbanging and swaying, (hopefully) hinting at the worlds traversed on Fuel.

Until the full-length arrives, watch the video for “Competency” below!


FUEL

Out August 2nd, 2024

1. Heavenly Lethargy

2. The Wringer

3. Dolena

4. Competency

5. Never

6. By Your Side

7. Fuel

8. Still Looking 

Recorded and mixed by René Wilson at Value Sound Studios in Montreal


Dresser

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | Youtube

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.


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PREMIERE: Motorists Crush the 9-5 Slog with Instant Hit "Call Control" (We Are Time/Bobo Integral)

 

Motorists, shot by Kyle Berger

Toronto power-pop trio Motorists beckon summer sunshine with their new single “Call Control”, out today on We Are Time/Bobo Integral. “Call Control” is the band’s second offering from their forthcoming sophomore album Touched by the Stuff, set to release May 24th, 2024. 

The well-crafted hit is certified a ripper from start to finish. An ode to the unglamorous grind of creatives, “Call Control” nods to musicians making ends meet at their day jobs with the hopes of hitting the big time (or simply being the second band on a local bill). Despite being a relatable anthem for the overworked and underpaid, “Call Control” beams with enough fuzzy pep to get you out of bed, morning after morning, for the rock n’ roll

On “Call Control”, bassist Matt Learoyd shares:

“My other songs are going for the literary award and trying to get heady with it. For this one, I wanted a song that was simple, hummable, and doesn’t get lost in the weeds with a thesaurus. It’s our attempt at a Go-Go’s style bopper that describes the powerlessness of trying to eke out a living as a working musician while knowing at the back of your mind that it probably will never be enough to have autonomy over your own future.” 

Motorists, shot by Kyle Berger

Flush with feel-good college radio sensibility, “Call Control” is the soundtrack to blowing off steam with a smile: gas on the pedal, windows down, nowhere to go.

Want to feel the breeze and let go? Get behind the virtual wheel and experience “Call Control” to the fullest with Motorists’ interactive game, created by singer/guitarist Craig Fahner below!

Motorists

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.


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PREMIERE: Night Lunch Trashes Post-Breakup Blues in "Junkyard of Love" (Music Video)

 

Night Lunch by Aabid Youssef

Suitcases packed for their SXSW debut, Montreal misfit pop entourage Night Lunch unveils their new music video for “Junkyard of Love.” Coming off the band’s 2023 sophomore album Fire in the Rose Garden, “Junkyard of Love” is a gritty reimagining of the Brill Building ballad for today’s broken-hearted. 

On “Junkyard of Love,” Night Lunch frontman and music video star Lukie Lovechild shares “‘Junkyard of Love’ is a song about loneliness and isolation. Cannon fire says just how silly we can be, planting us firmly as the butt of the joke.” 

The prescription for coping with a dying flame is different from person to person. Some indulge at the bar of a local watering hole, take up ping pong, or find themselves in the depths of Reddit rabbit holes in the middle of the night. For Night Lunch, a cynical personification being “down in the dumps” in their oddball Phil Osborne (Osborne Oddities) cut depicts Lovechild as a lover scorned, wrestling with stinging bruises in a psychedelic scrap yard. 

Watch the premiere of Night Lunch’s “Junkyard of Love” below!

Director Phil Osoborne on “Junkyard of Love”:

“Lukie gave me some footage that he and Marlee shot in a junkyard. I edited what I thought were the best parts then did some rotoscoping of Lukie over the footage using a computer screen as my rotoscope machine. Going frame by frame with paper on the screen, tracing him playing guitar or dancing. These parts were inspired by Rick Raxlen's animations. Then I decided to improvise some more animation based on what is said in the lyrics, including some junkyard-type creatures such as a love tank shooting hearts out of its eyes. All drawings were done using sharpies on 8.5” by 11” paper. At least 600 drawings in total.”

Catch Night Lunch on tour across the USA & Canada this spring:

March 12th, 2024 - Austin, TX @ SXSW (Swan Dive)
April 19th, 2024 - Québec City, QC @ Le Pantoum
May 10th, 2024 - Sainte-Thérèse, QC @ Santa Teresa

Night Lunch

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Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.


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PREMIERE: Alix Fernz Enters a Black Lagoon Alternate Reality in "Muselière"

 

Alix Fernz by Antoine Giroux

Allo, and welcome to the world of Alix Fernz. The local post-punk artist has been taking over the Montreal scene over the past several months, most recently playing explosive sets at M for Montreal, Taverne Tour, and Le Phoque OFF. We've been fans of his work since seeing Alix perform at Système earlier last year, where he somehow managed to crowd-surf the dancefloor. It's also become the norm for us to greet each other by saying "AllO," inspired by Alix's song “Muselière”, so we couldn't pass down the chance to premiere the music video.

As we enter Alix's subconscious, we're greeted by a Black Lagoon-inspired version of himself, chasing him relentlessly in and out of his dreams. We follow Alix's alter ego as he robs a vintage shop, parties too hard, and gets kicked into another dimension where he gets into even more trouble.

"Through a character named Benjamin, the lyrics from “Muselière” recount my experience at a private school where freedom of speech was frowned upon. It's the first track of the album, a key song filled with intensity." – Alix Fernz

Alix Fernz by Antoine Giroux

“Muselière” gives us a taste of what's to come with his debut album Bizou, which is set to be released on April 19th via Mothland. Bizou depicts, through honest and anchored lyrics, a red-lit reality, the scene for nocturnal musings ranging from petty fantasies all the way to lurid nightmares. Singing about bar life, Alix delves into psychosocial disorders, drug addiction, and fear while drawing inspiration from high heels, lipstick, transvestism, fashion, and weirdos. He lays out along masqued syllabic beats the accounts of a coming-of-age in an era wherein likes and memes are all the rage. It's a beautiful delirium at the crossroads of art, pop, punk, and psychedelic rock, hitting the hearts of fans of Hubert Lenoir and Crack Cloud.

Catch Alix on tour across the USA & Canada in the coming months:

March 6th, 2024 - Montréal, QC @ La Sala Rossa (with Omni)

March 11th-16th, 2024 - Austin, TX @ SXSW

April 28th, 2024 - Toronto, ON @ The Baby G

May 16th, 2024 - Montréal, QC @ Pow Pow (Montréal Album Launch)

May 23rd, 2024 - Chicoutimi, QC @ Bar à Pitons

May 24th, 2024 - Québec, QC @ Le Pantoum (Québec City Album Launch) 

May 25th, 2024 - Rimouski, QC @ Les Bains Publiques


Alix Fernz

Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok


Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.


