What's Cool at M For Montreal 2023

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What better way to curb the effects of daylight savings than a weekend of music? The wide-ranging curation of the M For Montreal music festival returns from November 15th-18th, 2023. Offering exceptional programming from two distinctive lineups, the shows from the festival’s Official Selection are available exclusively to festival delegates and pro pass holders, while the Marathon bills are open to music fans alike. Discover Also Cool’s M For Montreal top picks in the highlight below, featuring never-before-seen artists for the mag to keep on your listening radar. Also Cool’s official M For Montreal playlist will be updated with more must-see acts in the week leading up to the festival.

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Cartel Madras via Bandcamp

Marathon

Calgary-raised, Chennai-born Cartel Madras promises to stir a fervent atmosphere. The Desi experimental hip hop duo, composed of sisters Eboshi and Contra, commands audiences with their explosive blend of trap, punk, house and South Indian aesthetics - a genre they’ve coined as “Goonda rap.” For bold flows and anthems of resistance, hit Sala Rossa for the Consequence showcase on Saturday, November 18th.

Cartel Madras at M For Montreal

Alix Fernz via Instagram

Marathon

Sainte-Thérèse expat Alix Fernz (AKA Blood Skin Atopic) is the latest mistfit darling of Montreal indie label Mothland. Thriving in the allure of mischievous freak-pop, Fernz’s debut single “Wax” intrigues with its tightroping of post-punk and synthwave. Fernz plays alongside Hippie Hourah, presented by Simone Records, at Ausgang Plaza on Saturday, November 18th.

Alix Fernz at M For Montreal

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Blesse by Gaëlle Leroyer

Official Selection

blesse is the sonic renaissance of former Zen Bamboo members Léo Leblanc, Charles-Antoine Olivier, and Xavier Touikan. Hot off the arrival of their debut album normal (Simone Records), the Montreal trio recently rocked Festival De Musique Émergente and Le Phoque Off with their distinctive garage-meets-hyperpop flare. See what all the fuss is about on Thursday, November 16th at Quai des Brumes.

blesse at M For Montreal

Heaven For Real by Beatrice Scharf-Pierzchala

Marathon* (available to pro and festival pass holders)

Quaint Toronto-via-Halifax art rock outfit Heaven For Real is the brain child of twins Mark and J. Scott Grundy. Between jangly rhythms and playful musings on every day life, the group has endeared audiences with their breezy, yet contemplative, songwriting for over a decade. Embrace the warm and fuzzies at their M gig, presented by The Current, at Café Cléopâtre on Saturday, November 18th.

Heaven For Real at M For Montreal

Poolblood by Kate Killet

Marathon* (available to pro and festival pass holders)

Polaris long-lister poolblood—the nom-de-plum of Toronto singer-songwriter Maryam Said—has made a splash with their full-length debut mole (Next Door records). Recorded entirely analog, poolblood’s mole is a tender, lush collection of bedroom-folk introspections. For a moment of poignant stillness, catch them alongside Heaven For Real at Café Cléopâtre on Saturday, November 18th.

poolblood at M For Montreal

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M For Montreal

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MISZCZYK, Heaven For Real, LVL1 and Chinese American Bear - Also Cool's Playlist Refresh

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Chinese American Bear via Bandcamp

The sun’s out and Also Cool is here to set the pace. We’re coming at you with our bi-weekly Playlist Refresh, and we invite you to take a breather and add these new releases to your listening shuffle.

Starting off strong is the teaser track “In The Dark”, from Ontario composer MISZCZYK’s yet-to-be-released album Thyrsis of Etna. Out on July 15th via We Are Time, Thyrsis of Etna brings together a treasure trove of talent, such as Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier, Pylon’s Vanessa Briscoe Hay, The Space Lady, Marker Starling, Chad VanGaalen, Motorists’ Craig Fahner, and many more. The warm and dubby song, featuring the rosy vocals of Latitia Sadier, evokes the timelessness of endless summer days and leaves us writhing with anticipation for MISZCZYK’s solo debut. 

Along with the song and album announcement on May 16th, We Are Time released a playful stop-motion video for “In The Dark” by animator Jesse Yules. Watch below! 

Okay, cheating a little bit on this next one… but March wasn’t that long ago. Halifax-born, Toronto-based slack rockers Heaven For Real have recently come out with a new music video for their track “Green Winter”, taken from their most recent EP Sweet Rose Green Winter Desk Top Tell This Side Autumn Of The Fighter Hot In a Cool Way (Mint Records). Directed by HFR’s own Mark Grundy, the music video for “Green Winter” follows bandmate Scott Grundy on a freaky adventure with a hybrid storyline of Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Little Shop of Horrors. The video also stars fellow musician Dorothea Paas, who sang guest vocals on the band’s song “Autumn Of The Fighter”.

Switching tempos, our next recommendation comes doused with a syrupy sheen that fits perfectly with summer’s haze. Ottawa-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter JAD hits a heartbreaking high with “Don’t Let The Sun Set On Me”, a wistful track dedicated to the highs and lows of temporary entanglements. Across eight minutes of brooding folk, JAD captures what it means to bask in a bittersweet afterglow. Soon to return from a month-long residency at Chateau Orquevaux, we cannot wait to indulge in his latest sonic directions.

Next is 星星 (“Stars”) from NYC sweethearts Chinese American Bear. Complete with the pair’s signature pop dreamscape and feel-good aura, 星星 (“Stars”) is the fourth of a handful of treats from the band’s self-titled LP out on July 8th. From our mix to yours, here is a guaranteed pick-me-up single to keep you company. Let us know when you can name a better duo (FYI, the answer is never).

Although we covered them last week, we had to give another shout out to Cola’s track “Fulton Park.” The track is upbeat and slightly disjointed in the best ways, making it an easy addition to any “my life is an indie movie” playlist.

Watch the video below & read our review with Cola here.

Last but not least, we have a high-energy release from LVL1 that’s perfect for your pre-game before the queer afterhours. Perfectly bitchy and in rapid-fire Spanglish, LVL1 returns with another banger after last year’s TikTok viral hit “FVN!”

That’s it for this week’s roundup! Check out our Spotify mix for all of our previous picks + some extra Also Cool favs to help refresh your playlists.

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