Premiere: DECOUPLR Drifts Through the Now with "Digital Bonfire"

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Digital Bonfire by DECOUPLR is out now. Cover art: Jake Beadenkopf

Looking for something a little different?  Philly-based duo DECOUPLR have released their debut album Digital Bonfire, and the result is a sound that sticks. 

DECOUPLR is the product of two unique musical histories. Vocalist Bailey Walker got her start in Savannah, GA with Rich Animals, and joined neo-soul group Likebirds after finding her way to Philly. Producer Adam Laub is a long-time staple of the Philadelphia scene, releasing indie-pop as a member of OhBree and trip-hop as <radioaddict>, among other projects.

With Digital Bonfire, the listener moves through the pair’s influences and bears witness to their cohesion. Digital Bonfire is a trip-hop-infused product of the pandemic and all the feelings it’s drawn out – uncertainty, nostalgia, confusion. Walker describes debut single “Cold Sweat” as “...an intersection of the whirling uncertainties of this year colliding with a desire to be vulnerable with our closest friends.” On the second single “Changes,” DECOUPLR continues to fight the mundanity of isolation with vivid longings for tomorrow. 

Fans of Sylvan Esso and Flying Lotus will want to take a listen to what DECOUPLR’s been cooking. Let Digital Bonfire remind you to find hope beyond the Zoom screen… and take a read of our interview below!

Rebecca L. Judd for Also Cool: The pandemic’s impact on the album was incredibly pronounced. A standout track for me was the opening, “Keepsake”, which [highlights] this theme throughout the album where there are these mundane reflections of immobility and disenchantment over chaotic piano arpeggios and production. 

Was it your intention to reflect the present times in your album, or did that come about naturally? 

Adam Laub for DECOUPLR: It definitely was. A few of the tracks, we started a month or two before the pandemic hit. But they also happen to [just] be about being distant from people that you haven't seen in awhile, just by chance. And then, as soon as this all hit and we were all stuck inside, it quickly became this is the moment, this is where it should go.

Bailey Walker for DECOUPLR: I remember when we first started writing, the content was very about being lonely, and I had reservations – do we really want to come out with such a bummer album? Over the course of time, [we felt] like this is content that people can relate to. This is what a lot of people are feeling. So it's good to share.

Also Cool: What utility – as artists or as people, members of your community – does making the “COVID album” serve you in this time?

Bailey: I think that [it’s about] creating a conversation and an ability to connect with people during COVID. Creating like this, ever since March, we all started redefining what our community is and building our communities, especially online. To me, [this] feels like self-expression, but also an opportunity for conversation with people about things that [they] are not normally willing to open up about immediately.

Adam: It's been [part of] a lot of the lyrics. [The] concepts were about letting people know that it's okay to reach out to someone and talk to someone if you need to, especially during this kind of time. There was definitely a focus on that.

Bailey: But the privilege of getting to make music during a time like this, it's also not lost on me either. I have all these feelings, sure, but this is a collective struggle, you know? So it's for everyone. 

AC: Absolutely. It's just interesting to see people use [artistry during COVID] not only as something to unite their fans, but to reorient themselves. It's like a keepsake. It's something tangible [where] you can say it's the same sort of memory as a photo album.

Bailey Walker and Adam Laub of DECOUPLR. Image provided by DECOUPLR

AC: Looking at your musical histories, both of you have been involved in so many projects before DECOUPLR. Digital Bonfire reflects that, and it touches on a whole lot of genres. Has there been anything notable that's stuck with you from these musical projects?

A: I would say definitely. The genreless thing is big for me; all the projects I've been in have been pretty genre-absent. And I like being able to jump in between stuff like that. Also, I like a lot of glockenspiels with arpeggiators. You could probably find that on almost every track on this album, if you listen hard enough. It's always there. I promise you. [laughs]

B: I was going to say “glockenspiels''! But every project I’ve been in has also been a genreless, “we don't know what's going to happen” project. Having somewhere where I can just vocally run around in circles and play in [a] space is great. The whole genreless thing has worked out for me pretty well. 

A: I would also say, in general, the projects that I've worked on – including with DECOUPLR – have always been concept albums, even if we don't explicitly say it. So it's just something about having a flow or a narrative [that] has always stuck with me. And even if it's not a sticking point of the album – I think that for me, having that concept in the background has always helped to stitch things together in the end and make it make sense.

AC: That's true. So many artists will either put a completely different story on the page – because it lets them leave their stuff at the door – and for others, art is just an open diary.

I wanted to talk about the “Changes” video, because I thought that [video] reinforced this contrast between the chaotic instrumentals to it all and these reflections of loneliness and wanting to be understood. Hallucinatory animations and the longings for those colours in your own life. [Let’s] talk more about that collaboration process for the video with SUPERVOID.tv. 

A: I’ve been working on and off with [SUPERVOID.tv] on different projects for years. We did an electronic music record label that [had], God, some of the early beats that I made out there. Then, we kind of fell off and hadn't worked on anything for a few years, but Drew and Keppler and the rest of [them] started this new studio because they wanted to move. Drew did a lot of lighting design and then stage. They started moving into visuals, and we'd been talking about doing something like this for a long time and it just clicked.

It was easy to work with them. We'd never done anything like that. And, you know, [as] someone who is not a visual artist, it was mind-blowing to see how they could make two people sitting next to a tree seem so intriguing and emotional. They literally filmed us for like about 10, 15 minutes… and they did take the time to hand-draw, frame by frame. So, thank you very much SUPERVOID.tv It’s an awesome video.

AC: “Punchline” was another track I wanted to ask about. It intrigued me for its change in narrative [and emotion], relative to the rest of the album. That post-chorus of cacophonous “ha”s, that’s been stuck in my head. Could you elaborate on the intentions of that track and how it fits into that [Digital Bonfire] kaleidoscope?

B: With any disorienting mess that you go through, there's always this “aha!” moment, this moment of clarity where you say “...oh, I'm still breathing. I have all my fingers and toes.” “Punchline,” the lyrics, the melody, the little ditty came to me in this moment of just needing to take a second to find humour in a very humourless situation. And I drew from influences like Kate Bush and the silly abandoning of reality that she does. “Punchline” acts as a sigh of relief, a little bit. 

A: We also wrote it [when] we were at the height of the Trump administration. And the rest of the album was a bit about personal feelings towards all this stuff. We needed to talk a little bit about how our country is killing half a million people – but try to make it a little bit light and danceable, I guess. There was definitely a point in the pandemic where it all [sounded] like a big joke on us and they were going to pull it back and it was the Truman Show. But sadly, that's not reality. 

AC: How has your local music scene shaped your musical approach? What do you like about the Philadelphia music scene, or is there anything that you wish could change?

A: I've just found a lot of loving, caring people in this music scene. We've done shows all over the place, but I don't feel like I see the same kind of community… [We have] this huge scene with so many people who don't seem to shut smaller and newer artists out. I've just felt a lot of acceptance here, and it's why I've stuck around and done so much.

B: Savannah is a great city, and there’s lots of artists there and a lot of important movements happening there right now. I felt the same thing when I got to Philly, I would take myself to different open mics and local shows ... And the people, they just want to talk to you. People want to know what you have going on.

AC: Final question: with Digital Bonfire out [today], is it too early to ask about next steps, or anything you’d like to plug?

A: We actually have another music video by SUPERVOID.tv for the first single “Cold Sweat.” With the timing of things, we thought it'd be better to wait until the album's out. With this album, I pulled a lot of beats that I've had in folders for years. I've got a lot more of those. So it's only a matter of time before we've got new music yet again…

I’d like to plug the person who helped us with our album art and graphic design – Jake Beadenkopf. He [also] helped us with all of our fonts and texts.

DECOUPLR

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Bandcamp | Spotify | Soundcloud | YouTube

Listen to Digital Bonfire, out now on all streaming platforms.

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Alex Nicol Debuts Reality-Bending Video for "Mirage"

Still from Mirage via Alex Nicol

Sit back, relax, and dissolve into the surreal world of Alex Nicole’s music video for “Mirage” (directed by Director Big Shot AKA George Simeo). The reality-bending video brings a new dimension to the song off of Alex’s 2020 album All For Nada.

The video is a beautiful visualization of this era where every day feels like it blends into the next. This video perfectly demonstrates how our lives become more and more intertwined with the digital world, making harder to balance reality with our online existence.

I got to chat with Alex about his new video, and started to unravel this the complexities of online identity, and the importance of IRL community.

Check out the video and read our interview below.

Malaika for Also Cool: Hi Alex! Let's start with talking about how you got into the Montreal music scene. How did you first get involved, and how has it changed since you've been a part of it?

Alex Nicol: I moved to Montreal for school when I was 19. I started a band pretty much to move there, but nothing really happened until a few years later. Gradually I found the underground: DIY spaces, basement venues, a cornucopia of people from all over the place congregating in dank spaces to share a love of music and community. I spent a lot of time at La Plante, Silver Door (then Drones), Cagibi, Casa, the list goes on. I was also a relatively active member of a DIY community venue called Poisson Noir; I lived there for a bit, helped put on shows, played a bunch. I remember one night clearly: Win Butler slapped me on the hea- Great stuff!

The energy in the air was exhilarating; the purpose of our lives was to create music and build community around it - at least it felt that way for a while. I’m sure this vibe still exists in the city, but as I’ve gotten older I have turned inward, focusing on the craft of music rather than its social impact or purpose. Sadly, that’s how it’s changed for me, at least. 

I think, generally speaking, the scene in Montreal is built around the pillars of Casa and Sala. These are the institutions that inspire people to move to the city, probably still to this day, and as long as they are around the scene in Montreal is going to be healthy. People come and go through the city of course, but these pillars remain. 

Still from Mirage via Alex Nicol

Also Cool: How did music first enter your life? Have you always played music, or how did you get into it?

Alex Nicol: Music was all around me since before I can remember. My Mom listening to classical music when I was an infant; us listening to Cat Stevens on long car voyages in the hot summer; dad playing Scottish socialist anthems on acoustic guitar late into the evening. I guess it all happened by osmosis really. My Dad has a PHD in music and wrote some operas; I sang in an Anglican boy’s church choir; and I went to an arts high school focusing on the alto sax. I never played jazz sax though - I was into classical sax. I remember playing a Rachmaninov solo for a Grade 11 recital while my friend Mike Heinermann played a fancy (and incredibly technical) jazz piece. 

In high school I would have my friends over upstairs in our cramped third floor. We would jam for hours. I used to write 9-15 minute instrumental songs that would twist and turn with more parts than I care to remember now. Oh: and I picked up the acoustic guitar at the age of 16 because I saw my Dad play a riff by Neil Young and I thought: that looks fun, I want to do that too. It did not take me long to realize that, as a left-handed person, learning guitar would be tricky; but I was not deterred. I took a right-handed guitar, re-strung it to the left, and taught myself Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix. 

Still from Mirage via Alex Nicol

AC: What are some of your musical and visual inspirations? The video is so visually stunning, I'm interested to hear what influenced it. 

Alex Nicol: You’ll have to speak with Director Big Shot about visual influences for the vid. I was a willing and active participant to his vision! 

Big Shot statement:
We have created a situation.

We have summoned the unusual, the unexpected, caused a break in the natural flow. 

We have explored the depths of our minds and found symbols of a new world: the formless magician, the wandering nimbus, the virtual forest.

We have exposed the mirage of old, and in doing so, we offer relief, uncover deceit, and infiltrate the elite.

We have seen behind the wizard's curtain and now dare to grant you access.

So please, take your seat. Enjoy. 

Still from Mirage via Alex Nicol

AC: The song's lyrics are surreal and evoke a sort of laissez-faire energy towards the bizarre life we're all moving through. The song was released at the beginning of the pandemic. Has it changed in meaning in any way over the year? 

Alex Nicol: The world was wack before the pandemic. Since it has only become more twisted. 

AC: The video seems to touch on how real life and the online world have become even more intertwined lately. What's your relationship with your online presence like as an artist? Is it something you enjoy or something you feel is necessary as an artist?

Alex Nicol: The online world is virtual. It’s a form of reality that is in a sense real, but in another sense entirely intangible because it’s not physical. I like the idea of exploring digital spaces, but I will always be more interested in physical presentations and physical relationships and so on. I feel it’s necessary to be digital but most certainly does not come naturally to me. In a sense I see it as a grand (fabricated by design) distraction from the economic / ecological hardships - the truy physical reality, the weight of those challenges - that are hitting millennials the younger generations. I think my favorite era to live in would have been around the 1890s - at least in terms of communication. That should give you an idea of how I feel about the digital domain / digital dominant lives. I often get angry and upset about how much time collectively is spent online.

Alex Nicol by Stacy Lee

AC: Unplugging for a second, can you describe one of your favourite memories or dreams for us? Do they impact your music at all?

Alex Nicol: Playing barefoot soccer in the park. Sunny afternoon, green grass, fresh air, too young to realize how short life is. I can live in that feeling forever. Feeling truly free, totally present and entirely unencumbered. I strive for this feeling from music that I make and I seek this feeling out in the music I listen to. I get it from Thom Yorke’s voice; Orthodox a capella choral music; early house music; lots of soul groups. I strive to create that vibe in my own way through my own music. So it basically inspires everything I do artistically! It’s not the only thing that inspires me, though. I also have a sense of social obligation to use my music to create a more just world (more on that in my next album!) 

AC: How have you balanced your creative practice with day-to-day life? What are some of the ways that you stay inspired?

Alex Nicol: Mostly I unplug from social media and technology in general. The time to think and feel inspires me. I jog, I read, I meditate sometimes, and I try to get enough sleep (but sometimes, when I am exhausted by exterior life and it’s expressions, I feel most in-tune with my artistic self). Then I try to fit regular chunks of practice or creative time into my day: usually from 6-8am. I also try to be as honest with myself and with those around me as possible. I balance a full-time job with my music, and sometimes (too often), music takes a backseat. I’d like to be more creative, more often. 

AC: What are your favourite releases from this past year from other musicians/artists?

Alex Nicol: Eve Parker Finley - Chrysalia

Cotillon - Cruiser

Nick Schofield - Glass Gallery

Thanya Iyer - Kind

Dana Gavanski - Yesterday Is Gone

Jonathan Personne - Disparitions

Hua Li - Yellow Crane

Beaver Sheppard - Downtown

Anna Burch - If You’re Dreaming

Backxwash - God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It

Corridor - Junior

Eve Adams - Metal Bird

Helena Deland - Someone New

Thomas Molander - The Walk

Susil Sharma - Keep the Dream Alive

Xiu Xiu - A Bottle of Rum

Eric Gingras - Enfant Magique 

Deca Joins - Bird and Reflections

Penny Diving - Big Inhale

Vanille - Soleil '96

Eliza Niemi - Glass

Sheenah Ko- Nowhere In Time

Whitney K - Maryland

TEKE::TEKE - Meikyu

Cut Worms - Nobody Lives Here Anymore

AC: Last but not least, do you have anything exciting planned for this upcoming year?

Alex Nicol: Working on / releasing a new album! 

Alex Nicol

Spotify I YouTube I Instagram

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Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice: Vanille Serves Up Franco-Pop for Brighter Days Ahead

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Rachel Leblanc / Vanille by Dominic Berthiaume

After three years of creative introspection, pop singer Rachel Leblanc, also known as Vanille, is footing a more sincere debut en Français with the release of her LP Soleil ‘96, via Quebec label Bonbonbon. What makes this album especially validating for the 60s-inspired artist is allowing her mother tongue, and by extension her unmediated stream-of-consciousness, to bloom in her songwriting. Ditching English lyrics has brought on a new level of confidence for Leblanc; allowing her embody a performance style that nurtures her artistic pursuits, rather than projecting the image of a “cool” frontwoman for the sake of her audience. For lovers of Françoise Hardy and Mazzy Star, look no further — Vanille is reviving yéyé with a lusty 90s sensibility. Take a peek at our interview below to read more about her playful, and signature, je-m'en-fous approach to songwriting.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hi Rachel! Thank you so much for collaborating with Also Cool. To start, can you tell our readers more about your act Vanille? Would you describe "Vanille" as a persona, or more so as an extension of yourself?

Rachel Leblanc: Thank you so much for having me! Vanille is really just the name of the project. I don't really like when people call me Vanille or ''the singer of Vanille,” haha! It's not a persona, nor a fraction of myself. I just wanted a name for the project that reflected the cuteness and nice vibes of my music! I started Vanille four years ago and I originally sang in English. I later realized that I was not completely honest with myself, and that [the project] was less me and more the image of what I thought was “cool.” From that realization, I began to write songs in French — more in a classic writer-composer spirit than what I did before, and I really found confidence in that.

Also Cool: You've recently released your first album Soleil '96 - congratulations! Can you share what inspired this album, both emotionally and sonically?

Rachel Leblanc: I was really inspired by the 60's British bands and the ones from the West coast of the US in the same era. I wanted to make a rock album, but also an album with catchy melodies and bittersweet lyrics. I listened a lot to Margo Guryan, The Beach Boys, The Zombies but also Sonic Youth and Belle & Sebastian. That melting pot made me write different kinds of songs over the past four years. I usually write songs when I listen to a lot of music during the day. I spin LPs everyday and the greatness of what I hear always pushes me to write, or at least to try something. That's where I get all my inspiration.

AC: Branching off of that, releasing an album is always exciting for an artist, especially when it's your first! Did anything about the experience of producing and sharing Soleil '96 impact your outlook as an artist? Were there any moments that were particularly special?

RL: Releasing an album during a pandemic is weird, but I never experienced it during ''normal times,'' so I couldn't compare, haha. I think that it was mostly good, because people were happy to hear a new album and the enthusiasm was really there for me. I enjoyed making this album with my friends and I will continue to work with the people I know and love! I understood how important it is for me. The team of people I worked with (Guillaume Mansour, Jean-Sébastien Gervais, Julien Pagé, Benoît Parent and Emmanuel Ethier) were very tight and professional. It was also a huge, fun experience because it was taped before the pandemic and we ate a lot of food during those sessions — a lot of candy… and that's something I will remember. I'm starving right now!