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PREMIERE: Kaspien Marks a Dazzling Return with "Cinder" (Video)

 

Ottawa-based indie wunderkind Karim Rostom, AKA Kaspien, has broken a three-year musical hiatus with the release of “Cinder”—a sparkling recollection of an unforgettable first date. Today, the 27-year-old singer-songwriter brings the experience to life with the anticipated debut of the single’s music video.

On “Cinder”, Kaspien details: “‘Cinder’ is about the most chaotic first date I’ve ever been on,” Back when I lived in Toronto, Cinder (not her real name) and I went on a date to a New Orleans-themed restaurant in Trinity-Bellwoods called Southern Accent. The owner waited on us; he was very sweet and talked to us for a long time. Cinder and I invented a backstory that we’d been engaged for three years, among other things,” he shares.

Made possible by a tight, talented group of Kaspien’s close friends, the homage to a formative evening at Southern Accent is a pearlescent daydream. Pinned coloured sheets and stringed beads transformed director Chantalyne Beausoleil’s childhood bedroom into a kaleidoscopic runway for Kaspien’s promising comeback. 

To Kaspien, the level of trust surrounding the production made for an effortless rendering of his lived experiences into a dream-like standalone concept for the music video. This is evidenced by the palatable on-screen chemistry between Kaspien and Zara King—his best friend who stars as the fictional Cinder. “[Zara created her own version of the person I wrote about. It’s hard to listen to the song without picturing [her] as Cinder now!” he says. 

“I’m blown away by the talent my friends dedicated to this video, and I’m eternally grateful to them,” beams Kaspien. “When directing, Chantalyne’s background in theater was incredibly valuable. Zekios Habtom, our cameraman, captured Chantalyne’s vision wonderfully. Jessy Lindsay took time out of her busy life as an incredible singer-songwriter to help us out in any way she could, and I’m forever thankful to her for that. Mack Brander, our editor, brings a creativity to video editing that is unmatched.” 

“Our video perfectly [captures] the hopeful, and maybe naïve, feeling that you might have just met your soulmate for the first time. When you feel that way, everything seems beautiful. Even throwing up,” humours Kaspien in reference to the lyric, “Cinder, I threw up my dinner / But still feel like a winner.” 

Watch the Also Cool Mag exclusive premiere of “Cinder” below!

Kaspien

Website | Instagram | Spotify

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.


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PREMIERE: Montreal's Love Language Melts the Winter Blues with "Little Gardens"

 

“Little Gardens” artwork by Heather Lynn

When in eastern Canada, daring to embrace the cold is part of one’s seasonal lifestyle. Here to warm us up from the inside, Montreal’s indie rock outfit Love Language premieres a double-feature single and video for “Little Gardens.”

Following the release of their lush 2021 EP Trying To Reach You, “Little Gardens” boasts a heavier and edgier sound for the band—bringing to life a jam-packed tour and bouncing from stage to stage in less than a year from their first show under an overpass in their hometown. Clad with fuzzy tones and a casual, yet spunky, delivery, “Little Gardens” aligns with Love Language being described as “the band that’s playing in the bar—that all the high school kids are somehow allowed into—in your favourite 90s teen movie.”

Recorded this past spring with Rene Wilson of Faith Healer, “Little Gardens” is one of the first songs written by the band after the release of their debut album. A charming outlier for being “peppery, alive and [not] taking itself too seriously,” the live setlist favourite teases a to-be-released EP, set to arrive in early 2023.

Love Language by Connory Ballantyne

On “Little Gardens”, Love Language shares: “It's a song about two people navigating the world at different paces, desperately wanting a connection only to realize that the other person may as well be floating somewhere out in the solar system.”

Accompanying “Little Gardens” is a rosy music video, shot by the band on Super8, charting their voyage to Sled Island and New York City this past summer.

So, consider “Little Gardens” an ear-worm for your winter funk survival. Give it a spin (over and over) and watch the video below for an endless source of sunshine!

Pre-save “Little Gardens” before its official release on December 16th here!

Love Language
Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify


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MTL's Prism Shores Releases Youthful Dream Pop Track "Tennis Shoes"

 

Prism Shores. Photo courtesy of Paul Atwood

Days away from the release of their debut album Inside My Diving Bell, Montreal-via-Charlottetown indie-poppers Prism Shores have released their latest single “Tennis Shoes”. Staying true to the band’s sonic influences of dream pop and shoegaze, the track sketches ponderances of malaise and angst that glide us perfectly into the fall’s chill.

Speaking to the track’s deeper construction, vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Jack Mackenzie shared:

“It’s one of the oldest songs on the record, [and] we’ve been playing it live since about 2019. It’s one of the more mid-tempo moments on the album; our attempt at making a more sensitive track, inspired by both the angstier side of 80s UK indie on labels like Sarah Records and the 90s dream pop of bands like Luna, Pale Saints, Cocteau Twins, and Slowdive. It’s built around a rhythm section of bass, drums, and guitar tracked live to tape. Atop that are some 12-string guitar overdubs and two interweaving, droning lead parts by our guitarist Nathan [Cann] that really cement the atmospheric qualities of this track. The lyrics, like most songs on the record [Inside My Diving Bell, out September 23], take a reflexive, maybe navel-gazing approach. This record is like a coming-of-age document; the lyrics on this song find me wrestling with the more uncomfortable emotions and headspaces I found myself in heading towards my early twenties, feeling a sense of inertia or listlessness and wanting a change.”

The brooding uncertainty of “Tennis Shoes” offers a further taste of what is to come with Inside My Diving Bell, complementing the youthful insecurity of its previous singles “Acrobat” and “Diving Bell”. The rest of the record promises to deliver higher recording fidelity and new musical avenues for Prism Shores, all while balancing with its beloved sense of shambolic character through the natural energy of its live-off-the-floor bed tracks.

Recorded throughout the pandemic at Halifax’s Ocean Floor Recording, Prism Shores teases Inside My Diving Bell as a “scrappy, yet carefully considered proof of concept” — as the band contends with late-adolescent directionality and experiments with sonic depth, their debut full-length LP pledges to chart a promising course that is bound to resonate.

Stream “Tennis Shoes” below!


Prism Shores

Instagram | Bandcamp

Facebook | Spotify | Apple Music

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.


