Population II Get to the Heart of their Sound with Latest Album “Électrons libres du québec” (Bonsound)

Population II photographed by Starly Lou Riggs

Playful and alluring, Population II’s Électrons libres du québec is an enigma wrapped in a fever dream. These new sounds by the Montréal-based band hang above Earth’s atmosphere like a twisted multicolour satellite. Sure, it’d be easy to call them “psych-rock”, but that would be an oversimplification. Instead, this powerful trio successfully brews a multi-era potion, seamlessly collecting jazz fills, funky basslines, and emphatic synth in their intergalactic cauldron. 

I had the honor of chatting with the band in their practice space—a treasure trove comprised of Tristan Lacombe’s synth and guitar pedal collection and Pierre-Luc Gratton’s drum set—complete with a rubber chicken in the kick drum (a gift from their tour, they tell me). The wall across from Sébastien Provençal’s bass gear is adorned with a cute Sesame Street-themed bedsheet. Ah, and don’t forget their iconic collection of troll dolls (my favourite is the one with earmuffs and a blue star belly button), as featured in the band’s L’Esco video interview, “L’Autel 4461”. Needless to say, it’s abundantly clear that this ragtag group have been friends for a long time. 

In fact, they’ve all known each other since high school. Tristan, Pierre-Luc, and Sébastien all grew up in the North Shore, just north of Montréal. “[Tristan’s] father is the reason we’re playing together,” Sébastien laughs. “He’s like the guru of the band, if I can say, definitely a guru.”

Incidentally, some of the band’s early independent tracks caught the eye of John Dwyer—of the prolific rock band Osees—and Population II signed on with the rocker’s label. The group’s premiere album, Á la Ô Terre, came out hot on Castle Face Records in 2020. After returning from tour with the aforementioned legends, Population II are back in Québec with Électrons libres du québec, released via Montreal-based label Bonsound.

“We were at Ursa for [someone’s] show and I was going home very late to go to sleep,” Pierre-Luc recounts how they landed on their current label. “And then I received a call [from] someone and she’s like, ‘Hey, come to the park, there’s that person who works for Bonsound.’ So I go to the park and I talk with Valérie [Bourdages]… We talked for, like, two or three hours.” Pierre smiles and adds, “And the next week, we were on Bonsound.” 

Population II photographed by Starly Lou Riggs

Pierre-Luc, Tristan, and Sébastien have a sweet and honest chemistry that comes through in their music. It’s truly as if they can read each other’s minds. That could explain how their music is so bold and intricate, yet seems to come naturally. “We’re really fortunate to have crossed paths and to have this sensibility for the same music and art. We’ve been playing since we were fourteen/fifteen, so sometimes we don’t even talk,” Sébastien speaks to their innate intuition together. 

While the three have known each other a long time, Pierre-Luc is the newest addition to the band. Tristan explains, “We had a different line-up of that band and it was instrumental music. It was basically just jams and we were making long songs with a different drummer. And then we wanted to play with Pepe [Pierre-Luc]. In the first months that we were playing together, he was playing and one time had a mic and started singing. And [it] completely changed the band.” 

“Not singing like a karaoke singer,” Sébastien adds with a big grin, “It’s more like face-melting. Like, ‘How in the world did that little guy do that?’”

“Our first band broke up and we had a show booked,” Tristan recounts. “It was at L’Esco, and when we were kids it was really big, so we couldn’t cancel. So we were just like, ‘Okay, we have to do this show,’… We had to play that show and then we added Pepe and he just added his personal background.”

Pierre-Luc’s lyrics are simple. His vocals act as an instrument all their own—impressive, as he is the drummer and lead singer. These belting vocals, akin to ‘60s garage-style, compliment the wall of sound in instrumental: Tristan’s alternating synth and guitar, and Sébastien’s booming bass. Pierre-Luc shares that his words are meant to “break the fourth wall”.

Électrons libres du québec is truly a powerhouse of an album. From the space-like sonics of “Orlando”, to ripping funky bass licks in “Beau baptême”, to the discorded cacophony of “Pourquoi qu’on dort pas”, the whole thing screams epic. 

Listening with a fine-tooth comb, their influences seem fairly visible to the naked eye: ‘60s and ‘70s psych rock, definitely some classic jazz, and the likes of Funkadelic. Admittedly, Population II are very open-minded when it comes to music. We chatted about Sébastien’s dad being a ‘70s disco DJ (very cool), Pierre-Luc’s use of 6/4 jazz timing, and Tristan's affinity for exploring all genres.

“Oh yeah, there’s a lot of jazz. You wanna talk about that jazz, all that jazz? We’re all about the jazz,” Sébastien says emphatically of the band’s rhythm. All that, before leaving me with a list of recommended bands to add to my roster: ‘60s German band CAN, Canterbury scene legend Robert Wyatt, and Canadian ‘70s rock bands Simply Saucer and Aut’Chose . 

