BiG SiSSY Drops New Music Video for Pro-Black Anthem "Everybody Knows"

Still from Everybody Knows, directed by Nadia Louis-Desmarchais, filmed by Cloé Lafortune

Montreal’s electro-clash-pop act BiG SiSSY is here to celebrate with a brand-new music video for “Everybody Knows”. A funky blend of R&B and new jack swing, BiG SiSSY’s debut single reminds us that "you can't say n*gga if you ain't Black". 

Directed by Nadia Louis-Desmarchais, the video's 70s inspired aesthetic and playfulness provide a glimpse into the world of the green-haired, drag persona that is BiG SiSSY. With visuals shot by Cloé Lafortune, the video begins with SiSSY teaching a lesson on how to be an ally before taking you on a journey through her campy universe. 

Still from Everybody Knows, directed by Nadia Louis-Desmarchais, filmed by Cloé Lafortune

Known for their caustic lyrics and outrageous performances, BiG SiSSY has performed with acts like Backxwash and John Cameron Mitchell since 2014. Voted Cult MTL's “Top 5 Freakiest Musical Acts” for the past five years (2018-2022), Everybody Knows is the first of several singles to be released ahead of SiSSY's debut EP. "My fans already know the song. Now the rest of the world gets to hear them.”

"Like music, anti-blackness is a universal language. This word has been weaponized against Black people on a global level. There are so many ridiculous scenarios non-Black people have argued for their right to say it, which is what the verses are comprised of. In the end, everybody knows who can say it. It's not rocket science, it's racism".

Watch the video for Everybody Knows, and catch BiG SiSSY tonight (November 18) at The Diving Bell Social Club at 9pm.

Diving Bell Tickets | Video Premiere

Poster by BiG SiSSY

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BiG SiSSY

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Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez Looks at Longing Head-On with New Video for “40 Days”

Still of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez in “40 Days,” directed by Sofia Geld

The opening bars of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez’s “40 Days” invoke a familiar feeling of all-consuming loneliness. From its first moments of gentle piano and haunting vocals, you are pulled into the Brooklyn-based singer’s personal experience of deep solitude and recovery. 

Released in May 2021, “40 Days” is just one of several emotionally-resonating songs off the singer’s debut album If They’re Mine. On this track, Sokolov-Gonzalez explores themes of longing. Her lyrics “I dreamed of you for forty nights and forty days” lament not being ready, or able, to let go of a version of yourself that no longer serves you. 

Still of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez in “40 Days,” directed by Sofia Geld

While the song alone packs a heavy emotional punch, the experience is heightened by the captivating visuals of the recently-released music video. Premiered in December and directed by Sofia Geld, the video paints a visceral picture of Sokolov-Gonzalez’s experience, as she embodies the feelings of longing that inspire this track.

As “40 Days” opens on a decidedly-desolate note, it establishes shots of an empty home that feels silent and heavy with dust, emphasizing the feeling of something missing. Shots of body parts, belonging to Sokolov-Gonzalez and her backup dancers, appear fragmented on-screen as an instrumental transition shifts upwards; this suggests that though something is over, it is now time to pick up the pieces. 

Still of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez in “40 Days,” directed by Sofia Geld

Just as the viewer sinks into a comfortable feeling of melancholy, the arrival of layered drum, bass and keyboard, as well as the introduction of Sokolov-Gonzalez’s vocals, transform the love-sick ballad into a much needed pick-me-up. 

Sokolov-Gonzalez’s powerful voice, enriched by a layered harmony, creates a choral sound that is both invigorating and tender. That rich, soft sound is mirrored in the warm light that permeates so many moments in her video. Geld’s directional vision embodies the sound of “40 Days,” which can best be described as the euphoria of letting light into a dark room. 

Still of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez in “40 Days,” directed by Sofia Geld

The focal point of this video is the body – namely, the physical manifestations of longing and solitude. Seemingly sequestered in a dark home that may be understood as symbolic of the singer's mind, we watch as she returns to her body and her feeling of self. It is in the repetitive movement of the hands and the erratic dancing of the backup singers that the audience is able to understand a powerful somatic experience that can’t be translated through lyrics alone. 