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Premiere: dybbuk Brings Early 2000s Club Culture to Life with Debut Album on Causal Chain

 

Unruhe cover art by Bruno Lauzon Tanzi in collaboration with Sora Park

Causal Chain, the electronic music label run by syncopated groove and hypnotic bassline master, laced (Saudade, audio bambino), is back with a deep and heavy debut release from dybbuk.

Based in Bruges, Belgium, dybbuk is a DJ and producer schooled in the traditions of bass music and club culture. Infused with elements of ambient, dubstep and techno, his soundscapes paint a nostalgic picture of the early 2000s and its diverse electronic music scene. His love for old school sci-fi and video games is reflected in his productions. dybbuk’s music is a unique realm filled with deep bass, spacious pads and hard hitting percussions.

Rhythmic fragments slither and dance among shimmering textures and disembodied voices, altering restlessly. dybbuk’s debut EP on Causal Chain, Unruhe, presents five introspective cuts with enormous club potential.

LITHE
Effortless shifting between bouncy club and half-time elegance before returning to an ambient origin.

UNRUHE
Intricate basslines are housed within a tense spectral atmosphere true to its name.

ROGUE SOULS
Hard, morphing bass tones accompany a floating melody through an industrial soundscape.

CO-OP
Decayed percussion and dubbed out pads swirl in subdued harmony.

CHOOSE LIFE
Gated vocals emerge above unique percussive forms.

Unruhe releases on March 18, 2022.

Listen to a preview of Unruhe below:

Music by dybbuk
Mastered by SIM
Cover art by Bruno Lauzon Tanzi in collaboration with Sora Park
Words by Holden Carroll

dybbuk

Instagram | Bandcamp | Soundcloud


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PREMIERE: Nick Schofield Unveils Blissful Music Video for "Light and Space" (Forward Music Group)

 

Nick Schofield, shot by Christopher Honeywell

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of his sophomore LP Glass Gallery, Hull-based electroacoustic composer Nick Schofield aptly unveils the music video for his new track “Light and Space.” Composed entirely on a vintage Prophet-600 synthesizer, “Light and Space” is a meditative soundscape inspired by the dance between its namesake within the National Gallery of Canada, located in Ottawa.

On “Light and Space,” Schofield shares:

“This composition conveys a core sentiment that inspired the making of Glass Gallery - the sublime light that flows through the serene space of the National Gallery in Ottawa. I researched the Light and Space artistic movement and noticed that ideology of perceptual phenomena applied to the architecture of the gallery, especially how the glass structure frames the ever-changing natural light and environment. In a way, experiencing the light and space of the National Gallery showed me that the world can be framed as a work of art.”

Out today, the song’s accompanying music video captures Schofield’s notion of the everyday creative sanctuary. Shot on a ferry in British Columbia using a beloved point-and-shoot camera, the glimmering footage deconstructs Schofield’s surroundings, the ocean air, wind, waves and sparkling sunlight, into ethereal abstractions. On the video’s conceptualization, Schofield remarks: “In the song, crescendos of vintage synth chords and glistening arpeggios perfectly align with the fuzzy footage of water and waves, so it felt natural to pair them together.”

Watch the video for “Light and Space” below!

Nick Schofield
Website | Instagram | Bandcamp

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the co-founder and managing editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, radio host & DJ, and a musician.


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Bon Enfant Tempts the Revival of Disco Counterculture with Second Album “Diorama” (Duprince)

 
Daphné Brissette, Guillaume Chiasson, Étienne Côté, Mélissa Fortin and Alex Burger of Bon Enfant. Photo courtesy of Camille Gladu-Drouin

Daphné Brissette, Guillaume Chiasson, Étienne Côté, Mélissa Fortin and Alex Burger of Bon Enfant. Photo courtesy of Camille Gladu-Drouin

Close your eyes and imagine a cosmic collision of Andy Warhol’s “Exploding Plastic Inevitable” with a 1980s coming-of-age film – except auditory.

Hold onto your seat and pull on your go-go-boots, Bon Enfant’s second album Diorama is going to transport you through time. Released on Montréal’s own Duprince, the album dazzles thanks to the sophisticated yet swirling psychedelic troupe of Daphné Brissette, Guillaume Chiasson, Étienne Côté, Mélissa Fortin and Alex Burger. The spacey yet visceral album comes after two of its tracks “Ciel Bleu” and “Astronaute Amateur” were released as singles earlier this year.

Bright keyboard harmonies fuse with steady basslines and ABBA-esque vocals in Diorama’s 11 tracks— with tracks like “Cinéma”, we are even confronted with a brief brush of slide guitar. The album is a pot-pourri of ambiance and eclectic grooves; Bon Enfant has transformed disco into high art.

To the creatives desiring solid vocal harmonies and impressionistic arrangements: we have found an album to stimulate your imagination. Whether it be creativity or Québ discothèque culture, Diorama is sure to revive flames that have been lost. Also Cool recently caught up with Bon Enfant to discuss the social forces which directed their songwriting, moodboards, and simulated realities.

Album art via Duprince

Album art via Duprince

CJ Sommerfeld for Also Cool Mag: Hello there, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with Also Cool about Bon Enfant's new album! I am ecstatic about Diorama and would love to hear more about how it came to be.

I have read numerous genres attached to the band—retro pop, Québec pop, and pseudo glam rock are just a few. If you could create a new, original genre to label Bon Enfant's new album, what would it be?

Guillaume and Daphné of Bon Enfant: That’s a good question, because we don’t necessarily try to build a homogeneous aesthetic or genre throughout our albums. We instead embrace different directions for the arrangements depending on the song’s vibe. We love to blend different eras of music and incorporate anachronism in our songs. What creates a whole in our albums is our songwriting and our distinctive way of singing and playing instruments, instead of the genres or arrangements. So, maybe “post-chanson”, because usually, chanson française is a big deal in Québec – we often talk more about the words instead of the melodies. With Bon Enfant, we apprehend songwriting in a more English way in the sense of putting the melody first and words after. It may be the reason why we often sell albums outside Québec.

Also Cool: The band's first album only just came out in November 2019, did all the members know one another previously? Or did your relationships begin when the first album was coming to be? How did everyone in the band meet?