“There’s something good in a lot of different genres,” Pierre-Luc says as the band reflects on their own “genre”. 

“I literally listen to everything and I don’t want to stop myself,” Tristan tells me. “When I was younger, I was trying to be this cool kid: ‘Pop music is not for me. Oh, I don’t like country.’ And one day, I had a narrative shift. I want to be able to love everything.”

Tristan Lacombe of Population II, photographed by Starly Lou Riggs

“Mainly on Électron, we were really listening to those Canterbury prog bands like Soft Machine,” Tristan explains. “Mixing that with like… Krautrock bands that we love, and just a more naïve and primal energy of early proto-punk. Basically, it was a dumb and really naïve way of playing those styles of music.” While Tristan says naïve, what I hear is “experimental”. Population II has this in abundance—a childlike wonder for music and a desire to just play. 

As it turns out, the band writes most of their songs in an improvisational way, jamming out ideas. They record their sessions and revisit from there. “We’re always, always recording,” Sébastien says. “Ideas are always flowing and it’s just because there’s this chemistry, this weird chemistry about the three of us being in a room.” Sometimes he’ll come in with some bass lines as a “foundation”, but the band seems to thrive on improvisational form.

All the music videos for Électrons libres du québec came to fruition in a similarly experimental fashion. Released both individually and as one full-album piece, Bonsound’s own Hugo Jeanson is the genius behind the strange colourful masterpiece. Tristan explains, “He wanted to have something that would work with the cover, just textures and stuff… We just had total confidence with him and we were just like, ‘Do your thing, have fun!’ And it looked good.”

“What was really cool,” Sébastien adds, “is that when we invited him [to] the rehearsal spot, he saw the whole vibe… He asked us to play every song on the records and he filmed us.”

Tristan was a fan of Hugo Jeanson’s visual art before they got the chance to work with him. “It was strange,” he mentions, “because since I was a teenager, I knew about his posters and stuff.” Hugo’s a bit of a music poster icon in Montréal, now operating as the Head of Label Marketing with Bonsound. “Yeah, we were just like, ‘Okay, this guy is the one who is making those crazy posters, he has good taste in music, he works there [Bonsound], we wanna work with this person.”

The band has had some luck, stumbling upon talented artists to join them on their journey. Pair this luck with musical skill, a charming demeanour, and a curiously open mind, it’s really no wonder the trio has come to put out such a killer record. “There’s a lot of layers to the band,” Sébastien tells me as we wrap up our conversation. “You just gotta witness us and hang out with us.”

The group laughs as Pierre-Luc sums it up this way: “In the end, we’re just normal guys shredding.”

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Électrons libres du qu​é​bec

released October 6, 2023 via Bonsound

1. Orlando

2. C't'au boute

3. C.T.Q.S.

4. Beau baptême

5. Tô Kébec

6. Lune Rouge

7. Réservoir

8. Rapaillé

9. Pourquoi qu'on dort pas

Pierre-Luc Gratton – percussion, vocals

Tristan Lacombe – guitar, organ, oscillator, piano, synthesizers

Sébastien Provençal – bass guitar, synthesizers

Emmanuel Éthier – violin on “Reservoir”

Colin Fisher – saxophone on “Pourquoi qu'on dort pas,” “Réservoir”

Emmanuel Éthier – production and mixing

Trevor Turple – sound engineer

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Population II

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Starly Lou Riggs is a queer agender visual artist from the United States, currently based in Montreal.

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Late Nite Laundry Makes a Mesmerizing Return with Self-Titled EP (Acrophase Records)

Late Nite Laundry by Charlie Young

Faced with the unavoidable turmoil of cancelled gigs and changing circumstances, Late Nite Laundry had no choice but to find their footing and start anew. The Chicago psychedelic soul band—composed of guitarist Ari Lindo, bassist and designer Emily Burlew, keyboardist, engineer, and producer Brenden Cabrera, and drummer Alex Santilli—has re-entered the scene with a crisp and noteworthy EP, Late Nite Laundry, out via Acrophase Records.

Featuring Lindo and Burlew on vocals, the EP hits a breezy stride as it flirts with elements of Brazilian jazz, bedroom pop, and R&B. Encompassed with a dazed warmth, its four tracks stand apart and—at once—melt together. Let Late Nite Laundry wrap you like a cozy plush blanket and sink into the richness of its sound.