Everything about this project is deeply moving. The smooth R&B of “40 Days” makes for an anthem that will have you driving around the block a second time just to hear it again. Similarly, the world created in the accompanying music video will pull you into a dream-like state from which you will be reluctant to wake up. 

Watch the video for “40 Days” below!

Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez

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Toronto R&B Duo TRP.P To Share New Track at M for Montreal

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TRP.P (pronounced "trippy") is an R&B/hip-hop duo hailing from Toronto, comprised of Truss (producer, singer-songwriter) and Phoenix (singer-songwriter). The pair met in 2015 and have been “collaborating in music and life” ever since, all while enchanting audiences with their soulful, old-school sound. Truss and Phoenix made waves with their 2019 debut 2TRP.P, where they tackled injustice and oppression in their lyrics, while also celebrating queer love and empowering their communities. This effort remains intact with TRP.P’s latest offering “Never Leavin,’” out tomorrow (November 19th, 2021) and to-be-performed at the Hot Tramp Showcase at M for Montreal.

Leading up to their set at L’Esco with Janette King, Maryze and Witch Prophet, we had the chance to connect with the duo on what inspired “Never Leavin’” and how it fosters grounds for growing as collaborators.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: To start, can you tell me about the origin story of your new single “Never Leavin’”?  

TRP.P: We originally wrote this song while composing music for a TV show. Although it didn't work out for the show, it worked out perfectly for our album and complimented the new direction we want to take with our music. Once we started to record and perform the song, the message resonated with us more and more. It really is an anthem for communities that have faced displacement, especially during this pandemic. Through that same sense of community, we have met so many amazing people, including the roller-skating community right here in Toronto. You might even see them in the upcoming music video for the song!

Also Cool: Has "Never Leavin'" brought about any realizations for TRP.P? Whether it be learning something new about how you work together, your individual artistry or something you'd like to foster as a group in the future? 

Truss: That's actually a really good question. For me, it made me realize just how broad our spectrum of sound truly is. Although we both grew up influenced by R&B, gospel and hip-hop, there's an underlying influence of pop and house-inspired music in the song.

Phoenix: For me, it made me realize just how impermanent everything is and how fleeting time and existence is. The song is called "Never Leavin,'" but yet by the time the song is released, three new business will close down, one condo will be built, and a million dispensaries will pop up. It’s almost like the most defiant title we could choose in a time like this. In terms of working together, there isn’t a better team than us! We love and dislike everything we do at the same time. Our goals are always two halves of a whole when we are creating. 

Phoenix (left) and Truss (right) of TRP.P, photo courtesy of the artists

 AC: What does the next chapter hold for TRP.P? 

TRP.P: Album number two! It’s a summertime release and we are really looking forward to this one. We didn’t get to tour our first album due to the pandemic. We want to actually go on tour, see the world and play stages in places we could only dream of. Every show we play, we gain new fans and listeners. We are really excited to keep doing that, as safely and as soon as possible.

AC: What can we expect from your performance at the Hot Tramp showcase at M for Montreal? 

TRP.P: We just want to have a good time! We are honoured to be playing with Janette King, Witch Prophet and Maryze. Being only our second show since the easing of live music regulations, it may be a little awkward… But the awkwardness will pass and will be followed by some smooth R&B vibes, with a hint of bars! Everyone will leave saying it was a good show. And we can't wait to prove it to you!

Photo courtesy of the artists

Catch TRP.P at the Hot Tramp Showcase at M for Montreal on November 19th, 2021.

TRP.P

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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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M For Montreal Partners with Also Cool for Hot Tramp Record Showcase

Looking to start your week off right? Good news: the 16th edition of M for Montreal is on! This year's hybrid festival features panels, showcases and a brand new festival offering under the M for Marathon banner, presented by SiriusXM. With this latest unveiling, music fans will be treated to a jam-packed pop, rock and hip-hop program. M for Montreal will be held online from November 15th to 26th and IRL from November 17th to 19th.

We’re excited to be co-presenting the Hot Tramp Night showcase on November 19th at 9PM EST at l’Esco, featuring an absolutely stacked lineup, including: Janette King, Maryze, TRP.P, Witch Prophet and Shades Lawrence.