Bon Enfant: The project really started with us, Guillaume and Daphné. We wrote a couple of songs and then Étienne and Mélissa joined us – both were playing with Daphné’s other band Canaille. Alex was the one who we vaguely knew before the band and who we really discovered [through] doing shows together. But really, even if we knew each other a little bit before, the relationship grew while touring. Even when we listen to the first album now, we can hear we didn’t have the chemistry we have now. It’s probably what makes our new album so much better, in our opinion – the vibe in the studio was insane because of the friendship we developed.

AC: The sounds heard on Diorama undeniably allude to those from the 70s and 80s – what albums were the band's greatest influences?

BE: Oh, that’s a tough one! We listen to a lot of different music – for this album, we listened to a lot of Vangelis, Abba, Heart and T. rex. To name a few: Abba’s Arrival; Vangelis’ Spiral; The Kinks’ Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One; Hawkwind’s In Search of Space, Jean-Pierre Ferland’s Jaune,  and Louise Forestier’s La douce emma.

AC: If you had to choose one era over the over—70s or 80s, according to the time's sounds and aesthetic, which would it be?

BE: We would probably choose the 70s for the music, but also because it was a very optimistic and creative period for Quebec’s artists. The 80s was a darker and cynical period here with the post-referendum years.

AC: If Diorama could be represented with different images and objects on a moodboard, what would the mood board be comprised of?

BE: There would be: 

  • a spaceship, the kind we can see in Jodorowsky’s Dune documentary, 

  • an apple tree with cider dripping from the leaves, with our producer Emmanuel filling his glass out of the tree, 

  • a magic wand, 

  • a disco ball, 

  • two Wall Street traders shaking hands after doing a great transaction, 

  • Gene Simmons’ tongue on a table, 

  • a room-size synthesizer, 

  • and a Marshall full stack.

Daphné Brissette, Guillaume Chiasson, Étienne Côté, Mélissa Fortin and Alex Burger of Bon Enfant. Photo courtesy of Camille Gladu-Drouin

Daphné Brissette, Guillaume Chiasson, Étienne Côté, Mélissa Fortin and Alex Burger of Bon Enfant. Photo courtesy of Camille Gladu-Drouin

AC: Speaking of representations, how did the album's name Diorama come to be? I remember making dioramas in school when I was younger, and am so curious about what this word represents to Bon Enfant.

BE: The word came out when we wrote the lyrics of the eponymous song that talks about simulated reality. We figured out it would be a great album name as the creation happened in confinement. The two of us, Guillaume and Daphné, had to build ourselves a little world inside our apartment to inspire us. It seems also that we’re always looking at things through a glass, a screen or a window – everything reminded us of dioramas. 

AC: A certain magic emerges when music is accompanied with visuals. The video for “Ciel Bleu” reminisces on the aesthetic of the uncomplicated, predated-MTV-music video; the flashes of Olan Mills-esque portraits also contribute to this time-traveling effect.

Are there any other components of music videography from the past that you are hoping to be revived in Diorama's next videos?

BE: We want to explore other eras in our next videos, so bye bye 70s. We are thinking about doing a David Cronenberg-inspired music video with an uncanny vibe, and maybe bio-tech... we’ll see. (laughs)

AC: Living on the west coast of Canada, I have always been jealous of the animate music scene further east. I noticed that Bon Enfant's next tour is constrained to Québec, does the band have future plans of visiting other parts of Canada, notably Vancouver? We would love to have you here!

BE: We sure want to tour all of Canada, [we have] nothing planned farther west than Ontario but spread the word around and we might do the trip!


DIORAMA

Released on October 1st, 2021 via Duprince

a2816656212_10.jpeg
  1. Astronaute amateur

  2. Cinema

  3. Ciel bleu

  4. Porcelaine

  5. Pâte à biscuit

  6. Triangle

  7. L'amour à sens unique

  8. Chagrin d'amour

  9. Diorama

  10. Grandiose

  11. Vent doux

Produced by Emmanuel Éthier

All rights reserved Duprince, 2021

Two album release shows are also on the horizon, October 21 at the Fairmount Theatre in Montreal and October 23 at the Pantoum in Quebec City. We’ll see you there!


Bon Enfant

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp

CJ Sommerfeld (she/her) is a Vancouver-based freelance writer with a particular interest in the convergence of art and society. When she is not writing, you can find her experimenting with harmonic minor progressions on her keyboard.


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PREMIERE: Pascale Project's Tonight My Dance (Dir. Antoine93, Released via La Rama Records)

 
via Pascale Project

via Pascale Project

It's been a summer of asking, "Where's the party?" From party-hopping from the skatepark DJ set to the secret outdoor rave and then back to the spontaneous park party. The pure bliss of running into your friends on the way to the gig and then finding each other again on the clandestine dancefloor is unmatched. If you know, you know, and if you don't, someone will probably post an Instagram story about it later that night.

Either way, if you like the sound of the end-of-summer dream I'm describing, then you'll love Pascale Project's latest music video for Tonight My Dance. Soaked in the tradition of summer fun in the city, elements of Freestyle and Electro weave into the House beat and are made for having a good time. These sounds evoked by our beloved corner of the world (Montreal) are now broadcast to the global network of party purveyors. The track is one of three off of her latest release, "Where's The Party" (La Rama Records).

via Pascale Project

via Pascale Project

Tonight My Dance brings the glam of club culture, calling back to glossy Y2K aesthetics and 90s high-fashion commercials. Directed by Antoine93 (another great musician and party-goer extraordinaire who we have previously covered), the video was created on a $0 budget in the true DIY spirit.

Watch Tonight My Dance below

Pascale Project

Instagram I SoundCloud I Bandcamp

Tracklisting:

A1 - Tonight My Dance

A2 - Welcome (Dust-e-1 Remix)

B1 - Welcome

B2 - Go Home

All cut at 45rpm for diverse playing styles!

Music by Pascale Mercier.

Mastered by Nik Kozub.

Artwork & design by Kris Guilty.

Manufactured & distributed by La Rama Records.

Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.


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PREMIERE: Helen Paradise Debuts Stripped-Back Version of "Glass of Anything"

 
Helen Paradise. Photo courtesy of Tess Roby

Helen Paradise. Photo courtesy of Tess Roby

Montreal trio Helen Paradise have hit a tender note with their single “Glass of Anything”. Pairing perfectly with the track’s emotive rawness is a stripped-back version recorded at Autoland – premiering today on Also Cool Mag.