Rebecca Judd for Also Cool: Stylistically, your band takes influence from a wide variety of genres and eras, which culminates in a warm and comforting blend of psychedelic soul. Which sonic inspirations did you reflect in this EP?
Late Nite Laundry: In 2020, we recorded and released a project titled The Michigan Tapes that we believe initiated our new sound. It was our first experience self-recording and producing, which we did in March 2020 soon after the world entered lockdown. We took those same practices and applied them to a more refined recording process over the last year [when making this new EP]. Although we are heavily inspired by many genres and bands as individuals, we rarely reference specific artists between ourselves. Instead, we are inspired by individual elements within our favourite music and [find that] each member brings a different flavour to the table.

Also Cool: Your band underwent a fundamental transformation with the disruption of COVID-19 – you’ve previously mentioned that it was a time to “rediscover [your] sound and smoothen [your] process”. Can you elaborate on the ways in which this time redefined Late Nite Laundry as a band?

Late Nite Laundry: Without shows to play in 2020, [our] band regrouped with writing and recording sessions. Previously, we had only experienced recording in a traditional studio format. After the first EP, we wanted to stress experimentation and expand on the production process. Since then, all recording, production and mixing is handled within the group. This has given us the space to push our creative boundaries, while also developing our skills and relationships with each other.

Late Nite Laundry by Charlie Young

AC: Among the changes you experienced throughout the past couple of years was a change in lineup, with Late Nite Laundry’s original lead singer leaving the group. Nonetheless, you previously identified a sense of synchronism between the four remaining bandmates that led you all to push forward. Were there any defining moments where you felt this connection, or was it a gradual ease?
LNL: Naturally, we think it took time to rediscover ourselves. We spent a lot of our initial meet-ups at the practice space writing new material and reworking old songs. A clear moment in our memories was when our song, “Fantasy”, was first written. During a home recording session for the track, Ari [Lindo] began writing lyrics and sang upward of 100 recorded vocal takes. This was a defining moment for the band, because at the time we had contemplated auditioning for potential singers. Releasing that song was a symbol of what we had become and it clearly established Ari as the new lead vocalist.

AC: I’m particularly interested in the duality of “Floating”, which closes the EP. There’s a feeling of one’s resurgence and contentment that soars past memories of a fragmented relationship. I found myself swept up with its instrumental jazzy vibrance and hungry for more all too soon. Which emotions and decisions went into this track, and how are those contrasted or connected with the rest of the EP?

LNL: This was one of the first songs first ever created for Late Nite Laundry. Ari started writing it in 2016, before the band began. It talks about Ari’s first relationship with his high school sweetheart, and it’s intended to capture the euphoric highs and deep pains that he associates with this time. Ari also has a special musical ability to weave into different styles.

This song really shows our indie styles on the choruses with the layered lead synth sounds, but subdues you with witty chord writing on the verses. The outro of the song has always felt like a different planet from the rest. Everything from psychedelic harmonious textures to Alex [Santilli]’s tasty drum fills, the ending ties in the sound that Late Nite Laundry truly represents. We feel like there’s examples of this in all of our songs.

AC: With this new release, what are your plans for re-introducing Late Nite Laundry to the world? Which directions are you next hoping to explore as a band? 

LNL: Now that the EP is out, we are focusing our efforts on touring and promoting the project across North America. Outside of performing, we are a group that consistently writes and records. Naturally, there’s a lot of musical ideas flowing in our brains whether in demo form or just jammed out at the practice space. What we definitely look forward to the most is playing and making music. Sometimes, that means hanging in each other’s living room, jamming at the spot, or getting away to a cabin in the woods (like for The Michigan Tapes). We’re not sure what we will release or when, but our engines never seem to turn off.

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Late Nite Laundry

Out November 4, 2022 via Acrophase Records

1. Hold

2. Sizzle

3. Hi, Can You Hear Me?

4. Floating

Written and recorded by Late Nite Laundry

Engineered by Brenden Cabrera

Mastered by Kelly Hibbert

Photo by Charlie Young

Album design by Emily Burlew

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Late Nite Laundry

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Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

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Mitch Davis Ditches Hibernation on Sunny Debut LP "The Haunt" (Arbutus Records)

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Mitch Davis by Richmond Lam

A trip around the sun has passed since we last touched base with Montreal multi-instrumentalist and do-it-yourself aficionado Mitch Davis.  In the meantime, Davis has tied a bow on his debut LP The Haunt and returned to the stage, in both in Montreal and at Austin, Texas’ SXSW music festival. Out April 29th, 2022 via Arbutus Records, The Haunt manifests a spectrum of mediations in both sound and spirit.

Realizing some compositions that predate Davis’ relocation to Montreal, The Haunt celebrates Davis stepping into his own with an entirely solo production: writing all the songs and playing all the instruments on the album, as well as recording much of the work on self-built equipment in his home studio. The result is a soulful and playful blend of jazz, funk and beaming pop; adorned with rhodes, clavinet, synth and drum machines. An album-long ode to themes of isolation and loneliness, as well as looking for love in the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic.The Haunt achieves both breeziness and brevity for a class-act spring listening experience.

