Also Cool's Festival BleuBleu 2025 Top Picks

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Also Cool is headed to the East Coast! Returning for its 7th edition to Carleton-sur-Mer, Quebec, Festival BleuBleu is an annual weekend music festival and summer staple in Gaspésie, Quebec and the greater Maritime region. Held from June 20th-23rd, the festival acts as a hub and meeting place for music lovers, whether local or festival-goers, aiming to "introduce or rediscover the town's cultural and historical sites [and] foster exchanges" by programming music from the region and beyond in less conventional venues.  

This year’s lineup features a multitude of enticing genres and styles, with artists from across the province of Quebec (and elsewhere!) performing everything from Acadien country-pop to digital dance music.

Closing the Saturday night is Also Cool's beachside program, with performances by Ouri (DJ set), Honeydrip and Isla Den.

Explore Festival BleuBleu’s programming through Also Cool’s must-see acts from this year’s roster and listen to our accompanying festival playlist below!

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Gus Englehorn by Kealan Shilling

Alaska-raised, Hawaii-bound Gus Englehorn welcomed 2025 with the release of The Hornbook, a fantastical outsider-rock opus co-produced by Mark Lawson of The Unicorns, and mixed by Butthole Surfers founder Paul Leary. Much like his career trajectory (having spent most of his life training to be a professional snowboarder), Englehorn’s sound is endearingly strange. At times fuzzy and brooding, and others veering into freak-folk territory, Englehorn’s musical dexterity is delightfully unpredictable and entertaining. His uncompromised stage presence is always a hit, and we’re looking forward to hearing his latest setlist in the flesh! 

Gus Englehorn plays Sunday, June 22nd, 2025 at Horizon Park Beach.

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Honeydrip by Felix Bonnevie

Not only is Montreal’s Honeydrip an incredible dub-focused DJ and producer – she is also an innovator in the world of sound design; building her own systems over the past couple of years. Her most recent album Psychotropical, featuring collaborations with Ouri, Shanique Marie and King Shadrock, expands on her hypnotic sound that has captured dancefloors worldwide.

Read our interview with Honeydrip on her debut EP Anti-Ego here.

Honeydrip plays Saturday, June 21st, 2025 at Horizons Park Beach.

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Isla Den by Taylor Tomlin

Kindred spirits in the realm of rave-tinged hyperpop and exploratory multimedia, friends Ellie Manning and Mira Reale are Montreal electronic duo Isla Den. As classmates turned collaborators, Isla Den have constructed a musical illusion whereby “Manning's lyrics explore themes of infinity, distance, and dreams, veiled by auto-tune and carried by lyrical flights over sensual futuristic structures, fusing underground electronica, trance, and technicolor dream pop.” Having performed across North America and Europe, we’re eager to have our first run-in with the pair at BleuBleu.

Isla Den plays Saturday, June 21st, 2025 at Horizons Park Beach.

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Magi Merlin by Vladim Vilain

An Also Cool forever-favourite, Montreal alt-R&B darling Magi Merlin has exploded onto the international scene. A multi-faceted artist, Merlin recently made her acting debut in the movie Mile End Kicks from writer-director Chandler Levack (I Like Movies), alongside lead actress Barbie Ferreira (Euphoria). On top of that, she recently shared her long-awaited debut LP, A Weird Little Dog, which slows her sound down and bares her soul. 

Read our first-ever interview with Magi, that came out five years ago (!!!), here.

Magi Merlin plays Sunday, June 22nd, 2025 at the Beautiful Shipwreck Beach Manor Scene.

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Ouri by Feng

A longtime staple in Montreal’s music scene, Ouri exudes ethereal mastery as a multi-instrumentalist and DJ. Her ability to weave orchestral sound with electronic music is unparalleled, in both her last album Frame of a Fauna, and with her collaborative project with Helena Deland, Hildegard. No matter the sonic medium, Ouri delivers a gorgeous and captivating performance. 

Dive deeper into Ouri’s world by reading our interview with Hildegard about their debut album here.

Ouri plays Saturday, June 21st, 2025 at Horizons Park Beach.

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P’tit Belliveau by Sacha Cohen

East Coast treasure P’tit Belliveau is sure to deliver a rowdy performance. Known for his earworms “Income Tax” and “J'aimerais d’avoir un John Deere”, Belliveau reps his Baie-Saint-Marie, Nova Scotia, roots for sold-out audiences. Hot on the heels of releasing his third self-titled album, we’re excited to embrace his evolving sound — fusing nu-metal and pop-punk with his signature Acadien country-pop sensibility. Let’s go (en français)!  