“Glass of Anything” marks the second release of Helen Paradise, comprised of Sophie Ogilvie, Chris Steward and Markus Stahl. The group was born out of a mutual desire to start “exploring new textures and embracing the increasingly brooding moods emerging in their collaborative songwriting”. The group’s forthcoming EP, External World, melds these possibilities together, drawing from a range of influences including trip hop, prog rock, and avant-pop.

The track offers deep reflections on the innate human ability to communicate to close friends through body language. In describing her lyrical motivations, Ogilvie points to a kindhearted gesture of solidarity and its deeper significance:

“I wrote this song after an experience at a party, during which a close friend of mine noticed from across the room that I was visibly uncomfortable, and broke into the conversation I was in to offer me a drink. This was a kind of throwaway moment - I’m sure he thought nothing of it - but it solidified to me that even in moments of silence and loneliness, I am looked after and understood by the people who are close to me. ‘Glass of Anything’ describes these unspoken bonds between friends, and the exchanges that are shared through a knowing glance or a quiet retreat.”

This live session perfectly complements “Glass of Anything”’s warmth. Rich vocal tones against the delicate guitar accompaniment glow in the ambience, beckoning the listener to recall their own connections and muted exchanges. Take a listen, unwind, and tell your friends you love them.

Watch the exclusive performance of "Glass of Anything" live at Autoland below:

Shot by Nancy Pettinicchio

Engineered by Nigel Ward

Mixed by Chris Steward

Helen Paradise

Bandcamp | Website | Instagram

Youtube | Spotify | Apple Music

Rebecca L. Judd (she/they) is the features editor of Also Cool Mag. She writes and creates out of her studio apartment in Ottawa, kept company by vivid dreams and a cuddly grey kitty named Dora.


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PREMIERE: Honeydrip Shares Debut EP Anti-Ego

 
Honeydrip by Ariana Molly

Honeydrip by Ariana Molly

Picture yourself rolling up to the secret rave; you can hear the bass pounding through the trees. As you get closer, you start to run into your friends and see the coolest-looking strangers you've never seen stomping their hearts out on the dancefloor. 

This is the energy that after-hours legend Honeydrip brings with her new EP Anti-Ego. Heavily influenced by the intersection of Black culture and electronic music, the EP is an extension of the dub and sound systems culture. It honours the exploration and boldness found in the genre and every genre that has come of it. Honeydrip expertly meshes dub, techno, dancehall, reggae, and drum and bass while re-contextualizing and pushing the story forward.

We caught up with Honeydrip about her experience in the afterhours scene, learning to DJ, and her EP, of course.

Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: How did you first get into DJing and electronic music? How did you make the transition from a party-goer to the person keeping the party going?

Honeydrip: I spent high school listening to hip hop and dancehall, which then transformed into alternative psychedelic rock. By university, I started my radio show in 2015, playing downtempo electronic and lofi artists like Lukid, invention_ , etc. 

I've always been interested in music that had uncommon melodies, sounds and was generally considered dark or melancholic. I think that naturally led me to enjoy electronic music. A lot of the music I listened to since I was young had aspects of electronic music; I just didn't know at the time. 

Also Cool: What has your experience been like in the Montreal nightlife scene? 

H: I got into DJing because I wanted to make my radio show the best possible, so seamless transitions seemed key. A boyfriend of mine at the time and a good friend of mine (Ativan Halen) were mentors.

AC: What kind of music did you first get into here, and how have you seen the after-hours and electronic music scene change over time?

H: I started DJing right around the time that I started going out. My DJ gigs helped me discover the music scene in Montreal. I also would go to parties with friends that I made through DJing. But before DJing, I was a cheerleader and went to pubs, aha. 

Having a radio show forced me to do research on Quebecois artists as well as Canadian artists. I had a quota of local content on my radio show, which helped me discover so many of the local artists who are my peers now. 

Since I was really into Lo-Fi and cool Downtempo beats, I was a really good opener when I first started. One of my favourite gigs when playing that genre was opening for MNDSGN, but as I continued going out, the sensation I felt on the dancefloor when dance music was playing was so exciting and inviting I naturally started getting into that music. 

My experience in the nightlife scene has been a journey of finding the spaces that I am the most comfortable in, where there is a nice mix of beautiful people, good music, and a bouncy crowd. Every DJ has a certain type of crowd that builds through personal connections, fanbase, musical tastes. I'm super happy with the crowd I've built, and I feel that it's representative of who I am.

Honeydrip by Ariana Molly

Honeydrip by Ariana Molly

AC: Can you describe your favourite going out / after-hours memory? (Whether it be here or elsewhere)

H: One of my favourite going out memories was at Nowadays in NYC with Umfang and LSDXOXO on the lineup. When I go out, I'm more the type to dance than to socialize, and I love it when I'm in a crowd of people dancing as hard as I am. It was like that all night, with crazy hypnotic music. Nowadays is a large venue, but the crowd was insane. I usually prefer intimate crowds because it's easier for us all to be on the same page. 

AC: Your EP meshes genres, expanding and contrasting sounds to open up a new world of electronic music. Where have you drawn inspiration for the album, and how do you hope it that will push the story forward in electronic music?

H: I think with the history of my musical tastes, I have always been jumping from Black music (Hip hop, dancehall, reggaeton, reggae) to electronic music. At many times I was at a crossroads with what I wanted to play or what genre I wanted to be recognized by, and this EP is my deciding I can be both. 

AC: This has been a summer of music and dancing pretty much anywhere people can set up a generator. What do you hope the after-hours scene will be like post-pandemic? What are some values that you think are important for people to integrate into these events?

H: I really respect the people that take the time to organize these DIY events. It takes a lot of love to do what they are doing. The summer has made it easier for these parties to happen. Still, once winter settles in, I'm concerned with the lack of spaces we have, with many staple nightlife spots being lost throughout the pandemic.

AC: What would your advice be for people who want to get into DJing and making music, but don't know where to start?

H: To start DJing, Intersessions and Chippy Nonstop regularly offer classes physically or virtually to learn how to DJ. Also, follow the artists you like because they will be sharing courses or even offering some themselves sometimes. Join Facebook groups to get access to used equipment. Start digging!

For producing, it helps to have hardware, so you don't do everything on your computer. Getting a midi keyboard or drum pad makes the process more organic. Also exploring VSTs because I feel like most producers have their favourite VSTs that they use frequently. It helps develop their sound. Once again, keep an eye out for beginners courses or reach out to people you know that produce. Most people are always willing to help :)

AC: What's next for Honeydrip?

H: A remix EP may or may not be on its way. And this is just the beginning of my transition to a producer. So far, I am loving it and will continue to release music as consistently as I can.