Check out the event page and get your tickets — you won’t want to miss this return to live music hosted by one of our favourite independent labels, Hot Tramp!

More info about the artists below!

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Janette King

Janette King is a producer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and DJ based in Montreal. Janette’s unique sound blends together soulful vocals, upbeat production style, and honest lyrics to create a truly captivating listening experience.

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Maryze

Maryze is a bilingual singer-songwriter based in Montreal, originally from Vancouver. Her haunting alt-pop conjures an intimate universe, blending contagious beats with introspective lyrics on mental health, feminism and sexuality. Balancing angst and euphoria in electronic ballads, she offers a refreshing voice with fiery honesty.

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TRP.P

TRP.P (pronounced "trippy") is an R&B duo hailing from Toronto, Canada. Comprised of Truss (producer, singer/songwriter) and Phoenix Pagliacci (singer-songwriter), the dynamic duo met in 2015 and have been collaborating in music and life ever since. Their 80s/90s R&B inspiration takes a modern twist with powerful lyrics into uncharted topics, celebrating queer love and empowering their communities by brightening a spotlight on injustices and oppression.

Website | Instagram | Spotify

Witch Prophet

Witch Prophet is a queer, Ethiopian/Eritrean, singer-songwriter, and the Co-CEO of Heart Lake Records. She provides her fans with a soundscape of vocal layers, loops, raps, and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz, and soul-inspired beats. Think Erykah Badu meets Lauryn Hill meets Portishead. She finds depth and connection in creating music as a portal for self-growth and discovery, as she navigates and better understands her cultural and queer identity.

Website | Instagram | Spotify

Shades Lawrence

Shades Lawrence is a Montreal born and based hip hop artist of mixed British, Jamaican, Irish and Scottish descent. A pure lyricist, Shades Lawrence’s style can be described as alternative hip hop.  Her words uplift, while keeping environmental justice at the forefront. To date, her style has been compared to Lauryn Hill, Shad, and Jean Grae.

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Kansas City Duo The Black Creatures Release Single "TRUE FRIENDS" In Anticipation of Upcoming Album

If we've learned anything over the past few years, it's that having a good support system makes all the difference in the world. Trusting that your chosen family will take care of you and that you'll take care of them when they need it is what The Black Creature's latest single, "TRUE FRIENDS," is all about.

The track is the first off of their upcoming album By Thy Hand,​ produced by Xavier and written by Jade Green and Xavier. It’s a synth pop ballad that reminds us what true friendship is all about, and carries the same cadence and bubbly but honest energy as early Chance the Rapper tracks.

According to Jade," This song is not only a celebration but an offering of gratitude to the support system that I've been lucky to have in my life. Especially during this time where everybody feels so isolated, so far removed from community and from collaboration, this song is a cheeky way of telling listeners,' you deserve loyalty, you deserve love - did you forget who the F you are?!'"

The Kansas City duo (who we interviewed earlier this year) make a point to blur the lines of genre while maintaining a recognizable cohesion. They blend contemporary pop, hip-hop, dance, R&B, EDM and soul with cinematic and storytelling sci-fi/fantasy elements and themes.

Listen to "TRUE FRIENDS" below & stay tuned for their upcoming album!

The Black Creatures

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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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Digital Sleepover 2 Interview: Magi Merlin, Mags, and Naïka Champaïgne on Hip-Hop Culture, Soul, RnB and more

Have you heard? We're having a sleepover, and you're invited! Digital Sleepover 2, is our latest upcoming collaboration  Hip Hop You Don't Stop and Strange Froots. On September 19th at 8pm EST we'll be livestreaming a roundtable panel disucssion from the Also Cool HQ with JU!CE, Khadijah, Faneva, and Magi Merlin, followerd by an online dance party.

As we did with our previous Digital Sleepover, we're raising funds for our communities: half of the proceeds will be donated to Maison d'Haiti to help with relief efforts in recovering from the earthquake, and half will go to sustaining the ongoing work of Also Cool (staff, web maintenance, etc.), at the very kind request of the Strange Froots crew. You can donate to the fundraiser here.