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Rachel Leblanc / Vanille by Dominic Berthiaume

AC: You mention that you take inspiration from French yéyé singers from the 1960s; what about these artists and their music resonates with you?

RL: I just adore the simplistic melodies and the light-hearted energy from this era. There was a nice effort in making pretty music and the refinement is beyond compare! The looks were also on point, haha! There's also a kind of je-m'en-foutisme that I really love. The attitude and style of the Swinging Sixties and the psychedelia influence on the artists interests me a lot.

AC: In relation to those influences, what is your approach to making music that has a vintage appeal with a current twist? Are there any particular practices you use to achieve this sound?

RL: We used a lot of old guitars for this album. Emmanuel helped a lot to choose the right guitars and basses for each part on the album. We used a lot of different mics with various reverb effects, and kind of created with a speaker in another room where our winter boots were. We used different kinds of synths also… I'm unfortunately not a gear gal and I couldn't tell what we used, haha! I think it could have sounded more retro, but I the next [album] will fulfill this need! I want to use old instruments like the harpsichord and the mandoline. I'm looking forward to that!

AC: I know that you recently were on the cover of Le Devoir and were featured in the Journal de Montreal, which are amazing milestones! How does it feel to receive such positive reception so far, and what lasting impressions are you hoping the album will have?

RL: It's such a dream! I couldn't be happier. The fact that my music resonates with a lot of people is the best feeling in the world. I'm really grateful for what's happening to me and I'm living this precious time with a lot of tenderness for everyone. I wish I could play live in front of people and see them smiling and singing with me, but I'm sure it will happen one day! I hope that this album made people feel a little better or understood during these times (sorry I sound like an ad).

AC: Before we let you go, what is the year ahead looking like for you, and how can we best support you and your music?

RL: I hope to be able to play everywhere in Quebec this summer, but it's really too soon to tell... I will definitely work on my second LP, taping it in the woods in the Laurentides, probably in Fall. A bright year is ahead of me and of all fellow artists. People will want to date [again] and everyone knows that bringing your crush to a good show is the way to go baby!

Vanille (She/Her)

Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Bio

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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Won't You Come Through? The Black Creatures Talk Grief, Community Care, and Neopets

The Black Creatures by DOMvisions

Won’t you come through and kick back with The Black Creatures? The Kansas City based power duo have released their music video for D'ummm, and I’m not gonna lie, it’s been on repeat all morning. It’s the perfect mix of sweet, laidback tunes and community love. The track is off their 2020 album Wild Echoes.

Their music provides a deep introspective look into themes of grief, love, and mental health, particularly within the Black community. Jade and Xavier wanted to make music that allows people to imagine things that may not exist right now. They explain, “Music is very political. It permits us to draw out the blueprints for what we want to create.”

I had got the chance to chat with Jade and Xavier, covering everything from meaningful community activism, to what their songs would look like as Neopets. Check it out below.

Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: For those who don’t know you, how would you describe yourselves as individuals and as a band?

Jade of The Black Creatures: I'm Jade Green, a singer, prison abolitionist, and Pan-Afrikanist. I'm nonbinary, and I want a world without starvation, homelessness, or police. The Black Creatures became a thing when I was going through a really hopeless time in my life, and since then it's the only thing that has consistently made sense.

Xavier of The Black Creatures: I'm Xavier and I would describe myself as unimportant in the same way that trees, rocks, birds, water, and dirt are. I'm the same as everything else: here.

We, as a band, are a collection of our greatest inspirations and fears, filtered through our understanding of music to support and uplift people who are like who we were as kids; the lonely, confused, hurt, angry, joyful, passionate, and curious.

Also Cool: What’s the music scene like in Kansas City? I know you met over the Internet initially in your senior year, and I’m wondering what the IRL and online creatives spaces in your scene are like. I’m also interested in what serpentine green lipstick has to do with your friendship.

Jade: My experience being in the KC music scene for the last seven years has been mostly what I made it. But the environment is undeniable; the music scene here is almost as segregated as the rest of KC, the home of redlining (which is the practice of drawing districts into ridiculous shapes to preserve its whiteness, property values, and funding).

At first, I was really green - I didn't come from a family of musicians, I was sort of shunned (and simultaneously emulated) by the white punk kids I ran with in high school, and I really had no background in being a recording artist. At first I felt like everyone was laughing at me all the time. When I stopped caring about what people thought of me and just started focusing on learning and growing, it really changed the trajectory of the band I think.

Xavier: The KC music scene is admittedly underrated. No one outside of Kansas City would expect so much amazing music so many incredible artists to come out of the Midwest. There's an unparalleled range of styles and approaches here. While I don't deny other places having an equally wide variety, I just think (at least for us) there's a lot of intermingling. We've played shows with punk bands, jazz artists, rappers, metal bands, noise artists, DJs, the list goes on. There is a surprising number of shows and festivals from local to nationwide, all put together by artists and performers from HERE. Or maybe I'm just not well travelled; ask me again in a few years!

The Black Creatures by Beth Taye

AC: I love your undying chaotic love for creative creation. From Sonic, to Charmed, to a huge range of musical inspiration, you seem to pull your creative forces from many different places. What are some of the most influential pieces of media, whether they’re musical or visual, been for both of you as artists and people?

J: Media consumption was very important for me growing up in the 90s and early 2000s. Watching The Fifth Element as a child gave life to my love for funk, outer space, and opera. Video games like Final Fantasy X-II & Kingdom Hearts opened my mind up to even more otherworldly possibilities, and companionship that spans beyond time. Musically it was Aaliyah, The Gorillaz, Dir en grey, and Missy Elliott that inspired me then and now to make visceral, unapologetic music - hoping it heals and breaks some curses along the way.

X: Within production and lyric writing, I've been inspired by things completely unrelated to music like Shigeru Miyamoto's approach to game design in Super Mario Bros, teaching all of the mechanics of the game in the first level in the first few seconds. I copy this approach musically by introducing the listener to a theme through melody or rhythm to kind of define the "rules" of engaging with that particular song. Or, like in visual mediums, white space (think of the unpainted parts of art on canvas) can be used to actually fill out the piece, or direct the eye, or cause tension.

Ultimately, a relationship between a song and the listener can be informed by silence. Many films have definitely inspired some work, like Annihilation, Interstellar, The Boy, and The Blair Witch Project to name a few!

The Black Creatures by Beth Taye

AC: You’ve mentioned that your activism is very community-oriented, and IRL. In an age of digital activism and performative infographics, can you tell us a bit about how you connect to your communities IRL, and the importance of maintaining that kind of connection?

J: I'm learning now what Angela Davis meant when she said the personal is the political. The most sustainable efforts of "activism" I engage in are part of my daily life: urban farming, conflict resolution services, working with children, volunteering at Food Not Bombs KC, helping Black and Indigenous folks buy houses in this predatory housing market situation our city has... speaking of which, my friend is about to lose their house because the city decided they want to build a shopping center there. In a city with several abandoned shopping centers already... yeah. I guess another form of daily activism I engage in is bringing contradictions to light. I don't say this to brag, but to give other people ideas on how to make trouble for the dying culture that wants to take us with it.

X: Honestly, keeping a network of colleagues, associates, and friends who know people who provide information, resources and/or services, and people who simply have needs is another way we approach this. At every level of society something can be done in some capacity; it can be as simple as connecting a hungry friend with someone who provides regular meals, to something as frontlines as connecting activists with someone who knows the right information.

AC: If your songs are like Neopets, can you tell us what D’ummm and Wretched (It Goes) would look like?

J: D'ummm gotta be MAD BUBBLEGUM CUTE. Like a purple-and-white Polish Frizzle chicken with nasturtium and phlox blossoms in the feathers. Chunky and funky. Life of the party. Wretched would be like a Hotep tuxedo penguin with a Kufi (hat) who speaks nothing but the truth. He also chews up shrimp to feed his children. He has braved many storms and he is loyal.

AC: Your project ranges across the Internet, from your music to your YouTube videos. How do you find balance creating content and creating just for yourselves?

J: Honestly, a lot of what I put into The Black Creatures then and now started as personal journal entries and notepad notes. What's wonderful about being part of this musical project is that Xavier has always encouraged my personal growth. If I ever was "too much," he wouldn't show it — we would just find a different way to exert all that energy and it always turns out alright.

X: Understanding my own limits is incredibly important to me. So is knowing when to say no. Finding balance, for me, is mostly about knowing myself well enough to avoid overwhelming myself. It's admittedly an ongoing process because the goal is to always know myself better. I try to extend that to the band as a whole. So, as a band, our combined processes keep us mostly balanced in regards to our workload.

AC: Who are some artists/musicians from your scene that we should know about?

J: God I LOVE THIS QUESTION! PLEEEEASE check out Les Izmore, Bath Consolidated, Collidescope, and Betty Maun.

X: I strongly recommend TideCruz, Mess, Ebony Tusks, Bad Alaskan, VP3... how long can this list be????!?!?

AC: Last but not least, what do you have coming up this year? Is there anything you want to shoutout/highlight?

J: We are planning to give everyone a new video from us before Valentine's Day, and a lot more later... but I don't want to spoil anything (yet)! You're the first to know about our upcoming video.

X: Issa mystery.

The Black Creatures

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YouTube I Spotify

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Premiere: Lindus asks, "After the Haze, What?"

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Cover art: Bénédicte Morin

Whether it’s work fatigue, COVID-fatigue, or just feeling plain tired of being in situations, the experience of being stuck in a fog seems ubiquitous. Lindus has been roaming the shadows of the underground music scene for over a decade. Now based in Toronto, he’s freed himself from corporate shackles and produced a highly emotional 5-track EP called After the Haze, What? for Liquid Love Records’ third release. This psychedelic house record is the product of transcending the barriers of an unfulfilling lifestyle and stifled creativity, of growth, and of bravely asking the question, “What comes next?”

Check out our interview with Lindus - and don’t forget to listen and support - below:

Lindus makes his Liquid Love Records debut offering a heavily emotional and unique five-track EP of deep, psychedelic, house. “Rubber” kicks off with a minimalist, bass-laden take on the Eastern European micro sound: think Rhadoo making modular synth loops. Things speed up on “More Underground”, a Montrealer’s take on Jeff Mills retold through distant memories of summer loft parties and winter mornings spent at the mythical Stereo club. Haze gives way to texture and melodies with the delicate euphoria of “In My Wires” and “For These Places We Loved” - rhythmic dance tracks while basking in the melancholic, distant calls of re-pitched vocals and outlandish synths. It's finally time to leave the club and things wrap up with “Try Not To Forget”, the kind of pronounced dark techno hit whose energy contrasts the fading body of the early morning raver. Lindus has been a bedroom musician for over a decade and is currently based in Toronto, Canada, where he works on themes of originality, process and the possibility (or lack-thereof) of transcendence in music. After The Haze, What? EP drops Wednesday 27th January via Bandcamp. 1. Rubber (Loop Mix) 2. More Underground 3. In My Wires 4. For These Places We Loved 5. Try Not To Forget Bandcamp: https://linduslindus.bandcamp.com/album/after-the-haze-what

Maya for Also Cool: How did you get into making music?

Lindus: I'm part of the internet generation - it's where my first connections came from. Sites like OiNK [Oink’s Pink Palace, now shut down], the first private torrent site, introduced me to some extremely nerdy internet stuff, which then expanded into music and music sharing.

I never really discovered much music through friends - most of it was through there - and the people on it listened to a lot of post-rock, like Godspeed [You! Black Emperor] and Explosions In The Sky - then everyone started getting into Burial’s end-of-the-world vibe. It was a time when the internet was a communication hub, but not as standardized as it is today. You had to crawl through lots of forums.

In 2010, MUTEK did a crazy showcase in Montreal. They featured Kode9, Spaceape, Flying Lotus, and Martyn - they were really on top of it that year. I started getting into dubstep and discovered clubbing through that - which in retrospect was a weird introduction to [the scene]. So my musical brain at the time looked like a mix of dubstep, psytrance, and all the Montreal post-rock bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Silver Mt. Zion.

Also Cool: When did you start producing your own tracks?

Lindus: There's something about the world of dance music where there’s a high chance that someone who is consuming it is also participating in creating it. Especially back then, no one was buying gear - we were all making beats on the computer. There was a sense that anyone could try it. Lots of people downloaded the free version of Fruity Loops [FL Studio] and tried their hand at making music. That was when going to parties and making music started to overlap for me. I began making loops and sharing them online - before Soundcloud became so popular, people were using other platforms, like Myspace.

AC: Your write-up on the record describes a melancholy night at Stereo - do you have an emotional connection to that nightclub?

Lindus: Around 2011, there was a split in the scene - something broke at a local level, where what was originally supposed to be about music started having social consequences.

People started going into totally different scenes - some went from dubstep to bro-step, and some people realized they needed something new. A notable transition track was Joy Orbison's Hyph Mngo - it's deep, it's physical - like dubstep - but it sounded new. So a lot of dubstep heads transitioned to house and techno, myself included.

At one point people started hosting parties at this place called Velvet. One time I showed up with my roommate - we were like 18 or 19, just these awkward guys who went to these parties they found a link to online. When we showed up to Velvet, we got bounced - the bouncer actually pretended that we got the wrong address.

To me that was a sign that something in the scene had changed. The people putting on those parties were making a kind of shiny house music that was becoming really popular at the time - and all of a sudden these new venues would check you when you came in. That was totally unlike the [more relaxed] dubstep parties. At that point, it was a departure from the [underground] scene - it became more corporate. There was a car brand called Scion that put a bunch of money into these parties - I think that's when Red Bull also started getting involved - it felt really stale.

Maybe a year later, I went to Stereo for the first time, and it felt like a new community. It was like discovering a new part of dance music that I didn't know, because I didn't grow up with house or techno at all. When you're in there during the weird hours, like seven-thirty to nine [A.M.], you’d notice a special type of vibe - and the music made so much sense for the room.

That's also when I understood why people had to play house and techno in certain settings - you’re not going to play dubstep at seven in the morning when most people in the room are tripping. I tied the utility of the music with the scene and the space - and suddenly things made sense for me.

Then I just kept going. I definitely went to some weird nights. I saw Solomun there, which made me realize, “wow, they can really pack it with bros,” then I went to CLR Chris Liebing nights, where everyone was dressed in black and the music had really clean and crisp production and sounded super mechanical. I also went to see Danny Tenaglia and other house classics there - and those nights were great. It felt like I was entering into dance music history.

AC: How do you think SoundCloud affected the development of underground music culture - and the politics of it?

Lindus: Form became really important. I usually think of the Low End Theory stuff [the experimental club night responsible for Flying Lotus’ rise to fame, among others]. When that album came out, it was just at the beginning of the Internet. Everyone picked up on the formal characteristics of it - like the sidechaining, the pads, and the unquantified beats. Because of the Internet, like a week later, people from Sweden were copying those beats. Music felt really decentralized. You could also say democratized, because there were more people taking part in creating [these new genres].

With dubstep, there was this messianic thing. There was this vision of a scene in the UK - and with me being far away in Canada, experiencing this new genre from the UK felt full of promise. It didn't have anything to do with the formal characteristics of the music - it was more about the vibe, the projects, the communities. When people started getting good at Ableton and making really quick clones of beats, it made it hard to situate the music and sound within a scene. You no longer knew who to look to for leadership. Now it's easy to connect with a lot of people online and you can build community through the online medium.

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Credit: Liquid Love Records

AC: Why sad nights at Stereo?

Lindus: Dance music got so big, and happiness became such a key part of the messaging that was used to sell it. Suddenly everything was like a Zedd music video - starting with some lady working at her boring office job, then the beat drops, and all of a sudden she's dancing on a beach.

Transcendence and dissociation through dance music became a push for happiness. They lowered the booth and stereo at some point, and that was a big change because all of a sudden, the DJ was like right there, six feet away from you. You got sold so much on the idea that every night you went, you had to have [the time of your life] - so my anticipation would really build up. With time, I became more attuned to the fact that things didn’t really have to go that way.

There was this one night that I went to Stereo with Martin [Liquid Love Angel], and we saw Jeff Mills. Immediately after his set, Mills suddenly disappeared with a small group of people - there was just no community vibe in there. It was really the antithesis of the dance music "promise" that you're going to go in and find community and warmth.

It felt grim - Jeff Mills played for like three hours and one minute. That's probably what the contract said, but it wasn't just about how that specific night went, it was about the industry of expectations and selling you this dream. It became even more commercial with things like Boiler Room and hyper-produced videos of parties with messaging like, "This could be you..."

AC: So what is it about a club culture that isn't necessarily the foam parties and euphoria that get marketed to us?

Lindus: Like with any artform, you can experience different emotions through music - there are sad tracks, you can feel melancholia, dissonance. Sometimes you actually can't lose yourself in the music - and maybe that's a good lesson to have. Compare that to times when you feel like ravers are in disregard of the world that they're in, where raving seems to be all about consumption and taking drugs. Everything is focused on the self. Or when you see people throwing water bottles at Stereo - it's stupid - and you can really feel the disregard for the context and the space that these people have. They don't give a shit about your experience - they're only there to have a “great” night.

Another thing is that the sadness you might feel is not necessarily the minor-chord type. You feel it with the cliché of leaving a club in the morning and seeing people go to work. Why does it feel weird to be on the subway at 10:00 AM on a Sunday and seeing people way older than you going to their real jobs? How do you relate to that?

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Credit: Liquid Love Records

AC: Coming back to the album, and more specifically its title, did you transition from a corporate job into making music? What's the story behind that?