Credits:

Animated & Produced by Emma Forgues

Composed by Honeydrip

Vocals by King Shadrock

Mixed by Francis Latreille

Mastered by Valentin Ignat

Honeydrip

Twitter I Instagram

Soundcloud I Bandcamp I Spotify I Apple Music

Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.


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PREMIERE: Slic Shares Director's Cut of Hypnotic Electronic Track "EZ"

 
ez_cover_final.jpg

Single cover shot by Ana Hernandez.

You know that feeling when you've been out all night with your friends, it's 5 AM, and you're debating whether or not to get breakfast together, that feels so purely like going out in the summertime? Still buzzed from the night before, traces of glitter and silvery outfits shimmering in the morning sun? Maybe I'm getting a little too niche here, but for those of you who know exactly what I'm talking about, "Ez," the latest track from electronic-pop artist Slic, captures this feeling of endless summer and early-morning adventures perfectly.

Slic is a Venezuelan-American artist based in Brooklyn-by-way-of-Miami. Their longstanding affair with the club began as a teenager in Miami amidst the EDM explosion of the early 2010s while Carl Cox was still DJing underground warehouse parties.

They integrate structural threads of Venezuelan music not found in the sample library: beat patterns drawn from tambores, reggeaton, and merengue are loaded up with digitally-generated specimens of sound. In their compositions, the laptop grid becomes a vantage point from which to build a shimmering, transnational future.

"Music can be a way to channel collective wish fulfillment," they explain, embracing a crucial element of pop: the visceral romance of pure belief that punctures through and out into the glaring light of reality."

Watch the exclusive director's cut of EZ below.

Videographer by Ana Maria Hernandez

Directed by Ana, Khalil Flemming, and Slic

Slic

Spotify I Bandcamp I Soundcloud I Apple Music

Instagram I Twitter I TikTok

Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.


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Tonight: BACKXWASH Invites Us to Celebrate New Album "I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and My Dresses" at Suoni Il Per Popolo

 

BACKXWASH by Chachi Revah

It’s suffice to say that that most exciting day of the month (of 2021 in its entirety?!) has finally arrived. This is not a drill: underground princess BACKXWASH has just shared her brand new self-released album I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and My Dresses. Following her 2020 Polaris Prize winning album God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It, I Lie Here “features BACKXWASH as an empress of chaos on a path of self-destruction,” complete with her signature industrial-hip-hop-meets-thrash backdrop, introspective bars and candid narratives; all in their most confrontational and unapologetic form yet. With I Lie Here, BACKXWASH claims her title as contemporary hip-hop’s greatest force to be reckoned with, and we are celebrating her reign.

Tonight, BACKXWASH headlines Suoni Per Il Popolo - Day 18, performing I Lie Here from start to finish via the festival’s livestream at 9:30 PM EST. BACKXWASH was kind enough to make time for us to chat about her upcoming premiere and give us the inside scoop on everything from what she’s spinning to stay in the right headspace, to a behind-the-scenes glimpse into her I Lie Here performance. Read our conversation with our hero, BACKXWASH, below.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hi Ashanti! Thank you endlessly for making time to chat with Also Cool during such a whirlwind of a week! How are you leading up to your album launch show on Suoni Per Il Popolo?

BACKXWASH: Thank you so much! We’ve been busy preparing everything we are very stoked to show everyone what we have planned!

  

Rebecca L. Judd for Also Cool: If you can give us some insight into tonight’s program — where will you be leading us?

B: Sunday will be a performance piece for the album. It was directed by Mechant and shot by the Suoni team. It looks very beautiful to me and I hope everyone likes it! We will be diving into the album from front to back.

All behind-the-scenes shots by Cameron Mitchell

R - AC: We feel like a huge part of preparing for a big event is getting in the right headspace. You’re no stranger to providing song recs on Twitter — and we can’t get enough!  What are you spinning these days to stay inspired, or maybe grounded, while managing all of the anticipation surrounding your release? 

B: These days I am mostly into Godflesh, Nine Inch Nails, Censored Dialogue, who just had an album drop, and some Rural Internet! All very, very solid releases.

R - AC: Among your collaborators on I Lie Here is the incomparable Sad13, of noise-pop outfit Speedy Ortiz. Seeing your friendship blossom has been such a treat. 

How did this come about, and how was your experience collaborating together? 

It was great! Sadie is extremely talented and I was very honored to have her as one of the features on this album. Working together has been an amazing experience.

Z - AC: On the topic of music releases: we saw that the Polaris Long List dropped this week, and were instantly reminded of your win last year… Which still feels like it was yesterday? I Lie Here continues your streak of vulnerability that you paved with your previous releases in many ways. How do you preserve your wellbeing when sharing these emotions with a growing audience? 

B: There is nothing else I can do aside from be authentic. If I want to speak to truth on record, I should not be bothered by the growing audience. I am happy that people are listening - it still trips me out incredibly!

BACKXWASH by Chachi Revah

Z - AC: Have there been any particular takeaways or realizations on reckoning with these raw feelings on I Lie Here?

B: My main takeaway is just based on the creation of music itself. A lot of insight into layering and just making songs more fuller. I am ecstatic!

Z - AC: With that being said, these experiences have nonetheless culminated into the realization of I Lie Here. How are you planning to celebrate this latest venture, and what does the future hold for you, Ashanti?

B: I am planning to celebrate with Mechant! They have helped me a lot through this and they are just generally amazing as a collaborator and friend. We will be hanging and watching the livestream. We are excited to see how it is going to turn out!


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Premiere: Splash into the Sunny Season with Emissive's New EP "Wave Science"

 

Image credit: Sanjeet Takhar

‘Tis the season for cosmic boogie. You might’ve caught our interview with Toronto’s Active Surplus (Evan Vincent and Ian Syrett) for their debut release on Vancouver label Pacific Rhythm last year - this time Evan is flying solo with this wavey four-track release as Emissive. The warm analog grooves are fit for any vaxxed girl summer activity.

Whether it’s a hazed-out park picnic, cute splash in the pool, or a moonlit rooftop hang, the free-flowing melodies and flavourful bass will have you yearning for a dance. Paying tribute to the Black American pioneers of electronic dance music, “Wave Science” is hot - an undeniable summer playlist must-have.

As the artist says himself, it’s time to summon the spirits of dance, love, and seasonal warmth. “Less thinking, more feeling.” Support Emissive and Pacific Rhythm on Bandcamp and listen to “Wave Science” below.