In anticipation of the event, we caught up with Mags, Naïka Champaïgne, and Magi Merlin to chat about Hip-Hop culture, different genres, and more. 

Mags & Naïka Champaïgne of Strange Froots

Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: Can you tell us a bit about your relationship with Hip-Hop, R&B & Soul music? 

Magi Merlin: Growing up, my parents mostly played classical music when I was around. I also heard some old-school R&B from my dad and some pop stuff from my mom, but my parents were never that music-oriented. So, as I grew up, and after realizing that I wanted to pursue music, I made sure to listen to all genres of music in an attempt to find what resonated with me the most. I naturally found myself drawn to Neo-Soul, alternative R&B, and Hip-Hop; the voices in these genres really spoke to me. Being a blank slate and not having much outside influence in what I was listening to at a young age almost made my connection to these genres stronger because it felt like we chose each other.

Naïka Champaïgne: My relationship with Hip-Hop, R&B and Soul has been through the sounds being played in my house. My mom had numerous R&B CDs, Hip Hop CDs and was a HUGE fan of Prince. Hearing soul and R&B specifically on Sundays meant my mom was cleaning. It just always has been part of my life. I can’t tell you when, where or how it was brought to my life because it’s just always been there. 

I have a really intimate relationship when it comes to those genres because I always wanted to know more; who sang this? Who wrote this? Who sampled this? Who composed this? What are the different ways they performed it? My mom sometimes would be surprised that I knew this artist, because I was not born during their time, but I was just a kid (and always am to this day) that searched for the artist. I started their discography from the beginning to the end, with the artist’s bio, with the album bio, creative process, writing process and lyrics all open next to me while I listen to the songs, in order to fully grasp the music. My relationship with Hip-Hop, Soul and R&B differs in terms of what/who I’m composing for.

With Strange Froots I focus a lot more on Hip Hop ways of writing and flowing and the more 2000s girl group R&B vocals harmony, and as a solo artist I focus more on the Soul vocalization and melody composition.

Mags: All of the Hip-Hop and RnB I grew up listening to I got from my older siblings, mostly when they would pick me up from school or when I had to tag along with them and their friends hanging out in the 90s, if not simply from having MTV or VH1 on the tube. My family also was really REALLY big on CDs and cassette tapes; my earliest memories of those include TLC’s CrazySexyCool, Michael Jackson’s Dangerous, Brandy’s debut eponymous album, Whitney Houston’s My Love Is Your Love, and the soundtrack to the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale (which included a lot of the aforementioned artists on top of introducing me to some of RnB’s staples like Toni Braxton and SWV). My dad was a huge part of my musical upbringing, in many genres, but he bought me my first CDs when I was in elementary school: Nelly’s Nellyville (which is all Hip-Hop with a few Cedric the Entertainer skits), and the soundtrack to the Will Smith 1999 film Wild Wild West (which was mostly Hip-Hop, with a bit of RnB and Latin-infused music). 

Within Strange Froots I’d say a lot of my artistry as an MC is heavily influenced by Missy Elliott, as a singer I might say Brandy, Nelly Furtado and Destiny’s Child (especially for harmonies), and as a group member overall influenced by TLC who often merge genres.

via Magi Merlin

Also Cool Mag: Have you found that RnB & soul music are often considered hip hop? Why do you think people want to expand the definition of hip hop?

Magi Merlin: I have not personally considered these genres a part of Hip-Hop at all. When people lump genres like these together, it is partially because a large portion of the R&B and Soul community collaborates with the Hip-Hop community. There is a reoccurrence in the names associated with each other, so people may make a subconscious combination of all the people they've seen together, regardless of genre. However, I also feel like it also might be rooted in an assumption that because most people participating in these communities are BIPOC, there is an assumption that they all participate in the same space.

NC: I find that R&B and Soul have been considered to be Hip-Hop because they are Black music. Hip-Hop, R&B and Soul are Black music. Hip-Hop beats sample a lot of R&B and Soul music. And I think the reason why people want to expand the definition of Hip-Hop, it recreates familiar Black sounds into an entire culture of being more vocal, direct about what is on their mind. Hip Hop is a way for Black people to express so much. There is something very ancestral about Hip-Hop while also very much grabbing the old to create something new, to redirect something to a new lens but honoring what came before us, what is now and what could be and that is why Hip-Hop is always expanding and people want to expand it.

