Blonde Redhead, Lucy's Delirium, Veranda Liv and More: Also Cool's Playlist Refresh
Blonde Redhead by Charles Billot
It's summertime, you need new music, and we have lots, so we put together an exceptionally long Playlist Refresh. Whether it's for sunny park hangs or for when you're walking home from the show, thinking about how sweet life can be, we've got you covered. Let's get into it.
Listen along to our Playlist Refresh series on Spotify.
Veranda Liv by Seren Pritchard-Bland
First up, we're throwing it back to 2018-era Montreal, when post-punk bands reigned supreme in the DIY scene. Our lovely friends from across the pond, Veranda Liv, have finally released their first single "Your Life In the City", which will soon be followed by a few more releases.
Veranda Liv's Tristan Petsola and Miguel Nyberg began playing music together in Helsinki before relocating to Montreal in 2014. Having met up with Tom Gould (previously of Pottery and Bodywash), they entered the Montreal live scene for a couple of years with a revolving cast of band members until Visa issues forced them apart and out of Canada.
Now reunited and reformed in London, Veranda Liv make up for lost time with their first single, "Your Life In The City”. The track explores atomization and shielding yourself from the surroundings of the modern world by constructing veneers. Melodic drums wed mooring bass lines to form the foundation on which discordant guitars build a sonic world, often holding a return to home ransom in favour of basking in consternation, like holding off texting someone back when it's been too long.
Veranda Liv
Blonde Redhead have gifted us with "Snowman”, their first release in nine years. The lead single is lush and melodic, introducing us to their forthcoming album Sit Down for Dinner. The title refers to a passage Kazu Makino read in Joan Didion's The Year Of Magical Thinking, regarding Didion watching her husband die at the dinner table. The album is set to be released via Section1 on September 29th.
"'Snowman' is about how it can be a blessing or a curse to be invisible and undetectable, and how it's something we all feel and desire at times," Amadeo Pace writes. "I got inspired to write a song that only had two chords and a melody that would live and float between them."
Blonde Redhead
Returning to Montreal's music scene, Helena Deland welcomes the warm season with "Spring Bug". A gentle offering, ushering us into a season of bug bites, burnt skin, and shy feelings.
In Helena's own words,
"Spring sun and spring rain make past selves sprout out of the ground. The question of whether or not to leave this town becomes the background on which they wreak havoc. But it's like Joan Didion says, ‘we are well-advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not. Otherwise they turn up unannounced and surprise us, come hammering on the mind's door at 4am on a bad night and demand to know who deserted them, who betrayed them, who is going to make amends.' 'Spring Bug' is the wave of a hand trying to shoo off a noisy flying creature, and the creature is me! Thank you for listening."
Helena Deland
Lucy’s Delirium by Malaika Astorga
After playing almost every cool Montreal show this winter/spring, Lucy's Delirium have finally released their debut single, "Mr Tv”.
"Mr Tv" came about during a basement practice when Franky started free-styling on a bass line with the words "Ruin me like I ruined you." The phrase set the tone for the track, encapsulating the hypnotizing and obsessive feeling of the relationship between people and technology. The lyrics personify a television through the perspective of someone dependent and craving distraction. Despite the instant gratification, it remains an escape from their reality, leaving them with a false sense of fulfillment.
"We see this behaviour a lot in ourselves and the world around us, and we were inspired to convey this experience as we believe it is a shared one." - Lucy's Delirium
Lucy's Delirium is a four-piece femme/non-binary band that began in a Montreal basement in 2022. Lila, Hanako, Franky and Addie merge their creativity to create a sound that expresses their friendship and connection. Constantly stepping out of their comfort zone, the band has evolved through the growing pains of being DIY musicians, like learning to work with small garage spaces and angry neighbours. For fans of Alex G, early Frankie Cosmos, Fog Lake, and Cryogeyser, "Mr Tv" will easily find a place on your playlists.
Lucy's Delirium
Switching over to evening tunes for a moment, Seraphine Noir has shared their jazzy new release, "Eclipse". It's the perfect soundtrack for a late-night walk to contemplate your thoughts while stopping to say hi to the alley cats and collecting flowers along the way. Alternatively, if you're not so into late-night walks, it serves as a great base for Tiktok anime edits.
Seraphine Noir is a modern experimental alternative jazz fusion artist hailing from Lebanon, now based in Montreal. They draw inspiration from esteemed artists such as Robert Glasper, Nujabes, Uyama Hiroto, Chick Corea, Coltrane and Sungazer. Stay tuned for future releases from the artist, including experimentations with jazz breakcore and more.
Seraphine Noir
Alice Phoebe Lou by Lexi Hide
Next up is Alice Phoebe Lou's "Lose My Head", a funky and tender tune, perfect for dancing around your kitchen while wondering what your crush is doing tonight. Alice Phoebe Lou is an independent artist from Cape Town, and is currently living in Berlin where she began her music career as a busker in 2013.
"It's about loving and wanting, as well as the push and pull of passion," Alice shares. "I continually strive to show people the beauty of being vulnerable and feeling all their feelings..."
Although not a new release, we absolutely love koleżanka's latest album, "Alone with the Sound the Mind Makes", which is out via Bar/None. Read our interview with the artist here, where she shared stories of the many places she's called home, her favourite memories and dreams, and more.
"Alone with the Sound the Mind Makes" expands her koleżanka's world, leading us with tracks like "Cheers!" and "City Summer Sweat". The album is whimsical, slightly psychedelic, and draws on her polka-inspired musical history.
koleżanka
Sorry Girls have danced out of the darkness into the light with the release of their second album, Bravo! (out via Arbutus Records). The sparkling new album explores self-acceptance, self-affirmation, personal freedom and letting go.
Also Cool favourites include "Prettier Things", a breakup track that's "about honesty, not lying to yourself, and hiding behind prettier things," says Heather Kirkpatrick. "You can allow yourself to move on to better things, if that's what you need."
Sorry Girls