Speaking with Davis leading up to his album release, I asked him how the final product came to be, knowing that The Haunt has been years in the making. We started first by chatting about how Davis knows when a song is complete.

“It’s a feeling that comes over me once I’ve obsessed over a song. Eventually, I won’t have anything else to add or take away. When I don’t know what to do next [in production], I try to keep at it. I have a lot of friends who will move on to another song in the meantime, but more often I’m obsessively working on one song for like, a month straight, and never putting it down; never stopping, listening to it day and night. Once it starts to lose its novelty and sound like mush, I’ll take a break for usually one day or so.”

“Do you have any rituals that you do to get back on track when this happens?” I wonder.

“Hmm, I don’t know about rituals,” smiles Davis. “But, once I get sick of a song and I’ve heard it too many times, to the point where it sounds like nothing, I’ll adjust the pitch, up or down. It triggers something in part of my brain —hearing my song in a different key— and that helps me to look at it fresh again.”

With self-reliance being at the core of The Haunt, I wanted to know where Davis finds inspiration when working alone. Unsurprisingly, he is moved by other jacks of all trades.

“I’m inspired by people who, like me, play all the instruments, record themselves, things like that,” he brims. “Though I try to not have influences be a conscious thing and act on creativity in the moment, there are important, multifaceted soloists throughout music history that influence me, like Stevie Wonder, Todd Rudgren and Sly Stone.”

On the note of his debut being entirely self-directed, Davis then told me about the narrative structure of The Haunt.

“It’s funny, years ago I was trying to get myself to create an album and nothing was working. I imagined having a set of literal hats, or characters in my mind, to embody and portray the thoughts and ideas I was trying to put into music. Nowadays, I don’t have to do that as much and I’m able to just be me. That said, I do feel inspired by holding and interacting with different instruments. Even if there are just drums down on a track, or some scratch guitar. Or, I’ll play bass for 12 hours until I get it just perfect… and then I’m done being the ‘bass player’ forever, and can move on to being someone else.”

“Do you have a particular relationship with any of your instruments?”

“I have the closest relationship with the piano, one of my first instruments. I never used to be much of a bass player, but now I feel really connected to it. I do feel the most inspired by piano because it’s where I can most easily express chords and experiment.”

With the unveiling of The Haunt, Davis looks forward to sharing his music in a live context. To conclude our conversation, he told me about rediscovering the energy of playing with a band and the direction he plans on taking with the project.

“Playing with a band opens up the door to a lot of improvisation and extending my songs in a natural way, which is something I can’t do alone. There are really nice surprises that come with a live setting because everyone brings their own tastes to it. I’m looking forward to bringing these experiences into my writing process. I only just started caring about recording… Normally, when I’m writing , half of the inspiration will come from going to shows and connecting with people, like the other bands I play with, like Marci and Sorry Girls. [The Haunt] is a weird record because it was spent in isolation, but I’m grateful that it kept me busy and got me through the tough, curfew-ridden Montreal winter.”  

The Haunt is out on April 29th via Arbutus Records and can be pre-ordered on their website.

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Poster by Amery Sandford

Montreal: Don’t miss Mitch Davis’ album-release show at Brasserie Beaubien on April 29th at 9PM with local supporters Night Lunch and Alicia Clara. Pre-sale tickets are available here.

Mitch Davis

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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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Rozi Plain Shares Ephemeral New Track "Silent Fan" (via Adult Swim 2021 Singles Programme)

There's this feeling I get every time I start a new era or chapter of my life. I know it's happening again when I begin to realize that I'm settling into routines. I suddenly have a preferred way to walk home again, and the uncertainty of what comes next begins to mesh with the reality that change has come. It washes over every aspect of life, coming in like a gentle tide.

Rozi Plain's latest track, "Silent Fan" (commissioned by Cartoon Network for Adult Swim's 2021 Singles Programme), embodies this sensation. Gentle and unassuming, preparing us for these upcoming winter months, encouraging us to continue evolving despite the cold. Rozi's airy vocals land between free-floating jazz, guiding us along a cold beach towards a warm fire. "Silent Fan" feels like a dream from a long time ago, yet familiar enough to assure us that we're going in the right direction.

"Silent Fan" features contributions from the Rozi Plain band – Jamie Whitby Coles (drums), Neil Smith (guitar), Gerard Black (keys) and Amaury Ranger (bass) with extra help from Kate Stables (This is the Kit), Danalogue (The Comet Is Coming) and Cole Pulice. Rozi says of "Silent Fan": "I think the song is thinking about encouragement and tension - giving it and receiving and where it is. I was particularly thrilled Cole Pulice was up for contributing to this track - their album Gloam got me through the spookiness of last year".

Listen to the track below

Rozi Plain

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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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