Mags: I think there is a double-edged sword to bunching soul and R&B music in with Hip-Hop. On the one hand, it makes complete sense that so many of our diasporic rituals, social cues, cultural references, schoolyard antics and the like all come from these genres, and especially so from the 1970s to the early 2000s; on the other, this expansion allows for non-Black entities to further homogenize us and place labels on us that may not even apply. 

Strange Froots in our early days (before we started regularly rapping) would often get booked on lineups that didn’t make sense for us at the time, simply because we were three Black kids from a youth center in Cote-des-Neiges performing over beats, regardless of whether we were singing or doing a form of poetry. There is a correlation between Hip-Hop, Soul and R&B to the point that they often are categorized under the “urban music” genre, for obvious reasons; that doesn’t make them the same, and folks would be wise to know the difference. It’s also worth noting just how much overlap and collaboration there is between R&B artists and rappers, such as Ja Rule and Ashanti. RnB hooks and interludes over rap songs were all the rage in the 90s and early aughts.

Mags & Naïka Champaïgne of Strange Froots

AC: Do you think that the different genres have been gendered at all? Or hold any specific perceptions? What has your experience with that been like?

Magi Merlin: For sure, I think that Hip-Hop is predominantly occupied by men. Obviously, this is changing, and there is a visible shift, but I think that both Rnb and Hip hop were very gendered. I personally am very lucky to not have any negative experiences in the genre that I occupy space in. I am not a rapper, but I do feel like female rappers might have a harder time and may feel like they need to "prove" themselves in order to be respected by their male peers. Of course, this is usually the case in any career field dominated by men so Hip-Hop, producing, songwriting is no different!

NC: I do think they are extremely gendered– and if we are moving away from being extremely gendered we are still holding heavily onto the binaries of gender expression (feminine and masculine). And that also ties into colorism. Light-skin Black folks who are R&B and/or Soul artists will get more recognition, more clout, more opportunities because R&B and Soul are perceived to be more soft, more palatable to popular culture, and more feminine. That is highly linked to skin colour; colonialism and white supremacy see anything that is closer in proximity to whiteness to be more soft, good, gentle and dark skin to be aggressive, hypermasculinized, harsh (and that is also why dark-skinned femme and the standards of beauty and desirability do not favour them at all). You will not see as many dark-skinned Black folks in the R&B and Soul genre at the top.

Mags: I think the gendering of the genres also extends to the audience on top of the artists. There’s this idea that rap music is known for expressing a lot of bravado, material wealth and is more explicitly sexual, which not only reaches mostly men in terms of aspirations and relatability, it can be often paralleled to the dehumanization of dark-skinned folks, whereas many R&B songs are made up of more romantic or melancholic content, that feminine audiences find appealing. All of this typically applies, even if the RnB singer is on the darker end of the spectrum (eg. Omarion, Mario, Joe...), or the rapper on the lighter end (Ludacris, Nelly, etc). As I mentioned before, many R&B artists would be featured guests on rap songs, and more often than not, if the genders were different, it was a light-skin female RnB singer over a dark-skin male rapper’s song, furthering the image of near-subordination from the former. 

In my experience, while Strange Froots was in its infancy, many of the girls that came through to NBS Studio (where the group was born) were asked to simply sing while the boys did their raps. Even now, I’m not sure I can think of a Froots song where I sang more than the others rapped (lol); maybe that’s something I need to work out in my subconscious.

via Magi Merlin

AC: Who are you most excited about in Montreal's hip hop, RnB & soul scenes?

Magi Merlin: I love FERNIE!! They are super fantastic RnB such a sweet ass VOICE! I've been super into Skiifall lately as well. Not sure if Kayahoax falls under hiphop, maybe experimental rap but she's sick too! Also always listening to jamvvis and DO, The Outcast.

NC: OOOOH okay so Backxwash, Malika Tirolien, Shem G, Elle Barbara (‘Délice Créole’, love the Disco Soul vibes), and Elena Stoodley.