P’tit Belliveau plays Friday, June 20th, 2025 at the SiriusXM Stage.

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Secondsight by Vladim Vilain

Montreal’s Secondsight will lead an outdoor yoga session combining mindful movements, breathing and meditation set to their music. Titled Mirrors in the Sky: Opening to Infinity, the 60-minute class seeks to explore “the profound connection between our inner selves and the cosmos around us.” Secondsight is the solo musical and spiritual pilgrimage project of multi-disciplinary artist, astrologist and meditation teacher Haji Maa. We’re looking forward to coming up for air by the Atlantic ocean amid the festival hustle and bustle!  

Secondsight’s workshop is Monday morning on June 23rd, 2025 at the Tracadigash Point Lighthouse.

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Xela Edna by Cherry Blue

Montreal avant-pop vocalist Xela Edna sparks curiosity with her bold, uninhibited approach to dance music. Scheduled to release her debut full-length album this year, Edna’s songwriting combines tenets of electro, techno and experimental French pop. Alongside her creative partner and longtime friend Eicus Echo, Edna’s music explores “emancipatory themes related to being a young woman in the 21st century.” 

Xela Edna plays Friday, June 20th, 2025 at the Beautiful Shipwreck Beach Manor Scene.

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Festival BleuBleu

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Meet Tony Price: Nighttime Connoisseur, Greektown Businessman and Media Archivist

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Tony Price via Streets of Toronto

Toronto producer, engineer and DJ Tony Price conjures a steamy dancefloor on his album Street Theatre. Supporting Montreal’s Marie Davidson launching her City of Clowns record, Price’s recent Street Theatre micro tour unveiled his 6th long-player to audiences in Ottawa and Toronto. 

In one act, the performance of Street Theatre at Ottawa’s Club SAW starred Tony Price as the enigmatic nightclub switchboard operator. Alongside an ensemble of various equipment, from synthesizers and mixers to a trusty Ableton Push, Price takes cues from the monolithic influences of midwestern house and Motor City techno to interlace metallic beatwork and shadowy rhythms with the whispers and sweet nothings from his Street Theatre cast of acapella vocal samples. For a moment onstage, the contour of Price’s concentrated expression was illuminated by the beaming reflection of a silver boombox, much like the abstract figure on the Street Theatre album cover. With this image etched into my mind, I approached Price in Club SAW’s courtyard after his set to set up an interview. 

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Street Theatre album cover via Maximum Exposure Bandcamp

Released earlier this spring on Price’s own label Maximum Exposure Inc., Street Theatre evokes the atmosphere of a leather upholstered basement dive, featuring a revolving door of charismatic and browbeating clientele in hushed conversation under red lights. Price explains this pairing of sexy and sinister is by design: “I envisioned creating a type of performance that could lend itself to dancefloors and theatres, incorporating elements of the record, production and remixing on the fly.” In an effort to challenge the reflexes that come with being a seasoned DJ, Price says realizing Street Theatre in a live context tows a line between curating and improvising, with the ability to respond to the heat of an audience—much like a traditional DJ—with a myriad of endlessly interchangeable sonic elements. “DJing is more like journalism than literature. You’re taking sources and you’re stitching them together to make an argument, as opposed to taking these abstract visions that you have in your head and turning them into words,” he muses.  

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Tony Price performing at Club SAW, photo by Ming Wu

Much of Street Theatre’s personality reminisces and reinvents Price’s urban surroundings. As a third-generation resident and small business owner of Toronto’s Greektown neighborhood, Price’s childhood stomping grounds have an everlasting influence on his sound. 

“Growing up in a metropolis—being downtown, riding the subway as a child—you meet characters. There’s an intrigue with the darkness of city life—the bizarre interactions, underground casinos, feelings of fear. I don’t know why, but I associate these experiences with house music. I try to capture that essence in my work, while also paying homage to a specific era of music coming out of midwestern America where post-punk met synthesizers in a way that reshaped how you could use technology in music. It almost reminds me of neon spray paint—it has a highly toxic, almost nuclear energy. [With Street Theatre] I was trying to tap into that, or rather, it was trying to tap into me.” 