Emissive

Bandcamp | IG | Soundcloud


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Nature Is Healing, Change Is Imminent: YlangYlang Releases New Album "Cycles & Decay"

 

Image credit: Thomas Boucher

Imagine laying on a densely-covered forest floor, soft moss cushioning your head, enveloping your hands as you push into it, sinking deeper, becoming one with the foliage. A cool morning dew wets your clothes and you take a satisfying little stretch as you think, “I am but a small frog in an opportunity-filled pond.”

Or maybe you’re just cold, or too distracted by the loons crying on the lake. Either way, this small ritual of participating in the natural cycles of your surroundings strikes a chord - it’s comforting.

Catherine Debard’s new release, “Cycles & Decay,” on Montreal label Everyday Ago, is a reflection on the healing cycles found in nature - growth, decay, erosion, renewal. Debard is a prominent figure in Montréal’s electronic music scene, both in the underground as well as in the academic setting. Her experimental solo project, YlangYlang, spans over a decade of deep-rooted involvement through performances and releases featuring an elegant layering of field recordings over ambient drones, noise, spoken word poetry, and live instrumentals from collaborators.

Releasing on international labels including Crash Symbols (USA), Phinery (DK), Fluere Tapes (SE) and ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ (RU), YlangYlang has also graced the line-ups at festivals including Suoni Per Il Popolo, Mutek Montréal, Electric Eclectics, Strangewaves, and Tone Deaf. Debard participated in a residency at Red Bull Music Academy at Calgary's National Music Center and in a workshop hosted by Suzanne Ciani.

Lose yourself in the deeply intimate organic soundscapes of “Cycles & Decay” - or in YlangYlang’s words in the, “decomposed sound matter,” “rotten music,” or “compost music” that sets its own parameters, flowing non-linearly towards healing - and check out the equally intimate interview below to be taken on a journey of slowing down, recalibrating, and taking inspiration from nature’s controlled chaos and unyielding cycles of creation and destruction.

Maya Hassa for Also Cool: What was the landscape you were in when making these recordings (either the field recordings or other parts as well) and what were you feeling while being there?

Catherine Debard: I began working on Cedar St. the day media were reporting about the Amazon forest wildfires, in August of 2019. I remember watching footage in awe, while recording cassette loops through distortion pedals. It felt pretty surreal, and heavy I guess. The song was actually called 'Cendres' (Ashes) until earlier this year. The four songs have an end-of-Summer-early-Fall vibe to them, so I'd say earthy landscapes, grey skies, crisp air, burnt orange, russet, crimson, amber, olive, and disintegrated fragments of nature scattered in lovely ways. I regularly roamed the back alleys from my house to Jarry Park back then - I usually walk when I need to ponder and clear my head. 

I listened to the rough versions of the tracks, trying to find possible structures for them, unlocking the mysteries within. These walks were very contemplative. I felt deeply attuned to nature's slow decay, zooming my attention to dehydrated fruits, shrivelled delicate leaves, scattered strange shrubs, patches of moss, the smell of damp earth.

Also Cool: Maybe it’s because I’m in a forest while I write this, but Cedar St. and Waning Now sound like laying on the forest floor while being consumed by the moss and lichen surrounding you, maybe even decomposing with it. How would you describe the idea of decay in sound - in the composition of a piece, the sound manipulation, or the possibility of decaying music in its physical recorded state? 

CD: While isolated at home last year, I became interested in trying to re-grow leaves from the cores of vegetables. On our kitchen table, I grew little leafy ecosystems, miniature islands in glass bowls. Leaves would grow to a certain point, then they'd wilt, and their entire appearance would start to shift. The greens would either fade or veer into yellows, browns, or peach tints, strange furs would appear as mold and slime began to spread. It was pretty captivating. Around the same time, I was contemplating the idea of 'shadow self', or in a very simplistic way, the subterraneous, dark counterpart of the conscious self that contains the ugly repressed stuff. I've oftentimes tried to bridge this disconnect between my mental activity (mostly rational and mundane), and the raw, unexplored potential underneath, which I can't access. I’ve wondered about the possibility of 'eroding the mind' metaphorically, using these decay processes I was witnessing in nature.

I've decided to apply this idea to music and composition. It led me to develop, within each song, a kind of relational system in which the sounds would interact with each other. I'd imagine various strategies in order for them to affect one another through various causal reactions, either in 'cooperative' or disruptive ways: 

'What if, every time this sound erupts, it generates little patches of sound fur onto that layer of synth? What would happen to the synth?' 

'What if the static quality of this recording was influenced by the dynamics of this bass movement as if it were pushed by the wind?' 

'How can a piano emerge out of this rumble of sounds and evaporate into thin air?' 

'Can the song flicker in a subtle way, like the sunlight seeping through the leaves of a tree?' 

The more abstract, the better. It forced me to seek new mixing & assembling techniques that would concretize these conceptual ideas.

AC: The second track feels like sitting on a dock in the rain, glass bottles washing up on the shore, reminiscing. What is the meaning of the lyrics on Penumbra

CD: That sounds really good, I wish I were there! Penumbra is a love song written just before the dawn of a relationship. Now that I think about it, it's the only love song I've ever written in a profuse catalogue of songs about relationships! It's telling - I've given a lot of thought on the subject, read countless books, and experienced various iterations of disappointment, frustration and doubt throughout the years. Then, in 2019, a new perspective emerged. Nothing new, really, but the difference was that instead of intellectualizing my way through it, I saw a concrete path. 

The first step was to jump out of my head and dive inwards to investigate the darkened, the uncomfortable, the dim, the vague, the penumbral. What is in there?!! Then, I needed to foster a kinder relationship with my inner self, gather together all the pieces hidden in the corners, not just the flattering parts. Right around that time, I met someone I could imagine being this truer version of myself with, someone with whom I could explore and fabricate a new kind of relationship, something truly good. It felt dizzying, like being on the edge of a cliff and taking a leap into the unknown. That's what the song is about; the decision to make oneself vulnerable again, carefully, by removing the protective barriers - and also being intrigued by the unknown. It can even be a love song towards a renewed connection to oneself as well.

AC: There’s a sense of controlled chaos throughout the tracks - sounds cycle between harshness and what seems like the exaggerated or over-amplified sound of rushing water or wind, and lush, bright moments of renewal. The music has a natural, nonlinear behaviour, but also a sense of a journey towards healing, flowing between good and bad moments. Is this state of healing what the album title, “Cycles & Decay”, is also alluding to? 