M: I think Janette King is someone who tows the Hip-hop/R&B line so beautifully, Shah Frank is another RnB artist people ought to look out for. A lot of people know Basics for his rap career but did y’all know this man can sing??

Tune in to Digital Sleepover 2 on September 19th at 8pm EST.

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Hot Girl Summer Begins with Magi Merlin's "To The Beach"

Magi Merlin by Lawrence Fafard

At this point, you probably already know how much we love Magi Merlin and her incredible artistry. She's quickly become Montreal's up-and-coming musical sweetheart and is set to take on the rest of the music industry very soon. We covered her EP Drug Music earlier this year, as well as her surrealist music video for Mock Meat.

So why am I gushing about Magi again? Well, she's just released “To The Beach,” the first song off of her upcoming EP, which is part of a larger series of releases entitled Weather Music. But don't let the summery title deceive you; this honey-smooth track is yet another peek into the singer's healing process, focusing on the relationship that she has with her father, someone she chose to remove from her life due to a difficult past.

Described as "neo-soul" and "alternative R&B," Magi is paving her way with yet another evolution to her sound. I caught up with her to chat about the track and Hot Magi Summer 2021.

To The Beach artwork via Magi Merlin

Malaika for Also Cool: It seems like with each season, you continue to transform yourself as an artist. Can you tell us about the meaning behind the visuals for the song? 

Magi Merlin: Yes! It honestly comes as a surprise to me. I want to depict metamorphosis and change with each release. It's all active, genuine change. I feel like with every release I become more confident in my work and myself. 

When it comes to the visuals, the concept is to depict power through vulnerability. Removing layers of clothing is a metaphor for taking down protective walls and finding strength in that vulnerability. It was interesting to strip down to nearly nothing in front of an entire crew, a testament to me actively practicing what I am preaching (hehe). 

Also Cool: There's a reoccurring theme throughout your music of growing out of relationships that no longer serve you. Has this been a conscious choice, or is it a natural part of your healing process to turn complicated feelings into your art?

Magi: Turning difficult situations in my life into music has definitely become a part of my healing process. It's funny; when I'm in the middle of dealing with a tough situation, I usually find I'm too emotional to write about it. I've noticed that once I've cleared the initial brunt of my emotions and can look at the situation clearly, I can turn it into something tangible. I know that I am nearing a stage of healing when I am clear-headed enough to write about painful or difficult situations. 

AC: Tell us about your collaborators on the song and the video. Who are they, and how did you start working together?

Magi: Funkywhat produced the song (along with pretty much every other song I have out right now)! I met him through Instagram three years ago (of course) and have been working with him regularly ever since. 

Mailis Roy-Lessard directed the music video. It was my first time working with her and the rest of the team, and it was fantastic! I loved being on set and being guided by Mailis. It was such a cool experience that I'm still hyped about.

AC: I'm personally really interested to know what kind of music you're listening to right now.

Magi: I've been listening to a lot of Wizkid and Burnaboy lately. They've been on repeat for the past few weeks! I think it's the change in weather; warm weather calls for Afrobeat.

AC: Will Summer 2021 be a hot Magi summer? Are you playing any shows? Will we be blessed with more music? 

Magi: Omg, hahaha, HOT MAGI SUMMERRRRR! I hope so! I've got an EP coming out this summer that I am insanely excited about. It's some of my favourite work so far, and I can't wait to share it with you. 

I'm also set to play la Grosse Lamterne in August. After playing Santa Teresa fest, I'm SOOOOO excited to play more live shows! Hot girl summer has commenced.

Watch To The Beach below

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Magi Merlin

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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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L'Impératrice Explore the Cause and Cure For Heartbreak On Dazzling Return "Tako Tsubo"

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L’Impératrice, by Gabrielle Riouah

Paris’ grooviest export L’Impératrice are back in full-force with the release of their latest record, Tako Tsubo. The band has kept us (patiently!) on the edge of our seats for a full-length project since their 2019 debut Matahari; building anticipation touring around the world with their bubbling basslines, hypnotic melodies and irresistible danceability.