While Price recognizes that the Toronto he grew up in was “a very different place than it is now,” he attributes coming of age in the wake of the city’s underground dance music culture to his everlasting fascination with summoning a “nighttime atmosphere.” He recalls how Toronto’s proximity to New York, Detroit and Chicago—and thus its tastemakers—undoubtedly influenced the nightclub scene in the 80s, and had a profound impact on the generations that followed. In parallel to this, Price says that his family’s tapes of radio shows from disk jockeys hailing as far as Florida had an enormous influence on his musical and aesthetic palate. 

“My aunts and uncle would drive down to Florida to visit my grandmother often and tape the radio down there. I grew up listening to tapes upon tapes of freestyle music from a station called Power 96. The cartoonish, or ridiculous, DJ voiceovers were mesmerizing to me as a kid, and I’ve found myself revisiting these radio shows taped by my family, as well as archives of other stations from Chicago, Detroit and so on. These recordings are the most astounding, mysterious cultural artifacts that I think need to be preserved for the aliens that find us,” laughs Price. 

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Tony Price for East Room by Dani Aphrodite

It may be surprising that Price cut his teeth playing Band Music™ in his teens and 20s considering his dark, danceable discography and accompanying NTS radio show. A self-taught guitarist, Price was a fixture in the Toronto music scene as the vocalist and rhythm guitarist of garage rock band Actual Water. Likewise, Price says he “has been lucky enough to have [artists] trust [him] as a producer since [he] was quite young.” His musical resume, from performance to technical production, includes collaborations with fellow Toronto artists U.S. Girls, Jane Inc., and Tess Parks, among others. 

Though Price has cited “falling out of love” with playing guitar, it has remained integral to his craft: “My guitar is my musical GPS system, my map. When it comes to trying to figure out where I’m going in terms of finding scales, chords and melodies, I always use it, even when I’m making dance music.” 

Price’s attachment to his guitar comes from his infatuation with 1960s rock n’ roll and its volatile energy. The “bizarre edginess” preserved on the  earliest rock n’ roll recordings is a spirit that Price strives to emulate through his artistic output: “No matter what it is that I’m doing, if I’m involved with music-making, I’m always going to try and reduce things down to their core essence and inflate it,” says Price. “I'm spellbound and mesmerized by record production, and how ideas can be solidified into pieces of wax or digital code that stick with people throughout their entire lives because of how they feel to listen to it over and over. And that’s something that will never change when it comes to this format or this art form, you know? I’ve always understood that is what I want to do, or what I have to do in this life,” he adds.

This mentality gave rise to Maximum Exposure Inc., Price’s music-focused production company, record label, and consulting agency, in 2017. Frustrated with the pressures to market his music in the same digital landscapes responsible for the “death of music journalism” and the “atomization of discourse”, Maximum Exposure is an aesthetic universe created to situate Tony Price, without him having to become a so-called influencer, for more than what he considers as “part of the job.” 

Via Maximum Exposure Inc.

At the end of our conversation, I revisited my memory of Price’s show at Club SAW, now making sense of his observer-like behaviour; hand on chin, meandering backward from his rig. Unlike other players—DJs if you will—Price chooses not to indulge in the limelight. Whether in a live context, on the NTS e-waves, or through his records, Tony Price is the conduit for all that embodies the nucleus of the Maximum Exposure universe. He isn’t a rockstar. He isn’t an artistic director. I’m now beginning to wonder if we are all merely a part of his unfolding rhythmic experiment. 

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. 

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Tony Price

Website | Instagram | NTS Radio Show

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

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PREMIERE: Pith Unveils a New Freak-Folk Chapter With "Live from the Shed 2"

Chrissy Love, Sarah Bartlett, Cole Emberley, and Emily McQuarrie of Pith. Photo by Jasmine Kelly

Months ago, in the placid snowy lands of Lanark County, Ottawa’s beloved Pith were toiling away at what would become the Live from the Shed 2 EP – out now.

Pith’s newest offering follows last year’s Live from the Shed, successfully continuing their thread of endearing folk ballads that meander through the depths of human emotion. On part deux, Pith demonstrates their sonic cohesion, navigating devotion and personal identity with sensorial lyricism and unfiltered fervour. By “Escalator,” Live from the Shed 2’s sentimental conclusion, the group has risen to a searing crescendo.