Lindus: I studied philosophy in grad school. When I graduated, I didn't really know what to do. I was in Toronto and there were just so many corporate jobs. So I got one, and it was soulless. It's a cliché that corporate work has no soul, but working for one of the big insurance companies, I was thrown into this completely regimented life - there was no originality. Everything was processed and repetitive. At one point I just couldn't do it anymore, so in August I quit, after over two years.

I found a space with some friends, and I was so over the structured lifestyle, that I decided to just smoke a lot of weed, sit in this basement, and make music. It was such a strong response to everything that I had experienced - a real loss of hope from being in that regimented world where you couldn't really want anything, where the barrier between what was true or not was really blurry. Corporate messaging was so often around keeping people motivated and engaged - that involves mountains of deception. I got out of there with such a deep feeling of nihilism - without even really realizing it - but [in the basement] there was nothing to do but smoke weed and make music.

AC: So what's after the Haze? What's the story behind the album title?

Lindus: It's in reference to that hazy time after leaving my corporate job. Standard stuff like going to therapy, starting to figure yourself out, building a healthier relationship with yourself in the second half of your twenties.

I really enjoyed the Haze - I found a lot of comfort in being stoned, going to parties, and things feeling kind of approximate. I also always liked music with tons of reverb. When I abandoned the corporate lifestyle, I still felt the haste of it. Wake up, get high, go to the studio - I was still totally drowning in those loops.

At one point, I faced the question: what do you do after that? The Haze is kind of atemporal - you're high, then you're tired from the high, then you sleep, and then you get high again. It's hard to make change from within that circularity. It's kind of like being in a relationship, when you're at a point where you want to know what comes next. You can't really put it into words, but there's a striving for [growth].

This project is me striving for something beyond the Haze.

After the Haze, What? is available on Bandcamp at the link below:

After the Haze, What? by Lindus, released 27 January 2021 1. Rubber (Loop Mix) 2. More Underground 3. In My Wires 4. For These Places We Loved 5.

Written and produced by Lindus
Mixed by Lindus.
Additional arrangement by Martin Cadieux-Rouillard.
Mastered by Cristobal Urbina at See You Mastering.
Cover by Bénédicte Morin

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Meet Me in Mothland: An Interview with the Label, Promoters, and Connectors of the Montreal Music Scene

Via Mothland

Lately, I’ve been finding nostalgia in the mundane activities I once took for granted. I want nothing more than to text a friend to see if they’re going to l’Esco tonight, where one of our friends’ bands is undoubtedly playing.

I had the opportunity to delve deep into this nostalgia when I chatted with Mothland, (who released that banger compilation you love) about the Montreal music scenes, how they got started, and what they’re doing now that they’ve expanded into a label.

Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: Like many people in the city, the Mothland crew initially met at l’Esco and connected through the music scene. How did you first get involved in the Montreal scene? Can you describe what it was like then, and how it's changed?

Phil for Mothland: I used to go to l'Esco when I was underage to watch my friend's band play. We would come from the suburbs, and I'd come in with them for the soundcheck in the afternoon. That was in the old l’Escogriffe, it was smaller and a bit dirty but it became my favourite place in the world. L'Esco has changed a bit, it's cleaner now, but the spirit is still there. It evolved for the best.

I knew Michelle from the Night Owl in Toronto. She had sent me some touring bands that needed a Montreal gig, so I started to book touring punk & psych bands at l'Esco. Bands like The Auras, Moonwalks, Pet Sun, The Deadly Vipers (now called Shadow Show), and Heaters.

I met Marilyne around that time, and she had been in the music business for a while. She founded "L'Autre St-Jean," a pretty big outdoor festival when she was really young. She also co-founded Taverne Tour. It used to be a small event to kill the post-holiday boredom, and it became this huge thing. Now, the whole Mothland team is working on it. The 2020 edition was probably the last "real" festival in Montreal before the pandemic. 

When the old Montreal Psych Fest fell through, Max had the idea to build a team and create DISTORSION. He's been in a million bands, so he connected people from all over to build the team. Marilyne became the zoo-keeper to our lovely & dysfunctional family. 

Marilyne and I were getting more and more involved with bands that were gravitating around DISTORSION. We decided to create Mothland (the label) with local bands like Paul Jacobs, Atsuko Chiba, Yoo Doo Right, Crabe & Teke Teke, and our friends from around the world: Yonatan Gat, Spaceface & Sunwatchers.

We've been giving out mushrooms at festivals for years. It's a bit like planting seeds to make things groovier. Hopefully, it's had even a little impact on some people. I'd love to think that we've influenced other promoters to book more experimental acts in their line-ups. I feel like some part of the culture is becoming more "beige" and safe. We are dedicated to making things more edgy and weird. 

Via Mothland

Also Cool: How did you become interested in DIY music scenes in the first place? When did you decide you wanted to become active members of these communities by putting on shows and getting involved in different ways?

Mothland: I met JP through Analogue Addiction. I would go to all their shows, which is how I discovered the punk scene and decided I wanted to be a part of it. It's really fun that we get to work together now at Mothland. I spent a weekend with him going to Osheaga to see Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and The Replacements, some of our favourite bands. After the festival, we went to l'Esco, where there was an Analogue Addiction show with Paul Jacobs on the bill. Paul was a one-man band playing punk back then. He had a Daniel Johnston t-shirt, and I thought it was cool, so I went to talk to him. 

We became friends, and I started to help him out get some gigs. That's how I learned more about shows and the music business. Isa "La Terreur" also gave me an internship when she had a label/pr agency La Royale Electrique. I owe a lot to her. 

Via Mothland

AC: You've often mentioned building bridges between scenes. Can you describe some of Montreal's different scenes, and why you think that they often operate separately from each other? How have you helped bridge those gaps?

Mothland: Well, it's hard to describe something like a music scene. It's not really concrete, and bands always overlap in different spaces, but I feel like the French acts and the English acts live in two different worlds. There are different venues, labels, festivals, promoters, grants.

I think a lot of English bands don't even try to make it in the mainstream Quebec ecosystem. They go to the USA or Europe, and if they get noticed there, maybe people will talk about them here.

We try to mix things up for our events and our releases. We go to as many shows as possible, trying to pay attention to everything going on in the city.  

We are dedicated to building a bridge between Montreal & Toronto too. We are so close, and yet it can be really hard for bands to make it to the other city. We've been booking bands like FRIGS, Hot Garbage, Kali Horse, Peeling, Nyssa, Bad Waitress, Odonis Odonis here for a while.

Distorsion staff and friends via Mothland

AC: Although Mothland had established itself as a booker in pre-pandemic times, the focus shifted to the project's label aspect when COVID hit. What have some of the learning curves been in the process of starting the label? How does the label currently operate in terms of supporting artists?

Mothland: Mothland wasn't supposed to be a label at first, even though it was always in the back of our minds. When we booked a tour for Le Prince Harry, I suggested we repress their split 12" with Duchess Says on tape so that they had a little bit of exclusive merch for the tour. The ice was broken, but it was just a fun sideline for us.

When the pandemic hit, we decided to make the label a priority. I feel like my knowledge of music history paid off to give the label a direction. I've been reading a lot about indie labels like 4AD, Sub Pop, Factory, Creation and Goner. Still, we had to learn how to adapt their DIY ethic in a digital era. We are also very lucky to have a strong community from DISTORSION supporting and our bands.

The Sounds from Mothland compilation was also a great way to spread the word about our different bands from around the world. The goal was to forge something greater than the sum of its parts. 

Via Mothland

AC: What are your plans for 2021?

Mothland: More records. We have at least three more releases coming up.

We'll be announcing a really catchy sophisti-pop record from a local crooner. We've been playing it all year, and it made 2020 more bearable. We also have a really loud and cerebral LP coming up right after to balance our first pop release. It's the perfect soundtrack to our troubled times. These LPs will be followed by raw punk via 7" later in the year. The kind of music to scare suburban parents and make kids go nuts. 

Needless to say, we're really excited about these projects and can hardly wait to finally announce them! Hopefully, we can have a little DISTORSION as a treat…

AC: What's your advice for someone who's new to the scene and unsure of how to get involved right now because of the current covidian conditions? 

Mothland: I'm really into Facebook fan groups! They are a great way to be part of the scene without going to shows. I'm in this No Wave group with tons of artists like Thurston Moore, Weasel Walter, Dougie Bowne, Fred Schneide. People post pictures of zines, posters, LPs, talk about shows they've been to, and share the music they've been doing. 

It inspired me to start one for the Canadian underground scene, I called it Les Durs de la Feuille. It's really nerdy, but it's a fun way to discover new stuff and communicate with your peers. The Internet can be really useful; there are no barriers between fans and artists. Blogs & social media are the new zines. It is easier for anyone to get involved and spread the word and support your favourite bands.

Via Mothland

AC: I really like the idea of Mothland as a physical place. Since we're all in need of a little escapism, what would Mothland be like if it were an IRL spot we could visit?

Mothland: We want people to think of their own version of it.

The idea I had for the Sounds From Mothland cover was to ask Paul to draw his version of "Mothland." His version ended up being a person playing guitar in a small apartment with a cat and some wine. For each volume of the mixtape, we will ask an artist to draw their version of Mothland. It can be anything.

Mine is like a planet without a sun. It would be night time all the time but with a really bright moon. Moths & dogs everywhere, of course. The Flaming Lips & The Cure would play there sometimes. 

Everybody is dressed in black. That's really important, we have a strict dress code, but that's the only restriction. You are free to do anything else. Everybody is welcomed, you just have to follow the noise. 

Via Mothland

AC: Closing out here, is there anything you'd like to mention or shout out?

Mothland: I'd love to tell everyone who is struggling to hang on. The world will heal soon. 

Mothland

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Saturday Sermon: Racquel Jones Disrupts Traditionalism with "Sacrilege"

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Racquel Jones, still from “Sacrilege” music video by Lacey Terrell

Racquel Jones is a vibrant and ruthless Jamaican rapper, visual artist and model. In her recent music video for “Sacrilege,” she brings horror movie visuals into a Catholic church. By simultaneously horrifying and intriguing her audience, Jones forces us to reflect on the dangers of blind faith in religious doctrine. Through rap flows and poetic verse, Jones aspires to disrupt hate-fuelled tendencies associated with religion, and exposes the toxic headspace that tradition can impose; proactively leading us to dig our way out.

We had a chance to chat with Jones about religious identity, spiritual practice, and the personal experiences that led to the making of her music video. Beware: this interview is not intended for people caught up in conventional ways of thinking.

Spencer Nafekh for Also Cool: Between the freaky visuals in the music video, the blaring synth in the song’s chorus and the prayer-like poetry you incorporate to denounce religion, “Sacrilege” is a very incendiary track. The intense anti-religious messaging in your work surely is not without reason, though. From personal experience, can you elaborate on the impact of religion on your life?

Racquel Jones: I am a Black person who grew up in Jamaica (a Christian country), in a very Christian family. My mother is a preacher. I’m a descendant of people who were enslaved and taught this religion, and said religion was also a crucial tool in the enslavement and oppression of my ancestors. The impact of religion on my life is devastatingly vast, more than I will ever be able to adequately express. It is so impactful that it sadly cannot be undone. So devastating that even after now knowing better, my being is unimaginable without the scars and mental rewiring of my true identity and heritage warped and erased by religion.  

Also Cool: I agree, it’s shocking how religion and tradition can warp our identities and alienate us. Do you think spirituality is something that people can practice while still being passionately anti-religious? Would you consider yourself a spiritual person, and if so, what’s a good example of some of your own spiritual practices?

Racquel Jones: For sure. Spirituality has absolutely nothing to do with religion in my opinion. I think the basis of the lies surrounding religion stem from that… They want you to think otherwise. Spirituality, to me, is my deep [soulful] connection with my inner self, my ancestors, the energies in the universe, and the powers within. Examples of spiritual practices I do are: meditation, introspection, forgiveness, self care and self love, practicing empathy and loving in spite of. 

AC: One thing that really stood out to me in the “Sacrilege” music video was the freaky, horror movie-esque aesthetic which your director Alex Di Marco creates through eerie lighting and unsettling special effects and costumes. As a big horror movie buff myself, these elements were all things I could instantly appreciate! Was the purpose of this aesthetic to reflect religious practice in a horrendous light, or does it also come from an admiration for horror movies in general? If you are an avid watcher of horror movies, could you name a few faves?

RJ: It was intentional. I cannot think of anything, aside from racism, that is more horrific, horrendous and evil than religion. Because of this, I do not like horror movies. I have lived through the real horror of cult like practices I’ve seen, and watching horror movies evokes PTSD for me. I could never sit through a horror film, especially the ones with demons, exorcisms or anything religious based. I like The Silence of the Lambs, though. Is that horror?

AC: As your first high-production music video as a solo act, the “Sacrilege,” music video can be set apart from your other video works, such as “Letter to the Editor,” which showcased your rap flows alongside the American electronic duo Thievery Corporation. It was also filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which I’m sure came with its own unique setbacks. How was filming the “Sacrilege” music video a novel experience for you? Any funny or interesting behind-the-scenes stories which took place during filming?

RJ: Well I was supposed to have a congregation in the video and that couldn’t happen because of COVID. We were going to simulate a whole church experience, from the pulpit to the pew. Something funny did happen… Well, partially funny. The actor scheduled to play the role of Black Jesus in the confessionals initially, showed up to set breathing heavily, sweating and seemed like he was showing symptoms of COVID. He was kept outside, paid and asked to leave. Turns out he was just having an asthma attack. Needless to say, he was very upset.

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Racquel Jones, still from “Sacrilege” music video by Lacey Terrell

AC: I’ve heard that you’ve recently been dealing with some issues in getting the “Sacrilege” music video monetized on YouTube, and that you suspect this is likely due to video’s charged religious imagery. I imagine that the issue of online promotion and monetization is especially frustrating for a unique artist such as yourself. Can you speak a little more on this?

RJ: I am not exactly frustrated or upset even, because I expected the backlash. There’s always resistance to change. And there’s always biased censorship. I didn’t expect that people were going to be happy that I’m ripping Bible leaves to roll my joint, burning a photo of “Jesus” and calling the Virgin Mary a bitch. Being anti-religious is a threat to the comfort and hope of people. And for them to find out the lies they’re told, or even exploring the idea that religion is built on the premises of lies, evil, control, segregation and false hope causes pandemonium, fear and panic among people. We are wired to find comfort in the things that hurt us. And religion is the most genius example of that. So, I figured my video is seen as a weapon and a threat as opposed to feeding the narrative they prefer. My responsibility is to put the message and the art out there and let it do its thing. If YouTube or Google fails, there are other ways. 

AC: One thing I find impressive about the “Sacrilege” music video is how much its themes and colours can be paralleled with your paintings, which I’ve seen showcased on your Instagram. It seems as though you are passionate about building your creative vision from the ground up, and mixing artistic mediums to express certain thoughts and feelings. How much does visual art tie into your creative practice when it comes to your poetry, singing and songwriting?

RJ: They are all the same. Sometimes it’s chaos in my head because they all function together, and they all speak to me together at the same time. None can operate without the others. Over time I’ve learned to master listening to them all. I am happy that I finally now have the outlet to do them all simultaneously, because before, being forced to separate them was driving me crazy. It seemed unusual and confusing to people in the past that I do them all, and I was often asked to choose and focus on only one. I don’t listen to people anymore, I listen to the voices of the arts in my head and only those. 

AC: If “Sacrilege” is a reflection of what’s to come on your upcoming album, IgnoRANT, then it seems there will be no lack of killer bars and strong spoken word for listeners to look forward to. Want to speak a little more on this project, as well as the inspiration for its name?

RJ: Man, I don’t think they’re even ready. It’s nothing like I’ve ever heard before and it scares me sometimes. “Sacrilege” is one of the few normal sounding songs on the record in terms of structure. Myself, along with the producers, followed no pattern or mold, but let ourselves be purely obedient to the art and the emotions. It’s scary but brilliant, and everyone who's heard it so far has had a strong reaction. In terms of concept, for me the title IgnoRANT is a rant about ignorance. It’s being cognizant of the fact that we’re all ignorant to something. It’s being vulnerable about being ignorant and the openness to learn and understand. It’s the recognition of the damages caused by ignorance. It’s knowing that it’s impossible to ever know everything and that we will always be ignorant, but it’s possible to love and have empathy despite ignorance. IgnoRANT is really examining and addressing harmful stereotypes under a microscope in an in-depth way and also through microcosm.  It is honest, pure, intense and raw. 

AC: Sounds like lots of thought and experimentation has been put into this project, and I’m really excited to check it out once it releases! Lastly, knowing you are a multi-medium artist, are there any recent artistic undertakings outside of your music that you’re feeling excited about? 

RJ: The record is just half of the project. I’m excited about the visual arts I’m creating to go along with the record. Each song will be accompanied by a piece of art that further explores and explains the concepts in the song. Aesthetically, these are explored through surrealism, expressionism and iconography. I’m excited about completing the art and exhibiting both the music and the art together. I am almost done making the art. 2021 will be an interesting year.

Racquel Jones

Instagram | Facebook | Spotify

Spencer Nafekh is a tireless reader, writer, editor, and advocate for the written word. With an undergraduate degree in Concordia's English and Creative Writing program imminent, he plans to pursue a Master's specialization in journalism so that he can fully realize his career path. When Spencer is not working away, he is probably listening to experimental music while lost in the world of a science fiction novel.

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This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity

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BARBUDO: The British "Pop-Funk Pizzazz" Brother Duo

Photo Credit: BARBUDO

BARBUDO is a Pop-Funk/Psych band from Havant, Portsmouth. Brothers, Ben and Harry Stanworth and Elliot Salter just released their latest single “Magnolia Mansion.” This tune is filled with funky and psychedelic undertones, fervent vocals and is topped off with a seriously groovy bassline. The unique pairing of these elements creates a fresh distinct sound that fully surrounds and captures audiences worldwide.