After three years of internal growth, the band’s return has proven to be worth the wait. Indeed, L’Impératrice’s latest venture is a shimmering think-piece on life’s ever-perplexing phenomenon of broken-heart syndrome, which derived the name Tako Tsubo (meaning “octopus trap” in Japanese).

In thirteen impeccably mastered tracks (graced with the touch of the legendary Neal Pogue, who has worked with the likes of Outkast, Stevie Wonder and Tyler the Creator), L’Impératrice tackles this affliction and it’s many symptoms, from euphoria to emotional burnout and ennui. Impressively, this album offers both a diagnosis and a cure, with full-bodied funk, twinkling vintage accents and a playfulness that dissolves the bitterness of heartbreak’s ache. Read our conversation with L’Impératrice below to get a glimpse into the world of Tako Tsubo, which the band has announced they will take on tour in 2022!

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Tako Tsubo (2021) album cover by Ugo Bienvenu

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hello L'Impératrice! Thank you so much taking the time to chat with me. Congratulations on the release of Tako Tsubo! To start, let's talk about your evolution as a group since your last release, Matahari. What elements of your creative process have solidified or changed over the last three years, and how have these developments in your dynamic influenced this record? 

L’Impératrice: We’ve spent most of our time touring in France and abroad over the last three years, which has really impacted our dynamic as a band. First of all, we’ve grown closer to each other; we really grew up as a family. We also got to connect with new cultures and audiences; new waves of receiving our music, and it was very enriching. This time touring made us want to produce music in a different way, without making any compromises… Something more sincere and more close to what we feel we really are.

Also Cool: When comparing your two albums, you could say that Tako Tsubo comes across as more critical than Matahari, which emotionally taps into the lightness of a new romance. What led to the band deciding to tackle the phenomenon of heartbreak in its many forms, and was that enhanced by creating during the pandemic? 

L’Impératrice: The album was 90% recorded when the COVID-19 hit, so the pandemic didn’t influence it in a huge way. But, we did write “Submarine” from scratch during lockdown; a love breakup song. 

Nothing was really planned while we wrote the album, and we discovered after recording everything that all the songs were about marginality in various forms. The idea of being alienated from society; different from the others, and accepting it, or having a hard time accepting it, in some cases. The album’s title Tako Tsubo, or “broken heart syndrome,” represents this breach in the system, this sudden rupture in the course of things when an emotion is suddenly too intense to be handled. The album really is all about intense emotions. 

AC: At the same time, it seems as though Tako Tsubo looks at defying, and also rejecting, societal expectations. How did you incorporate this concept into the sound and feel of your album?  

L: The concept can be felt in the lyrics of the songs of course, but also in the sound and the production. Most of the songs have a lot of breaks, brutal key changes and sudden rhythm changes. We always wanted to surprise the listeners and even our own ears, but still keep a coherence in the sound. The idea was that one can never know where the song will go. We made no compromise for this record, so it might sound weird and unusual, but it’s really faithful to what we wanted to express.

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L’Impératrice, by Gabrielle Riouah

AC: Speaking of sound, can you tell me more about the production journey of this album and what it was like working with your right hand Renaud Létang along with the legendary Neal Pogue? 

L: Renaud really pushed us to bring the songs somewhere else and to create all these breaks within the songs. He’s always focusing on emotions and groove, which are crucial in this record. 

Neal was the key person in this new sound we wanted to create. Besides being a living legend, he’s got this very Californian vibe that we’re fascinated with. He’s got this knowledge of low-end production down to a science, which French producers just don’t have. He really brought this physical intensity to the album. You can feel the bass-lines in your belly! 

AC: Branching off of that, this album is accompanied by so many amazing visual projects. Satire has played such a big part in illustrating the messages from this album, in the videos for "Peur de filles" and "Fou" especially. How did these hilarious scenes come to life to enhance the lyrical content of their soundtracks? 

L: It’s a new field we really wanted to explore with this album, using lyrics and also imagery. We’re really inspired by Michael Franks and his ironic song lyrics. We’ve never appeared in our own videos before, so we decided that it could be funny in a “self-mocking” way to try it out. We can’t appear seriously in a clip lip-syncing and wind in our hair, in a cabriolet… It’s just not the way we are! And that’s not the image we want to show.