Pith by Curtis Perry

Pith has undergone a near-constant evolution since their debut LP Song of the Neverending Ugly Lizard, both in personnel and location. Most recently, lead singer-songwriter Chrissy Love, lead guitarist and backup vocalist Sarah Bartlett, and drummer Cole Emberley have welcomed bassist Emily McQuarrie (Napster Vertigo, DJ Smoke Weed Guy) to the ensemble. But Love notes the symbiosis of this roster, offering the impression that Live from the Shed 2 marks a fruitful beginning:

“So insanely blessed to have these bandmates; I am like a stray dog who has found its forever home. The luxury of 3 dear friends who are willing to be a part of a project, lend their time and talent to it, and accept payment largely in disgrace and crumpled twenties is literally the DIY dream.”

If the new EP wasn’t enough to satisfy, there’s plenty more on the horizon: “hot Pith summer” commences with a local show on May 31 (ask a punk), before other gigs strung throughout Ottawa, Hull, and St. John’s, Newfoundland. Pith’s fourth full-length LP, Guinevere, is also set to drop this season, including a handful of what you know and love from both Live from the Shed and its successor.

Experience the rowdy charm of Live from the Shed 2, captured on-site by Evelynn McKay, below!

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Pith

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

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Maria Somerville Conjures Echoes to Shore with "Luster" (4AD)

Maria Somerville by Cáit Fahey

Irish artist Maria Somerville’s album Luster unfolds with the subtle cool of morning dew upon the grass. Marking her debut on the venerated 4AD, the album walks its own level path – a crystalline dream suffused with spectral texture.

Stretched across twelve tracks, Luster takes deep inspiration from Somerville’s homecoming to the lands of Connemara. Its lyrical imagery is viscous, and at times nebulous—harkening back to natural wonders at every scale—but Somerville cleverly adapts these narratives. “This world will break your heart / I know not to know now,” she sagely opines on the hushed “Corrib” (named for County Galway’s freshwater lake). Somerville sinks into “Violet” with another limber tableau: “Hearts and mind, the sea of change / Veils of vision, offshore birds.” Though thematically anchored to the musician’s surroundings, the album breathes musings fit for any terrain.

Luster also unveils a rich sonic mosaic, elevating the shoegaze and dream-pop genres with gratifying flourishes. Consider the steady drone of “Violet,” accented with uilleann pipe by Ian Lynch, or the ambient shrill of the synth on “Stonefly” as it rises to a crescendo. “Spring,” the last single off the album, swells with an orchestral breathiness akin to Diamond Jubilee before hollowing to reveal Somerville’s shadowy vocals.

Somerville’s sophomore album is imbued with history, yet radiant with growth. Symbiotic in its sprawl, Luster beckons to be witnessed.

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Luster

out now via 4AD

1. Réalt

2. Projections

3. Garden

4. Corrib

5. Halo

6. Spring

7. Stonefly

8. Flutter

9. Trip

10. Violet

11. Up

12. October Moon

Artwork by Nicola Tirabasso and Alison Fielding

Thanks to Jack Colleran, Henry Earnest, Finn Carraher Mc Donald, Margie Jean Lewis, Róisin Berkley, Luka Seifert, Diego Herrera, and Olan Monk

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Maria Somerville

Website | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag. She is currently based in Ottawa.

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Chicago Post-Punk Outfit Oddysseys Share "Heaven Sings Clearly"

via Oddysseys

Shimmering, raw, and cathartic, Chicago-based outfit Oddysseys are back with their latest single, “Heaven Sings Clearly.” The word post-punk gets thrown around often, but Oddysseys play it true to form.

“However you want it, however you need it bad, maybe it's silence, the gift you’ve never seemed to have.” Inspired by Interpol, Bauhaus, and early New Order, “Heaven Sings Clearly” explores isolation and self-discovery with a driving rhythm section, jagged guitar lines, and brooding vocals.

via Oddysseys

Written, recorded, mixed, and mastered by the band’s own Treon, “Heaven Sings Clearly” picks up where their last release, “Cerbie,” left off—bringing the band into a more refined space. It’s the second single from their upcoming album.

Oddysseys
Instagram I Spotify I YouTube

Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.