They take inspiration from 70’s funk, soul and disco pioneers and add on their own unique, modern twist. Their songs are intricately oozing with soulful melodies and charming themes. If you just want to get up, have a good time and dance - these are your guys.

We had the pleasure to talk to BARBUDO on topics ranging from the band’s visions, who they’d choose in a disco-dance off, their biggest influences and creative processes.

Sierra Kaylen for Also Cool: Hey Ben and Harry. What’s up? How’s life?! 

BARBUDO: Good thanks! Staying afloat during these strange times.

Also Cool: How would you go about describing your band and overall vision to those who haven’t heard of you before?

BARBUDO: We call our sound Nu-Eyed funk - a fresh take on Classic Funk, Soul and Psychedelic grooves.

AC: I’m hearing a lot of funky and psychedelic undertones on your singles: Are there any artists from the 60s - 70s that have influenced your work? I’m hearing a lot of Parliament- Funkadelic and absolutely loving it!

BARBUDO: Yeah we are big P-Funk fans and love music from those eras. We take inspiration from various 60s & 70s artists, spanning from The Beatles to The Isley Brothers.

Photo Credit: BARBUDO

AC: What’s the creative scene like where you live? Has it impacted the art you make? 

BARBUDO: There are some great bands in Portsmouth, who constantly inspire us to improve. We are all different but it's fun to gig together and learn from each other.

AC: BARBUDO is a brother duo, how did this come about? Harry and Ben - how is it like working together as siblings? 

BARBUDO: A bit of brotherly love never made life difficult for a band ... did it?

AC: “Magnolia Mansion” is your new single. How did the song come alive? Why did you decide on the name? 

BARBUDO: The song came into fruition when experimenting with a Tascam tape machine. Ben made this riff and set of chords, which wound up turning into the song. We chose the title as we felt it encapsulates the escapism of the track; it's a place in which you can disappear.

Photo Credit: BARBUDO

AC: Who was your favourite artist of 2020? If you were to pick one artist as a collective, who would it be? How has this person influenced your creative process? 

BARBUDO: We've been listening to a lot of Mac Miller this year. Something about his lyrics really hit home. And obviously, the beats bang. We also love releases by Sault and The Black Pumas.

AC: We are living through very strange times right now, what do you do to stay motivated and dedicated to your music?

BARBUDO: This year we have tried to find a good balance of doing things to look after ourselves alongside the music. Exercise is really important, as well as getting out of the house for long walks. Basically just doing things to clear our minds so that time spent on music is more productive. 

AC: Were you guys always interested in music and pursuing it? Where do you think you’d be without it?  

BARBUDO: We've been playing together in bands since we were teenagers. It's a passion we pursue completely and dedicate most of our spare time towards. But most of all the songwriting process is so enriching and meditative. I don't know what we'd do without it. More yoga maybe!

AC: Choose your fighter on the disco-funk dance floor: Prince or the Bee Gees? 

BARBUDO: Prince - little man, big attitude.

AC: Who would you like to collaborate with in the near future? Also, If you could go into the past and collaborate with any funk musician, who would it be? 

BARBUDO: We would love to collaborate with Thundercat. He's such a talented and tasteful musician and seems [like] a good laugh too. Also, we would love to go back in time and have a jam with Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - such tight grooves.

AC: What’s your top piece of advice to musicians who are just starting out? 

BARBUDO: Might be a bit cliché, but don't do it for anyone other than yourself! It's very easy to fall in the trap of thinking "will people like this/it is good enough?" Just focus on how the creative process is rewarding in itself, regardless of whatever success does or doesn't come your way.  

AC: Finally, how can we best support your band and music? Any final messages you’d like to leave to the people who look up to you?  

BARBUDO: Please follow us on socials and keep steaming our music! We have a vinyl for sale on Bandcamp too if that's your kind of thing. Our message is: Thank you all so much for your support. It's great to have anyone engaging with something you created. We appreciate the love and have more tunes coming out soon for you!

Photo Credit: BARBUDO

BARBUDO

Instagram I Twitter I Facebook I Bandcamp | Spotify

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Montreal's DEMO FEST Utilizes Punk Ethos in a Call to Action

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The 2020 Winter Solstice marks the anticipated launch of DEMO FEST, a huge selection of submission-based demos created by over 350 musicians around the world during the Fall season of the pandemic, as well as a dusk ‘till dawn livestream telethon, hosted by Suoni Per Il Popolo’s Suoni TV.

What started as a songwriting challenge between DEMO FEST founder, Martin Tensions, and his bandmates has now grown into a world-wide benefit for Solidarity Across Borders, a migrant justice network based in Montreal. Since 2003, Solidarity Across Borders supports primarily non-status and refugee individuals and families in Montreal through popular education, direct mutual aid and support work, and political mobilizations, including demonstrations, pickets, delegations, and direct actions. All proceeds from the sales of the DEMO FEST release, as well as funds raised during the telethon, will be donated to Solidarity Across Borders.

We had the chance to chat with Martin Tensions and DEMO FEST team member Sasha Pozzolo about how their community mobilized to beat the woes of isolation while advocating for migrant justice, making DEMO FEST more than a compilation.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hi Martin and Sasha! Thank you so much for collaborating with Also Cool to chat about DEMO FEST. To start, can you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us more about who you are and what you do?

Martin: I've been in and around “DIY punk” since I was a teenager; playing in bands, booking shows, going on small tours. Playing and participating in music isn't something I want to “make a living” from, but it's always been the center of my friendships and creative endeavours. I used to organize mixtape exchange clubs for my friends every year, which I think could be described as a forerunner to DEMO FEST.

Sasha: Similarly, I’ve been in and around DIY/punk since I was a teenager and playing in bands actively more so for the last five years. I have a nerdy history of studying photography and going to library school; I’m really into meshing punk into image making, subcultural documentation, and how punk is archived. I make up ¼ of I.F.O. which is a punk and punk-adjacent collective event organizing group. We ran the festival I Can’t Believe It’s Not Paris last year. We are acting as support staff for DEMO FEST and will be running the livestream today.  

Also Cool: Can you tell me about how you've managed such a wide-reaching project? How was it originally conceptualized, and how has it felt to watch it expand into such a large-scale action?

Martin: When the stronger lockdown measures came into effect in Montreal in March, all live shows were indefinitely postponed. All my bands stopped jamming. A lot of my friends were talking about taking the time to try and work on solo projects, writing songs with collaborators remotely by sending tracks back and forth, or learning some new instruments and/or production/home recording methods. I had a small burst of energy, trying to demo tracks for my bands or other projects at home, but that energy tapered off. I knew that was happening for a lot of people around me. Without shows or tours, there seemed to be a lot less motivation to actually finish anything.

Originally, I thought of doing a “challenge” with three of my band mates where we each had to finish a solo isolation project by a certain date, hoping we could all motivate each other. I shortly realized I could just invite more people, make it an open invitation, make it a benefit, etc. Once I put it all together and started talking to people, I thought maybe 50 of my friends would do it. My wildest dream was getting 100 demos. I had a pretty good feeling and hope that it was going to tap into something for a lot of people, but didn't really expect it to spread too widely. Seeing that happen as more and more people registered to participate, and then finish, has been very cool and validating. Many people have expressed that it was the perfect thing to get them through an otherwise isolating and creatively stagnant Fall.

Managing the project has not been too difficult. Many people have stepped in to help: Sasha and the I.F.O. crew have been involved from day one, Will Killingsworth of Dead Air Studios has been mastering most of the demos, members of Solidarity Across Borders have been coordinating and advising the fundraising (and helping us reach out to press!), we have friends helping with the art and graphics, managing the massive amount of Bandcamp logistics, and of course spreading the word. The last few weeks have been a bit busy and stressful handling all the submissions and getting them ready, but before that it has not felt difficult to manage at all!

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AC: Branching off of that, what are your thoughts on the idea that artists are often pressured, or even expected, to create works inspired by tragedy and the feelings attached to it? Was this a roadblock that many of the DEMO FEST contributors, or even yourself, encountered during lockdown?

Sasha: I think that there is a lot of voyeurship in artistic creation of all mediums. We are living in such a bizarre time, yet I don’t feel there is a particular emotional bar to meet right now. I have noticed less work being made about despair, but this could also be that there is less work in general. Perhaps it’s a collective understanding that we’re all doing poorly?

As far as DEMO FEST goes, I always felt that the project promoted the opposite intention. Although it was put forward as a “pandemic project,” there was no onus to dwell on the pandemic itself. I heard that 2020 is the year of escapism— maybe we accidentally tapped into that zone by offering a platform to distract ourselves from the pandemic. I’d like to think it’s a little more wholesome kind of escapism. This was a fun little push for people to make music that they put aside, that they never had time for, or maybe they never had conceptualized before having a little DEMO FEST pep talk. 

It’s difficult to continue to make something when a lot of joy is taken from what you are making and how it is received. DEMO FEST doesn’t create the same reciprocal energy as a live event, but regardless of working on a solo project, working remotely, or with a band, it does give a sense of collective agency. In addition, I think that the notions of productivity and spectatorship (or lack thereof) have the ability to place a looming constraint on how, what, and where people will make music. By encouraging projects to occur now and in this manner is to ultimately encourage music being made for the sake of music being made. This coupled with DEMO FEST as a benefit, which collectively and exclusively releases music, I think, makes it an anti-capitalist initiative. It’s both fun and important to analyze what makes art function, what we want from it, and what we can get from it on our own terms. 

AC: I'm curious to know more about your thoughts on demos, as they make-up the DEMO FEST corpus. What elements do demos hold that make them significant, both culturally and sonically, and what made you choose to prioritize launching a demo-exclusive release?

Martin: I realize that 'demo' means a lot of things in the "music industry.” For me, it means a punk demo tape. If you are a band in punk or a punk-adjacent genre, a cassette tape with 2-5 songs is the first thing you release, and that's called your demo. I didn't want to end up with compilation of individual songs. Instead, I wanted people to fully realize a new musical project or produce a complete release for an existing project in this new pandemic context. I wanted people to be empowered to experiment with a new instrument, new collaborators, or a new way of making music and take it to a completed state. Demos don't have to be super well-polished or produced, and they shouldn't be too long… But they should full “demonstrate” (haha) the vibe and sound of the band/project. And I just love digging through piles of new demo tapes. So, calling it DEMO FEST and asking for demos seemed like the thing to do.

AC: This project certainly speaks to the power of community across many spheres. What has surprised, or inspired, you the most about the journey of DEMO FEST and watching the level of inter-community collaboration progress throughout?

Sasha: With entire honesty, the sheer scope of the project was both shocking and heartwarming. It’s been intriguing to see some of the ways that DEMO FEST spread; through friends, through one-degree-of-separation, through both Blink 155 and Barely Human podcasts, and also through absolute mystery. There were online discussions about the best way to record something without a lot of equipment, what benefits certain free programs offered, as well as offers and requests for collaboration on tracks. In true punk solidarity, Will Killingsworth shared so much time and expertise with mastering to tie together everything. Have you ever had a hang out with someone where you both work separately on something, but you’re in the same room? I feel like that was the general community feeling, and it was really wholesome. 

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AC: Before we let you go, do you have any closing thoughts that you'd like to share, and can you tell us how we can support and engage with DEMO FEST?

Martin: Well thank you for helping us spread the word! All of the info and links are collected on the website. You can also follow us on Instagram. The important date is today, the Winter Solstice. The DEMO FEST Bandcamp will go live around noon. All 200+ demos will be there to stream for free and purchase for download. All proceeds from all of the DEMO FEST efforts are going to Solidarity Across Borders, and you can also check them out and donate to them directly. They are seeking one-time donations but also people to sign up with recurring monthly donations! I’ll let Sasha explain the other stuff.

Sasha: The dusk ‘till dawn DEMO FEST livestream will start at 4PM today and run until 8AM on December 22. We will be playing at least one song from every project submitted to DEMO FEST, all of the music videos that have been submitted, and doing a very special screening of the newest edition of Will Mecca’s video-zine Paranoid Anxieties. A schedule will be posted today through DEMO FEST social media. We’ll be screening video collages made by I.F.O. Connor Crash, have a chat room open, and be giving regular updates on Solidarity Across Borders donations!

As for the USB boxsets! Orders will end on December 22. The “All Dressed” Full Team boxset has already sold out, but each of our individual boxes are still available. Each box will contain a USB key card with DEMO FEST artwork on one side, and artwork by Jane Harms on the opposite. There will be DEMO FEST pin packs and a personal mixtape/playlist from one of us. Every person will be putting in secret special other items in each box. You can read our little bios on and order boxsets from icantbelieveitsnotparis.bigcartel.com!

I’ve launched the beginning of a new project called Rock and Roll Highschool. It’s an online event that will happen every Thursday in February and March, which will host short presentations on anything punk and punk-adjacent. It’s very low pressure and meant to be a fun semi-social activity that people can engage with during the next few months. Presentations can be done orally, with a Powerpoint, on a chalkboard, etc., and can be anywhere from 5-45 minutes. There are people signing up for subgenres (like power violence, pop punk, and crust punk), regional music scenes (like UK twee pop, Japanese hardcore, and Belgian synthwave), or doing workshops (on embroidered and cross-stitching patches). Anyone is invited to present and/or participate in the online meetings. The deadline for submissions will be January 14, and the first lecture series will be on Thursday February 4, 2021. 

There is more information and a very quick submission form available here.

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DEMO FEST livestream poster by Sasha

DEMO FEST

Website | Big Cartel | Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook | Livestream

Solidarity Across Borders

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

This interview was conducted over email and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Premiere: Misao McGregor Celebrates Self-Definition With Debut "Kid In The Corner"

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Kid In The Corner album art

If you haven’t already met her, Misao McGregor is a name you won’t forget. Based in Los Angeles, McGregor has an impressive resume. First, she is a member of PlayGround-LA’s Writers Pool Playrights Program for the 2020-2021 season and has had her works produced in major cities such as Connecticut, Seattle and her hometown of Los Angeles. Second, she is the founder of Sacrosanct, a digital community blog that aims to highlight and uplift the creative expression of queer, trans and non-binary BIPOC through community centered activism. Today, she adds to this list of achievements through the release of her debut album Kid In The Corner. Written, recorded, performed and produced by McGregor, Kid In The Corner exhibits her exceptional gift of storytelling, and in her own words: “seeks to provide a voice for those who feel marginalized and disenfranchised while also showcasing her unique and individual experience as a queer, non-binary, mixed-race human in this world.”

We were so excited to meet McGregor and learn about how this album, with roots in indie, pop and soul, has grown with her over the years as “an homage to the experiences that have shaped [her], both good and bad, and acts as an end to a chapter only to start anew.” Read our full interview with the 24 year old singer-songwriter below!

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hi Misao! Thank you so much for chatting with me. To start, congratulations on the release of Kid In The Corner! As you've said yourself, your album encapsulates all the experiences that have shaped who you are during your 24 years on this Earth. How did you conceptualize such a powerful work and see it through from start to finish? Did you have any inspirations guiding you along the way? 

Misao McGregor: Thank you so much! I guess everything sort of came together in a narrative that served to illustrate my life’s experiences, particularly in the ways that I’ve grown over the last couple of years. All of the songs on the album were written within the last five years and represent different formative experiences within my life. So in terms of any kind of inspiration, I just decided to sit back and listen to what my body and my soul needed to hear. Music has always been a therapeutic tool for me and it’s allowed me to discover new insights into my subconscious. So taking a back seat and listening to what I needed in order to heal from certain experiences allowed me to be guided by the music, and ultimately presented itself through the making of the album. 

Also Cool: Branching off of that, the album draws on your own experiences with marginalization and disenfranchisement: How have you maintained self care throughout creating such a vulnerable work?  What advice would you give to other creatives using storytelling as a form of radical healing to mitigate anxiety, stress, burnout and so on? 

MM: Oh, this is a great question! There were times when I really needed to step away from the work. There are a lot of moments in the album where I talk about my struggles with eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. At times, I didn’t want to face those things through music because I was already facing it in my everyday life. But at the same time, music has allowed me to validate my own feelings and express my struggles through a means of creation. If anything, viewing music as a tool rather than an artistic obligation allowed me to put the work down and walk away when I needed to.

I firmly believe in taking a breath of fresh air during the creative process to gain a better perspective, or just to clear your mind when you’ve been so entrenched in something artistic. I try to focus on my basic human needs in those moments, you know, making sure I’m eating, breathing, drinking water, meditating, doing yoga, etc. I often find that even taking a small break from the artistic process can actually help keep me grounded, so that when I do return to the work, I feel like I can approach it more authentically. 

AC: Along with composing this album, you are also behind it's production - which is so amazing! Tell me, what was it like occupying both roles as artist and producer when realizing Kid In The Corner? Did the scenario impact your relationship with or feelings towards any of your songs? 

MM: Woof, it was a ride! I’ve taken piano and voice lessons from a young age, but only within the last two years have I started to explore producing my own work. I actually found myself feeling like a fish out of water in that sense because I was entering new territory, but within the realm of music which has always been familiar to me.

In terms of being both the producer and the artist, those roles seemed to come fairly easily to me. I recorded this entire album in the back bedroom of my parents’ house completely on my own. While at times that felt isolating, it was also kind of my greatest fantasy to have complete creative control, but then if things went wrong, I only had myself to blame. If anything, knowing what I wanted the final sound to be like gave me a better idea of how to deliver the vocals while recording. I knew what elements I wanted to highlight, which also made mixing the record easier as well. I think with such a comprehensive understanding of each song, I actually managed to discover new themes and ideas. After listening to these songs on constant repeat for the last two years, I went through stages of feeling numb to the meaning of these songs, and then rediscovered how important they were, and are, to my personal development. As challenging as it was to wear several different hats in this process as artist, producer, mixing engineer, marketing and public relations, etc., it’s an experience I honestly wouldn’t trade for the world. 