AC: I’m also curious to know more about the album cover! What is the story behind the artwork created by Ugo Bienvenu? 

L: Ugo is a true genius and we were so excited to have him draw the cover. It’s the first time that an artist has made us an album cover from scratch — we’re so proud! We told him everything about the Tako Tsubo concept and he went further; exploring the myth of the moires, these three divinities holding the strings of humans’ lives, and how this pair of scissors can, in one move, change the course of things... 

AC: To end things off, what are your plans for the future and how do you plan to present Tako Tsubo live once it's possible to tour once again? 

L: Now that the album is out, we’re doing everything we can to promote it. We’re doing a lot of live sessions from our studio in Paris, meeting our fans every Wednesday night on an Instagram live to talk about one song a week, where we play it and then we show old demos, talk about the writing process, and have some guests that worked on the song with us. We are of course more than ready for the next tour… One thing is for sure: 2022 will be a huge touring year full of live music and love! 

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L’Impératrice, by Gabrielle Riouah

L’Impératrice

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: Magi Merlin Sets the Record Straight With New EP "Drug Music"

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Drug Music cover by Laurent E. Malo

Magi Merlin has arrived with her highly anticipated sophomore EP Drug Music. Produced by her right-hand collaborator Funkywhat, Drug Music settles the dust around Magi Merlin’s reservations on themes of racial identity, love and personal growth, to which she comments: “I wrote the Drug Music EP as a way to process and reflect on some of my heavier emotions. It is some of my favourite writing and I think that it grew into a piece of work that successfully embodies feelings of affliction and confusion but ultimately acceptance.”

Throughout Drug Music, Magi Merlin owns her truth between entrancing beats and smokey basslines, while getting hot and heavy with lush vocal harmonies and a playful raspiness. We love nothing more than a sound that stands its ground while flirting with the listener to come a little closer; and such is the dance of Drug Music.

TDLR: This album is hot and if you don’t immediately listen to it after reading our review, it’s your loss. Thank you Magi Merlin for melting away the grey Winter slush, even just inside our shivering apartments — for this we are indebted to you.

Listen to Drug Music below

Magi Merlin

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Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (She/Her) is the Co-Founder and 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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Premiere: Cyrus Jordan Sets the Tone for the Weekend with "Not My Flavour (Anymore)"

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Cyrus Jordan, photo courtesy of the artist

Though it’s getting colder in Canada (sigh, winter is coming), Vancouver-based artist Cyrus Jordan is turning up the heat with his new single “Not My Flavour (Anymore).” Jordan is well-versed in the world of bass, playing both stand-up and electric, and his commitment to groove shows in his first formal experiment in creating house music (and thank goodness because it’s about time we get up and dance after a long week!) Reminiscent of 90s neo-soul, Jordan tackles the timeless theme of heartbreak with a gentle touch, while making “Not My Flavour (Anymore)” bouncy, vibrant and wholly his own.

Press release:

Vancouver based artist Cyrus Jordan releases his first foray into house music with the single “Not My Flavour (Anymore).” As a bassist (stand up and electric!) Jordan creates bodacious vibrations that groove with influences from D'Angelo, Channel Tres, Devonte Hynes​.

Jordan works closely with members of beloved group Schwey and has come into his sound through previous single ”Stretch” with drums by Alex Bingham of Winona Forever.

“Not My Flavour (Anymore)” offers dreamy, nostalgic energy as Jordan recognizes that he is no longer in a healthy relationship. The track is spacious but groovy, as warm synths and tasty bass lines weave around Jordan’s soft vocal. The track is inviting and an exciting glimpse into Jordan’s versatile musical vocabulary.

As Jordan says: “the track was an older song that I wrote on an old piano on Salt Spring Island while I was in a relationship I realized wasn't healthy for me anymore. It was one of the most fluid songwriting experiences I’ve ever had and it transformed really well into a produced track."

Stayed tuned for more of Cyrus Jordan’s grooves, he will be releasing many more tracks and videos in the coming months.

Cyrus Jordan

Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify

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