CD: Yes, totally! Change is imminent, it permeates everything, so I'm trying to make friends with it, to jam with it. I've had a good amount of highs and lows, I've struggled with my mental health, with my physical health, I've experienced losses, some harder to recover from than others, I am aware that I will suffer in the future too. With time, I started noticing the cyclic feel of my own life, the reoccurring waves, ever shifting, yet familiar. I thought that in order to avoid sourness, I should cooperate with the cycles instead of fighting against them. For me, that means being malleable, listening to myself more, trying to stay vulnerable and open (and not turn into ice), and exploring ways to heal and learn out of hardships, while developing tools that help me navigate the inevitable. Things will get rough again, but it's not a reason to reject happiness when it's available - or to cling to the good times. I want to be a positive force, not one that drags down.

As for chaos and non-linearity, I feel that it's what keeps me alert and challenges me in a good way. It would be easy to slip into stubbornness, despair or denial. We wake up every day and live in a society that isn't good for the majority of human beings - it's important to remember that again and again. 

Whitesupremacy-colonialism-capitalism-racism-oppressivesystems-pillageanddestructionoftheEarth

Not only that, we also have to reckon with the toxic stuff we've inherited from them, some nasty things like the notion, for example, that if I don't have a respectable career, I am considered a failure. That's ugly, right? It makes absolutely no sense to me; my value system rejects this idea, and yet I struggle with it often!

There are so many things to deal with, all at the same time, and chaos wakes me up - it makes me pay attention! Noticing times like the other day, when I did something that went against my values, becoming aware of when I contradict myself, listening to other perspectives and genuinely trying to get them, being gracefully present during an afternoon by the railroad tracks, obsessing about the future and then, after a few days, feeling at peace with it. Being proud of a friend's achievement, while acknowledging a tinge of envy, saying ‘fuck off’ to the idea of perfection, being able to articulate a complicated idea out loud for the first time... 

Working on music connects me with myself, eases the anxiety and helps me deal with unpredictability by creating my own unpredictable, chaotic musical landscapes and then, problem-solving / finding new ideas to make them sound good. I separate myself into two parts - a creative force and a destructive one. The destructive side is rambunctious, reckless, angry, sabotaging, it takes pleasure in making a mess, but it does so while trusting that the other side will come and harmonize everything. It's pretty therapeutic!

AC: Is there a story of a naturally occurring cycle or historical experience you would want to share? One that could provide some context to the cycles of sonic decay and rebirth you described? 

CD: The first cycle I became aware of was the cycle of the Moon. As I became more cognizant of the external influences I bathed in, I grew better at handling my mood swings & energy fluctuations. I felt I could better cooperate with the intangible forces. Paying attention to my menstrual cycle gave me some precious insight, too! Instead of forcing things, I try to better respect my body and its rhythms. Seasons form an important cycle too. I realized recently that I often create sound material during the Summer, assemble it into songs during the Fall, and mix and master music during Winter. In the Spring I feel too scattered to do anything. 

There are also larger life cycles, ones where you feel like you are tackling a big 'theme' in your life. I'll end by giving an example of one. A few years ago, I saw three snakes in the span of a month. The day before I caught sight of the first snake, I had a conversation with a friend about the concept of 'Mono No Aware' while sitting in the passenger seat of his car. As he pulled the definition and read it to me, I felt seen, as if something deep inside was acknowledged, followed by the realization I wasn't alone feeling this way. The first snake was a beautiful, golden and white snake in the middle of a dirt road in New Mexico, the second one was a lean black one with a red line on his back, and the third one, a smaller brownish grass-snake on a mountain in Hamilton, ON. I had always been afraid of snakes, as a symbol and in real life, and I had never seen any before. From then on, I associate a snake with the ouroboros symbol, and seeing one signals a new start for me.

AC: I can’t help but ask what your workshop with Suzanne Ciani was about?

CD: Suzanne Ciani is so inspiring. As legendary as she is, she emanates realness - and that's truly refreshing. She mostly talked to us about her relationship with the Buchla synthesizer, showed us her way around it, how to set it up, how to build a sequence. I'd never even dreamed of playing with one myself, so it was great to get to learn about the electrical pathways and how it modulates within the machine. It gave me ideas about composition - that's what financial constraint does, it motivates you to find alternative ways to create results, I'm getting quite good at it! Suzanne also shared stories from her early days in the experimental electronic music scene, and how she built  a pretty inspiring career for herself by staying bold and determined. I hope I soaked up some of her energy! 

Listen to “Cylces & Decay” below

YlangYlang

Bandcamp I Instagram I Soundcloud I Spotify

Composed & Produced by Catherine Debard

Recorded between 'my apartment in Montréal'
& Fort Rose, Hamilton in 2019

Catherine Debard: Piano, Synthesizers, Field Recordings, Noises & Textures, Vocals

Connor Bennett: Saxophone & Effects on Track 2 & 4

Evelyn Charlotte Joe: Acoustic Guitar & Effects on Track 2
Upright Bass & Toy Piano on Track 4

Video for Cedar St. by Charline Daily

Mastered by Amar Lal
Artwork by Catherine Debard


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PREMIERE: sineila Debuts Surrealist Hyper-Pop Track "Blow!" (Prod. Margo)

 
Art by Aya Avalon

Art by Aya Avalon

Premiering today on Also Cool, Montreal's angel-pop star sineila shares her latest track, "Blow!", co-produced and co-written by Montreal's up-and-coming hyper-pop sweetheart producer Margo. "Blow!" is infused with glittery Y2K meets Gen Z vibes, surrealism, and nostalgia, evocative of those pink glittery iridescent dolphin stickers we all had growing up.

"Blow!" blends the sound of an AM radio through broken speakers with Gen-Z malaise, a song both nostalgic and futuristic. Made almost entirely over Zoom, sineila sings of failed love and the anxiety of deep introspection in uncertain times, an honest tableau of life in 2021.

Art by Aya Avalon

Art by Aya Avalon

The track has Gen Z song of the summer potential, with its sugar-sweet melodies and immersive wall-of-sound synths. For fans of SOPHIE, Cecile Believe, and PinkPantheress, this one's for you.

Listen to "Blow!" out on all streaming platforms now.

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Art by Aya Avalon

Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and communications specialist currently based in Montreal.


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