AC: Of course, COVID-19 hinders how we all interact with art at the moment... But how are you hoping to share this album with the world in person when it becomes possible? Do you have a vision for what your ideal performance would look like? 

MM: I know, COVID has put a damper on pretty much everything in our lives. I’ve just been so lucky that my family and I have managed to stay healthy and safe throughout this entire period of time. But! I am excited to be facilitating a giveaway for two different digital booklets that I made to accompany the album: One standard edition with lyrics to each song, and another exclusive addition with accompanying personal essays and childhood photos. If I had an ideal performance in mind, I honestly think I would rely a lot on simply piano and voice. While producing my own work has been so much fun, my roots will always be just sitting at the piano and singing my heart out. I suppose my ideal performance for the album would take place in an intimate environment given the personal nature of the album, and would feature a lot of storytelling and meaningful interactions between myself and the audience. 

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Misao McGregor, photo courtesy of the artist

AC: Alongside music, you are also a playwright. Though both mediums in your case tackle similar themes of identity, friendship, family, sexuality, and trauma, does your approach to storytelling change depending on the form it takes? If so, how do you manage being a multifaceted author? 

MM: Oh, absolutely! I have found that with songwriting, I write solely from my own experience and it is much more introspective and personal. But with playwriting, I’m able to take on different roles through different characters and allow the contradictory parts of myself to battle it out within a dramatic setting. I think playwriting actually forces me to place myself in others’ shoes, while songwriting lets me sink into myself and validates my own personal experiences. It’s kind of a nice balance between the two because I’m able to explore various iterations of myself while still broadening my perspective through other people’s points of view. Playwriting also involves a lot more research, whereas songwriting is much more instinctual for me. 

AC: That last question leads me to ask if you can tell me about your project Sacrosanct, and what the creatives behind it, such as yourself, are aiming to do through your own modes of self-expression? 

MM: Yeah! Sacrosanct is a community blog that provides a space for queer, trans, and non-binary BIPOC to share their art and voice their personal experiences, while simultaneously [using the] platform to heal, self-define, and self-actualize through art and wellness. I started this project in June of this year, and have managed to collaborate with and feature over 50 different artists ranging in disciplinary fields from writing, poetry, music, visual art, photography, dance, sex work, academia, wellness, fitness, fashion, food, and community activism.

I, myself, am fair-skinned and can easily [present] as a white, straight, cisgender girl, though I identify as a gay, non-binary femme of mixed-race Japanese and European descent. I take my privileges very seriously, as they have provided me an easier existence in this world, and have also allowed me to benefit from the various forms of oppression that continually marginalize and disenfranchise Black and Brown queer, trans, and non-binary folks. More than anything, I wish for Sacrosanct to be a space that can reflect the diversity of experiences within queer, trans, and non-binary BIPOC [communities], because each individual within these categories of identity brings a different perspective, background, and cultural understanding to what it means to exist in this world. 

AC: Before we let you go, are there any other projects that you're working on that we should keep a look-out for? 

MM: As of right now, Kid in the Corner and Sacrosanct are the main two projects I have been working on to keep me occupied throughout 2020! I will absolutely keep making music and continue facilitating the blog, but in terms of any organized plans, I don’t have any at the moment. Though I’m sure that won’t last for long!

AC: Finally, how are you planning to celebrate the release of Kid In The Corner? 

Since there won’t be any opportunities to gather with loved ones in person, my plan for right now is just hopping onto Instagram Live and celebrating virtually with friends! I don’t think it’s really hit me yet that this album is going to be out in the world. Being able to share it with others will definitely help me feel like I accomplished something that represents who I am right now in this moment in my life

Misao McGregor

Website | Instagram | Youtube | Facebook | Soundcloud

Listen to Kid In The Corner out now on all major streaming platforms

Listen to Kid in the Corner on Spotify. Misao McGregor · Album · 2020 · 11 songs.

This interview was conducted over email and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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With "Fresh Paint," Andria Piperni Creates A World All Her Own

Andria Piperni, “Fresh Paint”. Photo courtesy of Calli Cohen

Montreal-based singer-songwriter Andria Piperni has long proven that she is the one to watch, and her latest track “Fresh Paint” is no exception. 

On this track, the R&B songstress sounds slinky and seductive, telling a story of blissful intimacy as a brand-new world is created. On her Instagram page, Piperni explained that “Fresh Paint” is all about “...getting lost in a moment, and that enchanting feeling of discovering somewhere, something, or someone new.”

The essence of Piperni’s vivid dreamscapes is revealed in clouds of soul and jazz, with delicate vocal melodies floating through. With the right person or the right environment, there is safety – even in floating above the ground, or crashing through waves of the sea.

Piperni enlisted the help of Chris Vincent, member of Montreal electro-soul band Busty and the Bass, to produce and mix “Fresh Paint”. This lush, sensory track is the latest single to be featured leading up to the release of her debut EP, Who’s Counting?, which is slated for release early next year.

“Fresh Paint” is a perfect demonstration of Piperni’s ability to balance indulgence with illusion. If this single is any indication, the rest of the EP will surely follow in such a descriptive and immersive direction. We had the chance to talk with Piperni in the weeks after the release, getting into her influences and perspective on the music industry. Take a read below!

Rebecca Judd for Also Cool: Hi Andria, thank you so much for chatting with us today! “Fresh Paint” is a beautiful track, congratulations on the release. Listening to this track, it feels as though there’s room for multiple interpretations - what’s yours?

Andria Piperni: Thank you! Yeah, I left a bit room for each listener to have their own interpretation of the song. The lyrics are quite metaphorical and hold a lot of imagery — I wanted listeners to envision their own world, the same way a painter would when they paint. It all plays on this idea of creating something new. The scenario I had in mind while writing was two people coming together and creating this magical moment of their own.

AC: It’s an incredibly difficult time to be a creative - how has this year treated you? 

AP: The uncertainty of it all has been hard, and I miss playing live shows. It can be pretty stressful not knowing what’s ahead or how to plan for the future. But in some ways, this pandemic has made room for some great things, too. I spent most of this year writing and recording new music, and it was really nice to be able to put my full focus on that. I’ve also had more time to do some writing for other projects, even outside of music, and got around to doing things like getting my merch online! And I get to wear sweats 95% of the time. Despite everything, I’ve managed to find a silver lining. 

AC: You describe yourself as inspired by  “...everyday human experience, as well as the surreal episodes of … vivid dreams”. Can you elaborate on these inspirations? (I’d love to start having these dreams…)

AP: Those closest to me know that I have the weirdest dreams! For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a vivid dreamer. It’s rare to wake up and not remember my dreams in detail, sometimes several of them. It can be a bit exhausting sometimes. But now and then, I’ll wake up with a certain storyline or melody in my head, and I’ll write it down for later. And I do the same during the day too – I take notes in my phone anytime an idea comes up. They can come from a conversation, a movie, an observation… I always try to pay attention to those little everyday moments, because those are the things that people can really connect to when listening to a song.

AC: Montréal is your hometown, but you briefly lived the ~ Parisian ~ lifestyle and found yourself across the pond. How did this relocation impact your creativity and your music?

AP: Oh man, it was everything. I was studying abroad for about 5 months, and it was amazing. This was before I decided to pursue music full-time, and I think the experience really shifted my perspective and helped me learn more about myself and life in general. Being somewhere completely new, where you don’t know anyone, where there is so much culture and opportunity to travel and meet people from around the world … see[ing] so many beautiful places… It made me realize that life should be lived to the fullest, and your choices should not be based on fears. It gave me courage to do everything I’m doing now.

Andria Piperni. Photo courtesy of Calli Cohen

AC: If you could change anything about the music industry, either in Montréal or at large, what would that be? 

AP: I guess it’s not a secret that it’s very hard for artists to make a good living off of streaming royalties. Don’t get me wrong – as a listener and as a creator, streaming has given me a lot. I discover new music, and listeners can discover my music like never before. But the cost of creating and putting out music (you know, “marketing”) is still very high when you compare it to the streaming payout. It’s just not feasible for independent artists in the long run, especially right now without the ability to play shows. But artists are more and more empowered these days, and I’m hopeful that it will lead to a balanced and fair system. Also… more womxn and minority representation on all fronts! We’re starting to see programs emerge with this goal, and it’s great, but there’s still a long way to go. 

AC: Who is your dream collaborator?

AP: I think my answer changes every time someone asks me this question. It’s hard to pick just one, but someone I would love to collaborate with is John Legend. He’s, well, a legend. And if I happened to meet Chrissy and their adorable children in the process… it would be a dream! 

Thanks again for your time, Andria. Before we let you go, we’ve heard that your debut EP Who’s Counting? is set to release early next year. What can we expect from you in the months to come? 

Yes, [it is], and I’m so excited! I have one more single off the EP coming out before I release the full project. You can also expect some new merch, a music video… and in the meantime, maybe a little holiday cover song or two on my Instagram page before the year wraps up. :) 

Listen to “Fresh Paint” – out now!

Andria Piperni

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Website | Spotify | Soundcloud | Bandcamp

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

This interview was conducted over email and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Healing’s Hard To Measure, But Peyton Stilling Gives It A Try

Peyton Stilling, photo courtesy of the artist

Exam seasons, holidays, the pandemic – if you’re exhausted, it makes sense. The chaos that is otherwise known as 2020 is coming to a close, and we are all surely in need of a little healing. Dallas-based singer-songwriter Peyton Stilling would agree, fresh off the release of “Healing” – a brooding testament to her own process.

“Healing was written during quarantine,” the artist explains. “I’d just broken up with my boyfriend and had to move back in with my parents, and I had no money or job. I had all of this time on my hands, but felt no motivation to write anything.” Teaming up with multi-platinum production team locknkey (Moses Elias & Robert Sewell), Stilling wrote this track as a means of release.

The results are infectious (are we allowed to use that word right now?) – balancing soulful vocals with tight production, Stilling paints a picture of resilience. She speaks her survival into existence over a moody baseline and assertive claps: “The doubts and distractions / I will get past them …”  With such conviction, we’re tempted to believe her.

Last week, we were able to catch up with the singer-songwriter and discuss her musical journey, the scene that has fostered it, and some distant dreams for a post-pandemic life. Read our interview with Peyton Stilling below!

Rebecca Judd for Also Cool: “Healing” is a beautiful testament to the post-breakup blues, and comes from a deep place of vulnerability. How does creating your music help you move through life’s challenges?

PS: Music helps me process how I am feeling and gives me the ability to give myself advice. I don’t always listen to my own advice, but at least I am writing songs about it. With “Healing”, I wasn’t able to finish writing that song until I had processed all the emotions I was feeling. 

Songwriting has helped me get through some really hard times, and is definitely my outlet. It will be very funny to listen back to some of my music in 10 years’ time and think “...that was the boy I was upset over?”

AC: You’re a Dallas-based musician - what is the ~ scene ~ like down there, and how does that inform your own musical approach?

PS: Dallas is a great place to grow as a musician. There are so many talented musicians here and it is a great place to get your [musical] start. There are no real labels in Dallas, but when it comes to venues and gigs you can make a great living here. It has helped to grow my confidence as a live performer, and really cement in my head that this is what I want to be doing for the next 20 years – just hopefully on a bigger scale. (No shade to the Dallas coffee shops, I still need to perform there...)

Peyton Stilling, photo courtesy of Hannah Dimmitt

AC: Your debut single, ‘Forest Through The Trees’, came out last February - how has your process changed since then? What have the past couple years taught you as a musician?

PS: My songwriting process is very similar to when it all started. I think the biggest thing that has changed is [that] my team has gotten bigger. When I started a year ago, it was just me; now I have an amazing group of people rallying behind me and my music. I am super thankful to have those people in my corner.

The past couple years have taught me to trust my instincts. I still have self-doubt, but am constantly working towards being confident in my decision-making. That is a big part of being in the music industry – trusting yourself and not letting the opinions of others sway you. 

AC: Are there any songs that you wish you had written?

PS: Yes, 100%. “Green and Gold” by Lianna La Havas or “Carried Away” by H.E.R. Honestly, anything by either of those artists and I would be happy. 

I have actually started rewriting some of my favourite songs on my YouTube channel. So far, I have rewritten Broke by Samm Henshaw, Location by Khalid and of course, Carried Away. I have been uploading a different rewrite the first Sunday of each month.

AC: When the pandemic subsides, what are you most excited to do?

PS: I am excited to have a real concert again. I absolutely love performing, and this year, not being able to do that, has been really tough. Live streams are just not the same. 

[Aside] from music, I can’t wait to travel. The pandemic has made me miss freedom and realize there is so much of the world to see. My manager is originally from London, and has told me that he would love to take me over there for a few weeks. I think that would be awesome. And it is in writing now, so he has to take me…

Listen to “Healing” - out now! 

Peyton Stilling

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Official Website | Youtube | Soundcloud

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

This interview was conducted over email and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Premiere: Queer Cowgirl Crooner Fliss Makes Her Debut With "Comfrey and Calendula"

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“Comfrey And Calendula” cover art by Emily McPhee

“‘Comfrey and Calendula’ is the most vulnerable song I have written to date. The process of writing it and performing it for the first time was extremely cathartic and healing for me. Now it’s time to put it out into the world.” - Fliss

Meet Fliss, a self-described queer cowgirl crooner from Ottawa, Canada. Today, Fliss makes her debut with “Comfrey and Calendula,” a song written straight from the heart, and her most vulnerable work to date. The single teases at her to-be-released EP (out sometime in the early new year), which marks an exciting new direction for the singer-songwriter as a solo artist after finding her creative footing as the lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for dream-pop band Sparklesaurus. We had the chance to meet Fliss and chat about growing up in an artistic family, what influences her approach to making music, and her incredible group of friends behind her upcoming music video for “Comfrey and Calendula.” Read our full discussion below!

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hi Fliss! Thank you so much for chatting with us at Also Cool. To start, can you tell our readers about yourself and your artistic upbringing? 

Fliss: Thanks for having me! Well, I grew up in a pretty musical family. My grandparents on my mom’s side were folk singers in the 60s and 70s, my mom plays some piano, my dad played guitar, and I have many aunts and uncles who play music. I was always interested in music, but I really got into it when I got my first bass guitar around age 11. I fell in love with bass, but then I started writing songs and the guitar lent itself to writing more, so I picked up my dad’s guitar and started teaching myself chords. I had an uncle who gave me some pointers on bass and guitar, but my main way of learning was just getting tabs off the internet and printing out binders of covers. I pretty much always played in my room alone until I was 16 or 17, when I finally gained some confidence — with the help of my high school music teacher — to sing in front of people. I hadn’t even really sung much in front of my family before then. Only my mom, if she promised not to look at me! 

Also Cool: You're now branching into a solo act while also being a member of the Ottawa band Sparklesaurus: What has embarking on this project been like so far? How has your approach to songwriting changed, or perhaps adapted, now that you're working alone? 

Fliss: Sparklesaurus has sadly disbanded for the foreseeable future, so I’ve really been focusing on this new project. I had quite a few songs in the vault already that didn’t really work for the Sparklesaurus sound and style, so some of the songs on the upcoming EP are ones I wrote a couple years ago. Others are more recent. I guess my songwriting approach has changed a bit in the way that I don’t really need to think about if the song will be a good fit or not for the band’s sound or whatever. I don’t know if I did that too much anyway when writing, but a lot of the time with Sparklesaurus, I would bring a song, and together we would kind of experiment and decide on what the vibe and arrangement would sound like… If we should add a bridge here, or a solo here, or things like that. Some songs worked for the band, and others didn’t. I definitely miss the aspect of bouncing ideas off of each other and the camaraderie. On the flip side, maybe there’s a bit more freedom to just follow whatever creative direction that is inspiring me.

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Fliss, photo courtesy the artist

AC: On that note, you describe your music writing style as "introspective and untethered": What inspired this approach to music-making? 

Fliss: I am a quite introspective, sensitive, and very emotional person. So I am always writing straight from the heart. It’s not really a conscious choice, it just happens that way. It’s very scary and vulnerable to share your deep thoughts and feelings in such an open way, but I also think that it is extremely rewarding and, dare I say, cathartic. I try not to overthink my music and writing too much. I hardly ever go back and rewrite or change or tweak songs over and over again. Usually if I’m doing too much of that, I end up falling out of love with it and just kind of scrap it and start a new song. Only the [songs] I love the absolute most will make it onto the EP.

AC: So, without further ado, congratulations on the release of "Comfrey and Calendula!" When choosing a single to debut off a to-be-released album, what made you pick this one? Can you tell me about the song's significance to you, in your own words? 

Fliss: Thank you so much! Honestly, I did think about whether “Comfrey and Calendula” was the best choice for the first single or not. Mostly because lyrically it’s pretty bold, pretty intense, and pretty personal. I wasn’t sure if maybe I should ease people into my music with something less... Like that. Maybe something a little more fun or digestible. But, I decided to go with it because at the end of the day, it is probably my favourite song I’ve written, and I think the subject matter is important. It’s very close to my heart. So I really, really hope that it resonates with people. It was written when I was doing a lot of reflection and processing family-related trauma. It really poured out of me and it’s just really special to me. It would be so amazing if it touched even one person.

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Fliss, photo courtesy the artist

 AC: You also have a music video coming out soon for this track. Without giving too much away, can you tell us more about the creative process behind the video? 

Fliss: Yes! The video was written, directed, produced, and edited by Emma Lamarre, a really good friend of mine. Her and I brainstormed concepts, ideas, and shots, and she and another friend, Christine Loomans, put a storyboard together. Christine also co-directed and helped shoot, as well as helped with a bunch of logistical things. My other friend, Alazaar Dadi, also got some awesome drone shots! And my other BFF, Shamisa Schroeder, is animating the title. I won’t give too much away, but there is a group dance scene with choreography by my friend, Surraya Dawn. The credits for all the friends in the dance scene will be in the video. So, it was definitely such a collaborative effort and I feel so lucky to have so many talented, incredibly generous, and supportive friends who all contributed to making this truly amazing piece of art! 

AC: Before we let you go, is there anything you'd like to plug that you're working on? What can we expect to see from you in 2021, and how is the best way to support your work right now?

Fliss: The music video for “Comfrey and Calendula” will be out next week, on December 13th. The full EP will be finished and released in 2021. 

One really amazing way to support me would be listening, favouriting, adding the single to your playlists, and following me on Spotify — so that you will be notified of my future releases as well! Other than Spotify, you can follow me on Instagram. You can also buy the song on Bandcamp, if you’d like to support me that way. I am so amazingly grateful for any and all forms of support! Since everything is online these days, and especially right now, all the online support helps immensely. Drop me a message anytime. Oh and also! You can sign up for my email list at www.flissmusic.com for special exclusive releases, news, or things like that. For example, this month I am sending all my subscribers a couple of unreleased phone demos as a thank you for pre-saving the song. And thank you so much for supporting me by giving me a platform with Also Cool to talk about my music and help get the word out. I really appreciate it!

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Fliss, photo courtesy the artist

Listen to “Comfrey and Calendula”

Fliss

Instagram | Facebook | Website | Twitter

This interview was conducted over email and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Nora Toutain Has Found Her "Grounding Place"

Nora Toutain, photo courtesy of Jawad Elajnad

As the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, I am searching for warmth in everything I consume. There is comfort in an oat latte, a feel-good rom-com; and now, happily, the soothing sounds of Nora Toutain and her debut album Grounding Place, Vol. I.

Nora Toutain is a Franco-Moroccan singer-songwriter, based in Montreal. Her unique sound can best be described as alt-R&B, though Nora combines masterful vocals with a variety of genres – jazz, funk, neo-soul, and Afropop – to create music that is distinctive and intrepid. 

Produced by Chris Vincent, member of Montreal electro-soul band Busty and the Bass, Grounding Place, Vol. I is one half of a collection of songs that honours and celebrates Nora’s North African roots,  the place where her story began.

This album captivates and celebrates, guiding the listener through an auditory experience unlike any other. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Nora about her magical debut, the experiences that have informed it, and those who inspire her to continue creating. Read our interview with the talent that is Nora Toutain below!

Rebecca Judd for Also Cool: Hi Nora, thank you so much for taking time to chat with us. I’m a huge fan of this record, it’s been on loop. Let’s start off with the basics - tell our readers about yourself and your artistry!

Nora Toutain: Thank you so much! I’m honoured to be featured, and I am so humbled to hear that the record resonates with you! I’m a Franco-Moroccan singer songwriter based in Montreal.  I was born and raised in Morocco, lived in India during my early teens, and came to Montreal to study science at McGill. After graduating, I made a drastic switch and got a Music degree in Jazz Performance at the University of Montreal. My music is a blend of alt-R&B, soul, jazz, funk,  blues and Afropop. My sound is a direct reference to my diverse cultural background and musical influences.

AC: Musically speaking, Grounding Place Vol. I is an incredibly playful album. “Bad at Love” is a bouncy fusion of soul-pop and jazz, “Victoriaville” celebrates freedom through sonically sparkling Afropop… What are you trying to express through all these melanges? 

NT: It’s true that it’s eclectic in genre and style. But that playful sound you’re referring to reflects, in part, the spark and burst of spontaneous energy I felt from starting my career as an artist.  I think that that’s just something that can be felt due to the vibe I had at that moment in my life, about to embark on this epic journey. Vol. I is bright, energetic, and fiery, drawing inspiration from the North African sun, and the colours of my home in Morocco. The themes explored deal with heritage, power, identity, travel, dreams and love.

Nora Toutain, photo courtesy of Alexya Crôteau-Grégoire

AC: You got your start performing with Kalmunity, which is Canada’s largest musical improv collective. How did this experience inform your musical approach?

NT: Kalmunity played a huge role in my musical life. When I first discovered KVC, it was like an epiphany. Seeing these beautiful souls getting together, trusting each other and the music enough to perform improvised song after song… it really resonated with the way I approach and experience music. It feels like a testament to this notion of having a higher force guide us through the process of creation.

So to answer your question, joining the collective definitely made me a stronger performer, because doing what we do requires a lot of courage and faith to step on the stage and deliver a performance without knowing what’s going to happen next.  It definitely helped me learn how to quickly and efficiently adapt to different situations.

[Kalmunity] also naturally guided me through my songwriting later on, because really, what we were doing was constantly writing songs on the spot. It nurtured my curiosity and desire to take it a step further, and convert some of my musical sketches into fully structured songs that take time to really craft.

AC: Branching off of that, I’m really intrigued by the track “Kvc”, in which you speak about the importance of artistry and creativity in order to build community. It feels especially timely in this moment, when we are having to build communities beyond the physical realm. Can you elaborate on your philosophies shared in this track?

NT: In this interlude, I’m definitely making a link between artistry and community, which is important to me.  It’s true that artistry and creativity help build communities, but I’m interested in how community actually informs creativity.  I think one of my strengths is [knowing] other people’s strengths and [putting] them in contexts where they shine. For me, there is no [magic] and no sparks if there are no exchanges - this is an example of why I love and thrive in collaborative creation.

AC: The music video for “Women” is really beautiful - in sharing these clips of your family’s traditions, there is a real sense of authenticity and intimacy in all that the song expresses. Can you name some of the women who are inspiring you right now?

NT: Thanks for the kind words!  I have to start by shouting out the women in that video, who are all family or close family friends.  My mother is the primary source of feminine inspiration in my life. Also, interestingly enough, I’m finding myself currently collaborating and working with a lot of women that inspire me… like the women of LOTUS Collective, who I’d like to shoutout.

AC: Thank you again for your time, Nora. Really excited to see what comes next from you - what can we anticipate in the months to come?

NT: Thanks again for having me! In the next few months, other than taking time off for the holidays, I’ll be working on some live performance videos to release in anticipation for Volume 2…

Nora Toutain, photo courtesy of Alexya Crôteau-Grégoire

Listen to Grounding Place, Vol. I - out now!

Nora Toutain

Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp

Spotify | Youtube | Soundcloud

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

This interview was conducted over email and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Interview: Viv Imara, Hua Li, Sabrina Sabotage and SLM on the Hip Hop You Don't Stop × Loop Sessions #StayHomeEdition Digital Cypher

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Poster by Shogo Okada

Now this is an event you won’t want to miss! On Thursday November 26th, the Hip Hop You Don’t Stop festival and Loop Sessions will be collaborating to create an innovative concept: a rap cypher over freshly produced beats. A handful of beats will be selected from the previous night (the 50th Loop Session on Wednesday November 25th), and 8 MCs (including Hua Li, Basics, Kayiri, SLM and more) will spit their best bars or freestyle to each track in a set of rounds. Expect guest appearances from producers, crate providers, and a fantastic conclusion to the #DigitalPlanet edition of Hip Hop You Don’t Stop! Guess what? You can tune in and enjoy all the impromptu hip-hop right from the comfort of your own home!

We got the chance to chat with Viv Imara, Hua Li and Sabrina Sabotage, and SLM four local artists participating in this year’s collaborative event. Viv Imara and Sabrina Sabotage are regular “loop sessioners,” and Hua Li and SLM will be two of this year’s MCs! Check out our interview below to meet these artists on this year’s lineup, and hear their thoughts on the Montreal hip-hop scene going digital for festival and cypher like no other.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hi everyone! Thank you so much for chatting with Also Cool. To start, can you introduce yourselves to our readers and tell us about how you're involved with the Hip Hop You Don't Stop festival and/or the Loop Sessions beatmaking series?

Viv Imara: Thank you so much for having us! My name is Viv Imara and I am a Colombian-born producer, photographer, graphic designer and actress making beats since 2013. I began uploading instrumentals to SoundCloud in 2017 to show friends what I was up to, when a sudden influx of plays caught me by surprise. It was then that I realized strangers wanted to listen to what I was making! That motivated me to get serious about it. I started experimenting with different styles and gained more confidence in my production chops. The first time I participated in Loop Sessions was about a year and a half ago. I was unreasonably nervous and almost bailed, until Nick Wisdom motivated me to give it a shot. He connected me with Dr. Mad, who became my beat father. Magnanimous is my beat uncle. I love them both to bits. Since then, I’ve participated many times and enjoyed the challenge.

Hua Li: I’m the woman behind alternative hip hop project Hua Li, Symposium Director at POP Montreal festival and I’m one of the hosts for LANDR Audio’s music education video series. I’ll be one of the rappers at the Hip Hop You Don't Stop festival and the Loop Sessions cypher.

Sabrina Sabotage: Holà! I’m Sabrina Sabotage. I was a singer-songwriter, performer (mostly in the Franco scene) and DJ for years, but have been doing almost exclusively music production and sound design for the last 3 years in my studio. I’ve known the guys for a long time now from the DJ scene, and they asked me years ago to participate in the Loop Sessions events. While it really interested me, I guess I wasn’t feeling too comfortable going - is it the “[female artist"]” thing? I don’t know. But I never had bad experiences with this gang, I’ve always felt like we had mutual respect for one another!

SLM: Hey, it's SLM, thanks for having me. I'm about to be a performer in the upcoming Loop Sessions cypher goin' down this Thursday on @hhydsmontreal FB Live

Also Cool: How has the pandemic impacted your approach to your craft and performance style, as well as your relationship with local creative circles?

Viv Imara: I’m a homebody, so the pandemic has only given me better reasons to stay home and create. At first, I was perfectly content to have all this time to dedicate to music production. That quickly became overwhelming. I began to feel this pressure to make the best music I’ve ever put out because, hey, I had loads of time to perfect everything, right? It was hard to drown out that little voice and just take it easy. Now, I only approach my gear when I’m feeling inspired instead of grinding through long hours of forced pad smashing. It’s 2020. What is time, anyway?

Surprisingly, I feel just as connected to my creative circles as I did before. The methods of communication have changed, but the ties are still there. It's interesting to be in the same predicament as all other creatives on the planet at the same time. None of us know when it will end, and we will make attempts to return to our version of normality, but ultimately the healthiest approach is to find ways to enjoy the ride together.

Hua Li: The pandemic coincided with a lot of personal challenges as well as the death of a family member, so I’ve been away from Montreal a lot this year. In a way the shift to online helped me stay connected with my local music scene in a way that I don’t think I would have been, had this not been a pandemic year. So, it’s a blessing in disguise in that way.

Sabrina Sabotage: Well... I stopped DJing in bars and clubs 2 years ago because the lifestyle mostly was exhausting and slowly killing me. That’s when I transitioned to pursuing producing exclusively. I started working on a bunch of amazing projects: interactive games, sound design, installations, and audio for all kinds of expositions and events. It’s been crazy… [I’m] learning a lot, and feeling like I am where I should be, and that’s the best feeling ever! It is a little lonely though working alone at my studio, and the pandemic made it difficult to link with people. So I guess I needed the Loop Sessions events for the community and the exchange that I so miss with other musicians and producers. I also got more confident in my own producing [abilities], and finally decided to start participating online this year. It’s been nice exploring that side of production for me. It’s a well needed moment in the month where I can just go wild, and do anything and I seriously never know where the beat will go, it’s a vibe!

SLM: The pandemic's actually allowed me to focus more on improving myself as an artist, vocalist and musician. It's allowed me to connect with new people around the world who are in the music scene and make new connections. I've really appreciated the time to slow myself down and really hone in on things I've always been interested in, but never had the full capacity to commit to perfecting.

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Hua Li by Molly Cameron

AC: What aspects of transitioning these events from IRL to online resonate with you in a positive way? Have you noticed any changes in engagement or accessibility, say?

Viv Imara: Yes! I have. People find it simpler and more convenient to attend. I’ve had non-producer friends tune in to Loop Sessions live and comment on submissions. It’s great to be able to continue to provide a much-needed creative channel for both artists and listeners, and even inspire newcomers to share their work. I’m excited by how accessible it’s become for anyone to join in.

Hua Li: I deeply miss being on the road, but at the same time I’ve enjoyed taking more time with my shows and creating special productions for the rare performance opportunities I’ve had. I’m doing a live stream performance for Suoni TV on November 28th where we will be creating a luscious garden set inside La Sala Rosa. Something like this would have been so extra pre-pandemic, but now it’s justifiable… So that’s been a fun creative outlet for me. I also feel like having stuff online has increased the reach in really interesting ways. For instance, with my work at POP Montreal, a lot of people who wouldn’t have been able to attend the festival normally have been checking it out. I got to access far-reaching speakers for POP Symposium that I couldn’t have flown in had all our events been in person. I love the energy of being in physical proximity with people but something online events have brought to the fore is how deeply connected we are across the globe.

Sabrina Sabotage: I never participated IRL, so for me online events changed everything! It made me more secure to share I think.

SLM: I honestly wish outside would just open back up so we can stop with all the virtual performances, but events like these are a real dope way to connect with new audiences, globally, and showcase one's talent. It resonates because since the pandemic's made it hard to see people in real life, online events don't completely lock you off from reaching your loved ones and people in general altogether, especially as an artist who's building their career from ground zero. So I'm just really grateful for all of the experiences and opportunities to go off!

Sabrina Sabotage by @cleobolduc, @marieme_qc, @diastronauts, @lou_belanger, @stlaurenttv, @disquesstlaurent

AC: Of course, the overlapping of both of these events this year is super exciting! What are you looking forward to, and what can folks expect to catch this week?

Viv Imara: When I found out it was happening I was ecstatic! I think these collaborative events are just what we need right now. I’m looking forward to seeing a rise of online events that link artists of various disciplines together. I think we’re doing the best we can with the tools we have. It’s only going to get more immersive from here on out!

Hua Li: I’m most looking forward to hearing everyone else’s verses! I’m not a freestyle rapper, like stubbornly so, but I’m trying to change that about myself. I don’t believe in non-improvising jazz musicians, so why should I let myself off the hook in this other genre I care about so deeply? Folks can expect from me, hopefully vulnerability and a good shot at something out of my comfort zone!

Sabrina Sabotage: Houuuula, I am excited to participate and mostly hear what everyone comes up with beat-wise and seriously... I just hope I’ll find the right loop for me and produce something decent that day!

SLM: I'm most looking forward to pushing & testing myself to a new level through this challenge, show out and have fun! You can expect a lot of confidence and hot bars outta me - regular shit LOL. I'm really excited to see what everyone brings to the stage!

AC: Before we end off, are you working on any exciting projects that we should look out for in the near future?

Viv Imara: I just released a very informal EP on Bandcamp and SoundCloud called Unreleased Tracks + Lost Beats, featuring some roughly mixed and unfinished beats from 2017. I have a bad habit of hoarding projects, so it felt good to finally share them before releasing any current work. I’ll be releasing my first real project by the end of February of next year.

Aside from that, I recently launched my online thrift shop Junkselekta. I sell a variety of gender-inclusive vintage clothing from the late 80’s to the late 90’s. My goal is to incorporate local producers into the brand and use it as a platform to promote Canadian artists who also appreciate that 90’s flavour. Exciting things to come!

Hua Li: Please tune into my livestream concert on Suoni TV November 28th. It’s the launch event for my EP Yellow Crane, which I wrote this year dedicated to my mother’s hometown, Wuhan, China.

Sabrina Sabotage: I do have music coming out, a song I produced for singer Mia Martina, and I’ll be posting about it soon!

SLM: Yeah! I just announced a giveaway to promote my upcoming album dropping early December called The Complete Flex Season. It's a full length project, curated and sequenced to play completely from front to back. It's supaaa fire and I can't wait for y'all to see the rollout, it's really special. It was originally supposed to drop in October but... Nothing ever really goes according to plan with releases, as most artists will tell you. You can plan and plan and plan, but with the amount of shit you gon’ end up adding and subtracting to that plan. It's gon' come down to ending up doing shit two months later, sometimes more. And you just gotta let it rock and know its’ all ultimately for the best. My team and I worked really hard to make this a reality, and I can't believe it's finally 'bout to drop! You can keep up with this and other releases by following me on Instagram.

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SLM

AC: And lastly, what is your favourite aspect of being a part of the Montreal hip-hop community?

Viv Imara: The way it feels like a big extended family. Had I known 5 years ago that the door was this wide open, I would have walked in sooner. The amount of genuine support I’ve received is heartwarming. No judgement whatsoever. I’m grateful for the friends I’ve made that have inspired me to keep going.

Hua Li: Sometimes I don’t at all feel a part of the hip-hop community since I operate on this weird, indie rock fringe often, but I do love calling such amazing talents such as Backxwash and Strange Froots my real friends.

Sabrina Sabotage: Right now, I feel like every event saves me from my own anxiety and just makes me feel like a human, connecting with other humans. I feel heard. and that’s the best feeling in this weird apocalyptic-type vibe we are all in. Feels like one of the very rare places in the general hip-hop community where it’s not overly toxic... Not to go into “girl-guy” dynamics, but it’s not easy being a woman that produces music. Feeling safe is one of the most important things, and Loop Sessions has always provided that for me, [and] made it easier for me to share [my work]. Seeing other women feeling the same way it’s priceless! And I just love listening to what people come up with. It just amazes me!

SLM: That there's so much talent here. Being able to put on for a city with so much talent the world has yet to get hip to and have my art be a part of that is a great feeling. It's great to be doing what I love, among such great company.

Hip Hop You Don’t Stop × Loop Sessions digital cypher event

Hip Hop You Don’t Stop

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Loop Sessions

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Viv Imara

Instagram | Music

Hua Li

Instagram | Facebook | Music

Sabrina Sabotage

Instagram | Facebook | Music

SLM
Instagram | Facebook | Music

This interview was conducted over email and has been condensed and edited for clarity

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Music Creating Its Own Universe: Dileta Cultivates Eclectic Energy in the Electronic Music World

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Dileta by Moussa Fellahi

From screamo band member to popular Montreal techno DJ, Pascal Rivard, better known as Dileta, is nothing short of a unique and remarkable artist. Prior to meeting them in person for the first time in July, I had seen Rivard perform several times at parties and at raves; their eccentric energy enlivening the room still fresh in my memory. Last month, I had the opportunity to interview Rivard over Zoom, and we discussed music, COVID, and the Montreal electronic music scene.

Born and raised in Ahunstic, Rivard has always been close to Montreal and its dynamic artistic community. They began their musical career in heavy metal and screamo bands during high school, playing bass, guitar, and – you guessed it – as a screamer. During this time, the most popular form of electronic music in Montreal was psytrance, which Rivard would not come to enjoy until much later: “At the time I was too stuck up in my idea of what music was,” they explain. Their musical beginnings still linger as remnants in their electronic music many years later: “Looking back on it I was looking for the same characteristics in the music I was listening as what I enjoy in dance music now. I was always more into the textures and moods, and rhythm play and angularness of the music, more than technical prowess, which is a lot of metal.”

What first initiated their transition into electronic music was their encounter with the coldwave scene in Montreal, a genre they describe as “dark, 80s-inspired, minimal synth music.” Going to coldwave shows was their first “real experience with dance music,” and soon became a full-time passion. While they were living in Sherbrooke studying electrical engineering, they became friends with a Montrealer who showed them “everything about UK bass music, jungle, hardcore, garage, all of that;” genres still very much present in their newer music. “And that’s when it kind of exploded in my brain,” they explain.

The first parties they organized were small ones in the basement of their Hochelaga apartment, after finishing their degree and moving back to Montreal. “Me and a few friends of mine were all taking turns trying to learn.” Their first event, “Bad Timing,” was at La Sotterenea in the Plateau, and presented in collaboration with Lésions. “It was pretty full, and people were dancing… We didn’t know where we were going with all these styles of music, but it was really fun.”

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Dileta by Moussa Fellahi

Rivard has since become a staple in the underground Montreal DIY techno scene. Before the pandemic put a halt to all cultural and musical public phenomena, Rivard was achieving what they describe as their “dream life, which was a bit crazy.” As a musical performer, they had never been so busy. They had their music and event platform, Coolground, busy with projects, and were also doing shows as a resident for Homegrown Harvest, a prominent rave-organizing collective in Montreal. “It was so fulfilling and so fun and I got to meet all these amazing new people in the scene all the time,” they said. “Until that all stopped… It was a bit demoralizing.” They now focus on guest and radio mixes, such as with Montreal-based radio n10.as. “I rent a studio and I can still go play loud music, that’s what’s been saving me I think.”

 Another online music-sharing platform they have been playing for is Music Is My Sanctuary, or MIMS. Rivard and one of the platform’s founders had been in touch, and “the two of us hit is off because we’re two ridiculous music dorks, like we enjoy finding music and digging in rabbit holes.” Shortly after the pandemic began, one of the founders asked Rivard to record a mix for MIMS. Now, Rivard makes a seasonal mix every three months for MIMS and is part of the new-release picks team, which chooses new records every week to promote. Alongside these projects and their full-time job as a software developer, they explain they are “still practicing multiple times a week, and trying to perfect vinyl mixing, which is really hard.”

At the time of the interview, their then-latest mix was their favorite they had ever recorded (since then they have released their newest mix dimlit). The mix, titled Skyway Uplink, is a rollercoaster - not only in terms of BPM changes, but in also  track genres, equalization, layering, fading, blending, and grooves. It has enough variation to satisfy any musical taste, literally. According to the Soundcloud description, there’s “IDM, tech house, broken beat, wonky techno, speed garage, club, nu-disco, hardgroove techno, grime/RnG, ghetto house, hardcore, some hard to classify stuff.”

Presented by coolground founder dileta, SKYWAY UPLINK wires you out of routine and into a new simulation every season. You'll find yourself whirling through winding lanes lit by all kinds of coloured gleams and glares. This first installment is deeply inspired by the works of composer Hideki Naganuma and the Japanese bass scene, with a focus on pitched vocal chops, processed funk elements, video game nods, and ultra-electronic speed - let's call it CYBERFUNK. Actual genres included: IDM, tech house, broken beat, wonky techno, speed garage, club, nu-disco, hardgroove techno, grime/RnG, ghetto house, hardcore, some hard to classify stuff.

It includes a lot of influence from cyberfunk, a genre “I’m kind of obsessed with right now,” says Dileta. “It’s really high speed, really synthetic, with really bright synth, really processed, and with video game music influences.” The mix perfectly captures what Rivard searches for in their music: spontaneity and unpredictability. Rivard did about twenty different takes for the first five minutes of the set, and the rest of the two hours in just one. “I felt like I had run a marathon,” they said, chuckling. “I was so concentrated while I was doing it… I was drenched in sweat by the end.”

There is no clear categorization Dileta identifies with in terms of a musical genre or style: “I go everywhere…. If you listen to my mixes it’s going to be all over the place.” BPM is one of the many techniques they like to play around with, but their intent is to stay unpredictable with it. “The instinctual way is to start at 120 and to go up to 170 or 180 or something, but I’ve been trying to do other stuff recently because it gets too predictable and my little teenage angst rebel spirit wants to be unpredictable,” they explain.

They have done sets before which stayed at a steady 115 BPM before suddenly going up to 175 at the end. “You need to feel it, but it can be a powerful too.” For those less familiar with this kind of terminology, imagine listening to Kelly Clarkson’s “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger” all the way through until the last 30 seconds, and suddenly switching to Iron Maiden’s “Run to the Hills.” Rivard is also keen on practicing cuts with the faders, “less common with the Berlin techno way of doing things, or the house way or the UK bass way, it’s really from Detroit, like from the old school electro-DJs from Detroit, they always have two tracks, [flipping] them with the faders.”

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Dileta by Moussa Fellahi

One way to better understand Rivard’s music is through their description of the meaning behind the title of the mix Skyward Uplink: it means nothing. “I like to put words together that make you think of things, but don’t really mean the things they mean,” they explain. “If you read them together they don’t mean anything, but they make you feel things. It’s a bit how I approach DJing, too.”

The variation and diversity within Dileta’s sets are due in large part to the sheer amount of time and effort they regularly spend digging and searching for music. On average, for a 60-minute set, they will have 1,000 songs on their playlist to choose from and will have planned one or two tracks as the anchor of the rest of the set. On their Recordbox alone, they have around 30,000 tracks: “It’s getting out of proportion, but it’s well tagged so I can find what I want.” In terms of technique, Rivard focuses on different blending methods and layering: “It’s a lot of chemistry experiments, like layering things on top of each other and in front of each other in a temporal way.” They describe staying up until 5 am just to discover new music: “My hunger for musical discoveries is a bottomless pit.”

Rivard identifies with what they call the “Mile-End core, queer scene” of the larger Montreal electronic music community. “Montreal is divided into so many scenes, it’s a lot of microcosms of genres of dance music,” they explain. “There’s an industrial techno scene, there’s a minimal house scene, the psytrance scene.” The DIY scene they are a part of organizes underground (sometimes literally, for those who know) dance parties, but also tries to stay politically engaged and community oriented. “I think I love my scene honestly… There’s a lot of concern of safety, always touching upon subjects, [and] trying to do better,” they explain.

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Dileta by Moussa Fellahi

Organizing these parties is easier said than done – and for rave collectives in Montreal, the process of finding and being able to pay for venues is not a simple task. “We don’t have many clubs in Montreal which are open to, let’s say, left-field dance music,” says Dileta “A lot of it is done in DIY venues… Sadly most owners don’t really align with our values, it’s always about having to make a compromise to get in some spaces that are [in] more of a capitalist mindset.” The best solution, they argue, would be for the organizers to own venues themselves. “We’re in our little queer political bubble where we think we’ve got our values, and it’s all set and all understood by the scene but you get out… It gets more tense.”

One of their favorite aspects of the scene is the interconnectedness and support found between the organizers, DJs, and participants during raves. “You always feel close to the performers,” they reminisce. “Rave is a feeling when you can lose your body and forget your bodily restraints… I love playing when people are ready to go wild like that.” The conversation with Dileta reminded me of just how much artists and people in DIY communities have always found alternatives to produce and share art in the face of barriers, and with this pandemic it has become clear.

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Dileta by Moussa Fellahi

Dileta

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Soline Van de Moortele is a Philosophy student at Concordia/insatiable feminist, raver, and writer. 

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On the Rise and Here to Stay: NOVEMBER'S "Bedroom Eyes" Defines Star-Quality

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Bedroom Eyes EP album cover, courtesy of NOVEMBER

"This EP is about evolving and coming to terms with some of the more beautiful parts of living but acknowledging what can happen during the harder ones." — NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER is the moniker of Ottawa-born, and now Montreal-bound, singer-songwriter and producer Gregory-Yves Fénélon. Today, he graces us with his dynamic EP Bedroom Eyes. Though the album is self-described as pop, Fénélon’s powerful, velvety vocals and signature dreamscape instrumentals masterfully transcend the genre’s expectations to achieve a truly romantic and innovative sound. Leading up to his release, we had the chance to chat with NOVEMBER about reaching out to his inner child while producing Bedroom Eyes, finding solace in silence, and how he excited he is about re-introducing himself to his listenership with this EP. Read our interview with NOVEMBER below!

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Congratulations on the release of Bedroom Eyes, and thank you so much for collaborating with us again, NOVEMBER! To start, how have you been leading up to the launch of your EP? 2020 has been quite busy for you: working with Japanese act Frasco; performing at POP Montreal; and collaborating on a campaign for Sapporo, to name just a few projects. What has been fuelling your drive and sustaining your creativity as of late? 

NOVEMBER: I honestly really enjoy what I do, which I think should be the case as much as possible in this life. As hard as the last few months have been, music and art have been my primary means of expression for most of my life, so going forward is very much [a] default. Also, when these opportunities pop up, they’re almost like fun little challenges to me. It’s important that I still have so much fun and get so excited. The Sapporo thing, for example, came during a really stressful point in the summer and pandemic, but getting to collaborate with foreign artists on a track (that had to make us and the-powers-that-be happy), [sounded] like a hill [I wanted to] climb! Yes please! And it gives me something to focus on. 

Also Cool: On the EP more specifically, you recorded Bedroom Eyes in your apartment and childhood bedroom. What was the decision behind designating these areas as a studio space? What effects have they had, both conceptually and sonically, on the album? 

NOVEMBER: I’ve always recorded in the bedroom I live in from the time I started making music. I think the habit started because when I was a kid just experimenting, it was a place where I felt safe to try things without fear, which I think is really important for any artist.  It can sometimes be complicated now because I live in a small studio in Montreal and the walls are thin. But hey, I’ve been here almost 6 years through many sessions and [have never gotten] a noise complaint.

Because the EP was done over the course of a year, some stuff was done before the world stopped turning. I was still going to Ottawa to see my mom and knew I’d be back in my childhood bedroom, which hadn’t changed since I left at 18, and seized the opportunity to do some of the wilder vocals whenever I was there. So it’s all come full circle, and these are still the places I feel the least seen and most free. I was belting my ass off at 9PM last summer for this solo on “Red Room,” and that feeling of freedom is really present vocally. I’ve been to studios before too, and even though I’m recording most of my stuff alone in a studio, it more so felt like the case: colder almost and more cavernous. I think the most important thing I had to learn with this EP though was really designating the space for certain things at certain times. I never wanted it all to feel like one murky room all the time. 

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NOVEMBER’s home studio, photos courtesy of the artist

AC: Branching off of that, you described yourself as a child as "creative and emotional," with a significant interest in many artistic fields. How has your passion for the arts grown with you throughout the years? Do you find yourself reaching for any modes of expression in particular to connect with, or perhaps soothe, your inner child? 

NOVEMBER: I’ve always loved the richness of silence, but as I’ve aged I’ve really come to adore stillness too. Stillness has led me to find new appreciation in genres, artists and even whole mediums I couldn’t wrap my head around even 5 years ago. What I’ve also learned about myself is that my inner child is so curious and ready to observe. So throughout the years I’ve really expanded my possibilities of what I enjoy and it’s led me to a lot of different kinds of rooms. I still naturally reach for music, but I’m all the better for experiencing what others naturally reach for. 

AC: You note in your description of the album that you'd like to guide your listeners on a journey that concludes in their own "emotional catharsis." How have you maintained, and plan on persevering, self-care after creating such emotional and vulnerable work? 

NOVEMBER: This is a great question. If I’m being honest, I hadn’t really thought about it. The truth is, by the time I make the decision to include something or someone in my writing, I think it’s me acknowledging that I’m ready to talk about it and ultimately surmount it. So a lot of the emotion is still there, but not so much active for me and more so embedded in a line or instrument. This isn’t a rigid rule though. Things come up sometimes when I’ll do a song live or while I’m listening to my music, and I’ll just let them come and go and usually that means tears. In those cases, I remind myself that these songs are fragments of my experiences and feelings, and some catch the light when I look at the mosaic. 

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NOVEMBER self-portrait, courtesy of the artist

AC: Now for a more light question: If you could perform Bedroom Eyes with an elaborate set design and with 100% creative direction, what would the production look like? 

NOVEMBER: I have a background in musical theatre that jumps out in the sense that I really love a spectacle. In a perfect world, the show for Bedroom Eyes would mimic the music and have this story arc with different stops for the audience. Every song is actually set in a different place. It would be cool to bring them to life, since the inside of my head isn’t exactly reality and everyone’s perception of things is their own. It would have dancers, costumes and basically be a big pop show. I’d also love for people to have enough room to dance, move or just do what they need to. 

AC: Before we end off, how do you plan on celebrating this release and what are you looking forward to as 2020 comes to a close?

NOVEMBER: Donuts, vegan food, weed and some time doing absolutely nothing. No but really, this EP has been such a long time coming and these songs have taken up so much space in my head that it almost feels like an empty nest. I am super happy it’s a tangible thing, though. I celebrated with stillness since when I’m at my busiest that can be something I only get in limited amounts. It’s only temporary though, and I’m trying my best to figure out a way to get at least one video together throughout everything. I’m really just excited for this to be out and for whomever to be able to hear it. I think it’s some of my coolest stuff and a great reintroduction to where I’m at now.  

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NOVEMBER self-portrait, courtesy of the artist

Listen to Bedroom Eyes out now!

NOVEMBER

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This interview was conducted over email and has been condensed and edited for clarity

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Premiere: Magi Merlin's Walking to the Dep

Magi Merlin by Lawrence Fafard

Whenever I've moved to a new neighbourhood or started a new phase of my life, I often romanticize my new daily routines—walking to the dep, going to the grocery store etc.

Often I'll be listening to my favourite music, or sometimes I'll even dress up a bit to motivate myself to get out of the house. I guess that's what TikTok would call being the main character.

Magi Merlin's new music video for her track "Walking to the Dep" is exactly that. It's a perfect fusion of the dreamworld going on in your head, mixed with the most mundane but comforting of routines.

I spoke with her about her artistic career, inspirations on a cold November night. Tune in to our N10.as show next Thursday at 8pm EST to hear the full interview, and be sure to check out her new music video below. 

Malaika Astorga for Also Cool Mag: Thank you for being a part of Also Cool! Why don't you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?

Magi Merlin: Hey, I'm Magi Merlin! I'm a singer-songwriter based in Montreal, Canada. I would describe my music as an alternative RNB Neo-soul, but I've recently discovered that I'm branching into different genres. So maybe like RNB fusion. Yeah, let's say that. (laughs) 

Also Cool Mag: That's so fun. So did you grow up in Montreal? 

Magi Merlin: So, funny story, not really. I grew up in Saint-Lazare outside of Montreal, so it's actually quite boring. I went to school in the West Island, and I moved here for university, which I've now dropped out of. So now I'm just here, which I like.

AC: What were you in school for initially?

Magi Merlin: I was in computational arts, which involved graphic design and website development. 

AC: What has your experience with the music/creative scene been like? 

Magi Merlin: I've been making music for my whole life, which I feel like a lot of people say. But it started with me teaching myself how to play guitar, so very indie.

Once I moved to Montreal, that's when I started to understand what kind of music I wanted to make. Also, by being in Montreal, you're just closer to the scene. It makes it so much easier to get into contact with people, and I feel like I could like to grow as a musician after moving.

AC: Did you start going to shows here? How did you end up finding the scene? 

Magi Merlin: Okay, so I actually have a clear origin story. In 2017, I had I ripped this song from a producer called WunTwo. I had taken one of his tracks and wrote on it, and put it out on SoundCloud. 

I made a music video for it, which started getting a bit of traction, and this guy found my music. He introduced me to his friend funkywhat, and that's who I make all of my music with now. We've just been working together consistently for the past three years, and I even lived on the same street as him in NDG for a year.

AC: One of the things that I enjoy about Montreal is that you can see people around really easily, and that's a huge contributing factor to the scene. You see people at shows, but you also see people when you go out for a coffee, or you run into them sitting on the sidewalk, eating a sandwich. 

That kind of casual interaction is definitely responsible for a lot of my friendships and collaborations and discovering new aspects of the city. 

Magi Merlin: Yeah, it almost prompts inspiration. It prompts your creativity. It's just like a good-ass place to be. 

Magi Merlin by Yusuf Victory

AC: So I read that you've played quite a few shows. How do you like performing live, and how has that changed over time?

Magi Merlin: Confidence is a big part of it, getting used to knowing what I feel like and how I sound on the stage. There are older videos where I'm barely moving on stage versus more recent videos where I'm flowing a lot more; there's a lot more movement.

AC: Do you have like a favourite venue or like a favourite show that you've played?

Magi Merlin: I really liked the one I did recently for Slut Island. It was a bit weird cause everyone has masks on and all that, but I really liked Sala Rosa as a venue. 

AC: I miss that place. That kind of leads into my next question. I was watching the music video, and since I live in the Plateau I was super excited to recognize all of the locations. Is there any reason why you chose this neighbourhood in particular?

As I watched it, I found it made me think about all of my different apartments and how emblematic routines like walking to my dep would be of specific eras of my life.

Magi Merlin: I feel like in Montreal, you fall into these little routines. Deps are everywhere, but you always kind of have that one that you go to regularly. 

The song just ended up being super Montreal. It's my version of a love song. One of my love languages is gifts, but it doesn't have to be a big thing. Going to the dep and getting me like a bag of chips means a lot. I was trying to put that in a track, that homey, comforting feeling.

AC: How would you describe Montreal to someone who hasn't been here or wants to move here?

Magi Merlin: It definitely depends on the area. Right now, I live downtown, which I would describe as casual shopping, Urban Outfitters kind of vibe. But in the Plateau, it's very homey. It's very, "Going out to a cafe, chilling with your friends, reading a book, tote bags."

AC: That's so funny. When I moved to Montreal, any idea that I had that I'd ever use a purse again was gone. Tote bags from the grocery store became my go-to, and now I have way too many but also keep buying more.

So, I'm interested to talk about who inspires you. Where do you find inspiration? 

Magi Merlin: I've been super inspired by existentialism lately. I've been reading a lot of books, most recently A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. 

I'm also super into movies. I am obsessed with this app called Letterbox. I'm on it just as much as I'm on Instagram. It's like basically this bank of just every movie ever, but not to watch the movie. You can read about the movies and then you can organize them into little lists. It's great for organization, I highly recommend it. 

I watched movies a lot growing up, and I was introduced to The Go Goo Dolls because I watched Treasure Planet. More recently, I watched The Queen's Gambit on Netflix, which was bonkers. That stayed with me for a few days afterwards. I also really liked Honey Boy by Shia LaBeouf, Hereditary, and My Cousin Vinny.

AC: Do you have any like favourite poets or books that have stood out to you in the last little while?

Magi Merlin: Yeah, Nejma by Nayyirah Waheed. It's really pretty and very direct. I like poetry that doesn't complicate things too much, but it makes you think about a situation in a new way.

AC: Who have you been listening to lately? 

Magi Merlin: This past week, I've been listening to In Rainbows by Radiohead. I'm also super into Mk.Gee's "A Museum Of Contradiction," and then older artists, like The Spinners and John Coltrane.

AC: How do you want people to feel when they listen to your music?

Magi Merlin: I want people to feel cool. Often, when I'm listening to music from various artists that I enjoy, that's what I feel like. To be able to give that to somebody else would be the ultimate goal.

Watch “Walking to the Dep” by Magi Merlin below

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Kue Varo: A Chat About Art, Community, and Reclaiming Self

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Photo credit: Ariana Molly

Kue Varo (She/Her He/Him They/Them) is the solo project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kat Spreen. After years playing in bands, Kue moved from Calgary to Montreal to find her own voice, looking inwards to explore the complexities of identity and self representation - uninhibited and all uniquely hers. The title of her debut album, Daffodil 11 - coming out on January 28th! - was inspired by Kurt Vonnegut’s Slapstick, the famous novelist’s exploration of the idea of building social support networks to counter the loneliness imposed by a capitalist world.

Also Cool got to chat with Kue about her sensitivity to color and light, her love of art, and her collaboration with Ariana Molly on the sultry music video for “Just Don’t Lie” - the first single off Daffodil 11.

Maya for Also Cool: Kue Varo - what does the name signify? How did this musical project come to be?

KV: Kue Varo is a gender ambiguous name which was on my radar because I perform in drag sometimes. I just wanted [a name] that wasn't super gendered. Kue is actually from Star Trek - the character Q - but I spell it with a “K” because my given name starts with it. I tried to keep that part uniform. I went by a different name in a project before this one, so I wanted a smooth transition - and for my fanbase to find me if they wanted to.

Varo is the last name of my favorite surrealist painter, so I borrowed from her name - Remedios Varo. She's had a really huge impact on me. I found her paintings one day - I just decided when I was like 12 or something that I needed a favorite painter - it was just really important to me.

I needed to know - who paints the things I really connect with? So I spent probably two weeks just Googling - going to online galleries all over the world and searching for someone who paints the way I like it. And I ended up finding one of Varo's paintings. I just instantly was like, "This is exactly what I love. This is what I would paint if I were a painter." So my love of her work still stands today. She had enough of an impact that I wanted to take on some of that - the energy that surrounds her art.

AC: Do you think that your painting reflects that as well?

Color is really, really important to me. I'm very sensitive to light in general - more so than most people. It can cause a lot of headaches, unfortunately, but because of it I can tell subtle differences in color really well. So in that respect, yes - I think we both share a love of rich, intense colors. I'm not a visual artist by trade, I do music. Painting is very much therapeutic for me - I don't have mad skills - I just love to do it.

I've been playing music [in front of other people] for about a decade. As a 20 year old I played in bands in my hometown and in a city just outside of Calgary. It was always with a bunch of guys - no shade to that - but I definitely let it stifle my creative voice in a lot of ways.

After years of dedicating myself to that project, I decided, along with a move to Montreal, that I wanted to find my own voice again, and really take the song writing part to heart. That's why I started playing music [in the first place]. When I was a kid, I learned piano not because I wanted to play piano, but because I wanted to write songs.

It was a huge missing piece and was making me really sad in ways that I didn't even realize. That's why this project exists. It's me reclaiming myself - as a voice and as a conduit to the creative forces that be. I don't take full credit for everything I write.

When things flow out of you, you're sort of taking from the collective conscious and you just get to be the translator, which is where your unique voice comes in.

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AC: How did joining the Montreal DIY scene been for you creatively? In terms of possibilities for collaboration or any new influences you had during this time?

KV: The first bit was really hard because I didn't have any contacts when I first moved here. It was obviously a huge leap and didn't happen really quickly, but with the creation of this album I ended up meeting some other people who also came from Calgary. [One of them] happened to be working in a studio - Rena Kozak, the producer of the album. I hadn't worked with a female producer before, so I was really excited to collaborate with someone who wasn't a guy - for reasons like I mentioned before. I play music with a bunch of guys still, and I love them, but it's really nice just to have somebody else around. She really helped me get the most out of what I was doing.

Now I share a studio space, like a co-op studio space, with some people who run a label called Baby Horse Records. They're all friends of mine, they're all musicians, and they're all super talented.

I've been welcomed by two different groups and I'm very much in love with both of them - I'm very lucky. This is a really good time to ask me that question because I feel very full and accepted - and lucky.

AC: I've been like rethinking my relationships with people lately and have been really mindful and appreciative of the support and sense of community I feel.

I heard that the title of your album Daffodil 11 is from Vonnegut's Slapstick - which also ties into the whole idea of community building. Was that on your mind when you were writing the songs?

KV: Slapstick is my favorite book and Vonnegut is my favorite author. I've read almost all of his works and I'm trying to collect the last few books. Yeah, Slapstick was heavy on my mind. I actually have a tattoo that's also in part because of [that book]. It was the perfect thing for me to read when I started letting the voices of adulthood come in and say, "There needs to be a good outcome for a good deed to mean anything."

The idea of doing something fully and authentically, without attachment to the outcome - just because it's the decent human thing to do - really speaks to me. That was really heavy on my heart when I was making the album and is still. Hopefully it will be forever because I think it's an important virtue.

AC: You mentioned that you sometimes perform in drag and that you are gender fluid. Can you talk about expressing your identity as an artist - do your drag performances ever reflect your day-to-day experience?

KV: I flip-flop around, it so depends on how I feel when I wake up in the morning. Clothes are very important to me because they're me expressing myself and how I feel every day. I'm sure that I'm also really vain. I'm sure that's a thing too, but I like to think it's because I'm just an expressive person. So I'll just love myself - I'll keep that lie (laughs) .

I definitely have boy days and girl days and I think it's pretty obvious to anyone who's around me a lot - because my whole demeanor changes a little bit.

I like Carl Jung a lot because he also always speaks of having two sides to himself - the scientist and the spiritualist. There's always this duality within him and I've always felt that duality within myself. I grew up in a pretty religious setting that had some serious, hardcore gender roles imposed. So luckily my family is really cool and loving, but there's still a lot of me decluttering all those experiences.

I definitely take advantage of that in art because. I mean the best part about - well not the best part, but the best superficial part, I suppose - about being an artist is that you get to play dress-up and nobody really cares. Which, in Montreal, is not as big of a deal because people are very expressive with the way they dress anyway.

Coming from a super small, super conservative, really just prairie town Alberta, the whole idea of playing dress-up is a much bigger deal. I guess the duality is an everyday experience - and that's totally normal. In terms of dressing up in drag, it's only for performances, as like with who you are as an artist.

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AC: You also introduced yourself as being neurodivergent - how do you think being on the spectrum enriches your experience and your expression of it? You said earlier that you're sensitive to light and see differences in colors very well. Musically, do you think there's also an expression of that?

KV: I think, because it's a processing difference, it would have to have some influence on how I'm going to output what I've processed. Also socially, I think. I'm quite good at pretending to be good at socializing now.

It's been 20-some years - it's been a long time and I didn't know what was up. I was a really late diagnosis. Having the ability to reframe my entire life with things that made sense was really awesome. Sensorily, being a musician can sometimes be a little tough. I have to know when my limits are coming because otherwise it's like, "time to go into a dark room for a while", but it must serve me in some way artistically. At least being a slightly different perspective is valuable. I think it would be impossible for literally how I experience the whole world not to change how I make art about it.

AC: The video that you made with Ariana is so amazing - what is the story behind the song "Just Don't Lie"?

KV: I have residual effects of being a super self-righteous person. In my youth I was really well-intentioned, but my intensity factor wase a bit much for a lot of people. This is also part of being on the spectrum - lying is typically really, really difficult to comprehend. I can't speak for everyone, but hearing from other people that I know are on the spectrum, lying [takes time to understand].

It's taken me until now to realize that small lies are okay and everybody does them. So the song is me poking fun at myself, my younger self, for being so adamant with what I expected from other people. That's why I say, "Forgive how intense I am, because I want it to be right."

AC: What about the video itself?

KV: It was a lot of fun to make. Ariana came up with pretty much all of it. I basically told her to just go crazy. I wanted to do something fun and she loved the song, so I just gave her free reign . All of it had themes that we both felt matched the song, so a lot of things happening and then happening in reverse. A lot of symbolism - like water and fire. We're both pretty into the subliminal power of symbolism. That's how it came to be - it's largely her. So I won't take credit.

AC: And the aesthetic? It's sultry, romantic - was that something you were going for initially?

KV: Yeah, that's part of my artist female persona. I describe it as my artist male persona being a cross between a 1960's bad-ass beat poet and a grungy nineties guy. And then my female persona is more of a sixties to seventies pop goddess, dream-girl type.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Written by Kue Varo (Katrina Spreen)
Produced, Recorded, Mixed by Rena Kozak
Bass: Rena Kozak
Drums: Chris Dadge
Synth: Scott Munro
Lead Guitar: Kue Varo
Rhythm Guitar: Matthew Spreen
Vocals: Kue Varo
Video: Ariana Molly

January 28th is the official album release day - it has taken almost two years!

Follow Kue Varo on Instagram

You can find the first single, "Just Don't Lie" on Spotify and everywhere else.

Premiere: St John's Property and Illustrator Isha Watson Team Up to Release "The Isolator"

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“The Isolator” cover art by Isha Watson

There is nothing quite like a collaboration between pals, no? This is certainly the case for the uber-talented friend group of St John’s-based new-wave band Property and illustrator and animator Isha Watson. Today, the quad release “The Isolator,” an allegorical song originally about the mundane observation of tourists in St John’s, that has since taken on a new meaning in the wake of COVID-19 and under Watson’s artistic direction in the form of a gorgeous music video. Off their upcoming EP Think Electric!, Property’s single offers an honest punk undertone in both sound and intention with punchy danceability. When coupled with Watson’s pastel-laden video, “The Isolator” becomes a comforting soundtrack to get you through yet another day of pondering the meaning of life in quarantine. Check out our interview with Property and Watson below to hear their thoughts on life in St John’s, creating together, and abolishing the myth of productivity.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hey Property & Isha Watson! Congrats on the release of "The Isolator" and it's accompanying music video. To start, can you tell our readers about your projects and yourselves? 

Isha: I am an illustrator based in St. John’s, originally from Perth, Australia. I moved to Newfoundland three years ago and fell in love with the culture and surroundings. I made it my intention to immigrate permanently. Originally a graphic illustrator, I challenged myself to take the next step by making my illustrations come to life. I’ve been animating pretty consistently ever since.  

Property: Hi! We are a band based in St. John's. Our names are Sarah (guitar/vocals), Jack (guitar), and Liam (bass). We all grew up here and live here in a house downtown. We started this band in 2016 and have been playing in St John’s and touring Eastern Canada ever since. We play guitar driven music with a drum machine, and more recently with our friend Jacob live on drums. 

Also Cool: For Property: How did "The Isolator" come together in terms of production? Were there any particular scenarios or influences that had an impact on the sound and feel of the final product? 

Property: The song was written and arranged pretty much exactly a year ago this month. We recorded it half with our friend Jake Nicoll and half at home during the first month of quarantine. It’s a reflection on living in St. John’s for a long time and working a service job that interacts with the tourism industry. It’s like this funny thing where people come here because they saw tourism ads on TV; so, when they get here they expect to see that untouched and “authentic” image of Newfoundland that they are sold. It’s funny to be on the other side of that sometimes. In the song “The Isolator,” is a sort of tongue-in-cheek euphemism for the island. But it totally takes on a new meaning in Isha’s video. 

AC: For Property and Isha: How did you work together to conceptualize the video? I'm interested in the characters and their repetitive actions of personal business; was any of that drawn from your own experiences in insolation, or is it rather a cultural artifact of the times we are in generally?   

Property: Isha made the animation and conceptualized it pretty independently! After the initial month of lockdown in Newfoundland (which we spent together in our house watching movies every night..) we were allowed to join “bubbles” with another household, which was Isha’s household where a handful of friends live. The animations are definitely reflective of that period of time, and the characters in the animation are us and friends doing the sort of things that we did, and do, to pass the time. So in this way, the song is kind of given a new meaning with the video and the context of the times. It can become a sort of reflection on the past (pre-pandemic) and then a reckoning with the present: being unemployed and in quarantine and engaging in monotonous activities.

Isha: While the song "The Isolator" was written a year ago, I began on the animation aspect of the music video in the midst of COVID-19. The inspiration for the video was purely built on the repetitive nature of day to day life during the pandemic. Overcome with boredom the majority of the time, projects like playing video games, knitting and nail filing (as referenced in the music video) were examples of what my friends and I did to fill the time. Only being able to see eachother inevitably resulted in some artistic collaboration. 

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Property (photo provided by the band)

AC: On that note, the theme of self-care, in many forms, is really apparent in the video! I'm curious to know how both of you have been balancing that with your respective work (music and visual art) when there is so much pressure to create in the supposed "free time" offered by the pandemic? Which we all know is a sham, but still… It's sometimes hard not to compare ourselves with others.  

Isha: Before the pandemic, I always had an issue with being productive on my time off. I had to be doing something to avoid feeling aimless. I live in a house with six other people, so there were countless activities happening all the time which I incorporated into the video. Every morning I had a routine: I’d wake at 7:30am, shower, dress, drink a lot of coffee and sit at my desk for eight hours working on my animation. Treating the video like a job and pretending I was going to work helped me feel better when things felt pointless. I actually asked Property if I could make the music video for them, and from there the collaboration came together pretty seamlessly.  

Property: We’re all working in service or are in online school (or both) at the moment, so things are a little different than they were during lockdown. But over quarantine and the summer, there was this sort of haunting feeling that we should be making a bunch of new music, and finishing our almost completed EP. But we were all grieving the loss of tours and shows and festivals that we had booked for the spring summer (as well as the state of the world), and it sort of felt like there was no rush to make any new music or release anything.

To stay motivated, at the beginning of the summer we set some pretty relaxed goals about a 2020 release for our new music/videos, and we’ve been adhering to that pretty well, which feels pretty good. Now that music stuff is starting to happen again in new and innovative ways, we think 2021 will bring a fresh start and maybe (hopefully!) a proliferation of new releases and bands from friends in our beloved St John’s scene and across the country. 

 AC: What advice would both of you give to fellow artists hoping to work with each other on a multi-disciplinary collaboration while adhering to COVID-19 protocols?

Property: Since shows are few and far between, and harder to pull off with adhering to protocols, doing collaborative media work has definitely been a focus for us the past while, mostly music videos and live videos. Best advice would be to run with everyone’s ideas and trust your collaborators to do their thing! Try out new mediums and make stuff you wouldn’t usually make!

Isha: It’s obviously a really weird and hard time to release any sort of music or art knowing that opportunities to show and exhibit your work are going to be inherently different. However, it’s been nice to have more time to work on my own stuff and get better at things I was neglecting before the pandemic. Sarah has a project with Amery Sandford called “I Don’t Do Comics” that is a cool platform to make art, even if you’re not an artist, during the pandemic.

AC: Before we let you go, are there any upcoming projects that either of you are working on that you're excited about and would like to share? 

Isha: I just finished a print fair for the local music festival Lawnya Vawnya, and I’m selling some new prints at the Top Floor Art Store in St. John’s. A lot of my inspiration comes from my friends, and the supportive arts scene we all exist in. 

Property: We’re releasing our EP called Think Electric! by the end of 2020 (we don’t have an exact date set yet), and we just released the first music video from that EP last month that we’re super excited about. Thanks so much, Also Coo!

Watch “The Isolator” below

Property
Instagram | Website | Bandcamp

Isha Watson

This interview was conducted over email and has been condensed and edited for clarity

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