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Interview: BACKXWASH Affirms Storytelling Prowess With New Album "Only Dust Remains"

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BACKXWASH by Méchant Vaporwave

Critically-acclaimed Montreal-based rapper and producer BACKXWASH emerges from creative meditation with her new aptly-titled album Only Dust Remains. Self-released on March 28th, 2025 via BACKXWASH’s own label Ugly Hag Records, Only Dust Remains is the Zambian-Canadian artist’s first offering since her 2022 long-player His Happiness Shall Come First Even Though We Are Suffering—the third of a trilogy, including her Polaris Prize-winning breakout God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It (2020) and I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and My Dresses (2021). 

The nom de plume of Ashanti Mutinta, BACKXWASH has been an outlet for embracing anger and life’s darkest corners as a means of self-exploration; breaking down the profound intersection of faith, identity and queerness at the foundation of Mutinta’s being. Deepening her legacy of dexterous storytelling and captivating sonic world-building, Only Dust Remains nonetheless actualizes Mutinta’s newfound “concrete and conceptual” direction, compared to her previous works, which she says were “guided by feeling”. 

“With my previous [albums], I felt like immersing myself in my emotions numbed me out,” shares Mutinta, her face softly illuminated by the red glow in the background of our video call. 

“With my [triology], I really tried to capture how I was feeling in the moment. I would write a verse in the morning, and shortly begin producing a beat that afternoon, so as not to detach myself and maintain my emotional energy,” she tells me. 

Conversely, on Only Dust Remains, Mutinta allowed herself to relish in the album’s construction, and consequently reconnect with her innovative musical virtuosity that has propelled her to trail-blazing status in the queer hip hop space. 

“With [Only Dust Remains], I wanted to concentrate on composition, melody and rethink my approach to writing verses. I was motivated by artists like Tyler the Creator and Björk because of the way they constantly change things up in unexpected ways. Tyler the Creator, for example, will bring in elements, like a flute, into a song. It’ll show up for four bars and then totally disappear. I also started watching Björk documentaries, and felt inspired by the way that she tackles music in so many different ways. Her approach is so dynamic and fluid, and exploring her mindset challenged me to stop thinking of my compositions as static blocks and have fun with experimentation. I also re-energized my love for 2000s pop. Like Jessica Simpson’s ‘Irresistable’ has one of the craziest string arrangements of all time!” 

Reimagining her trilogy’s signature fusion of traditional African rhythms, nightmarish undertones, industrial thrashing and ambient soundscapes, Muntinta aimed to empower the “student of hip hop” behind it all. Stripping back and allowing her songs to breathe ultimately surfaced an uncompromised, yet emboldened, sound on this fifth album. Only Dust Remains is both thunderous and luminous, with powerful choral arrangements elegantly flowing into grand overtures, melodic sampling, and metallic classic rock instrumentation, along with polished pop winks and gripping genre-flips. Throughout, Mutinta’s signature flow remains unflinching, contemplating global atrocities and injustice, substance abuse, suicide and trauma with her ever-commanding poise. 

On Only Dust Remains, Muntinta reflects on her Bancamp: “These are the songs of a person who was brought back to life but is now haunted by death itself.” This aspect is personified not only in Mutinta’s sound, but in the visual representation of the BACKXWASH universe that honours her Zambian heritage and spirituality. 

Credited to the brilliant mind of Muntinta’s manager and creative director, Méchant Vaporwave, BACKXWASH’s metal-meets-corpse makeup channels masks worn during a traditional Zambian ritual, whereby the living take on the presence of the dead. 

“I belong to two tribes. I’m Tumbuka on my father’s side, and Chewa on my mother’s side. In Chewa culture, there is a traditional ceremony where the community wears masks inspired by spirits, symbolizing death. Even though they’re being worn by people you know and are close with, children run from those wearing them at night because they are legitimately afraid—not of the masks themselves, but what they represent,” Muntinta shares. “I pull from this concept in all facets of my work. We are all facing something scary, and need to be able to perceive and challenge it in different ways in order to confront it,” she adds. 

I remark that it’s powerful that Muntinta is so warmly received by fans and the wider music industry while adorning a performance look with such cultural significance. She agrees: “It goes back to this idea that these ceremonies were done in order for people to respect these spirits. Once the mask falls, you’re not going to be scared of someone from your village, you’re going to embrace them,” she says, smiling. 

BACKXWASH by Méchant Vaporwave

Though it’s clear that Muntinta is growing as an artist, staying true to her vision and roots has allowed her to remain grounded in midst of her music’s proliferation. Being an independent artist is vital to Muntinta’s outlook, and is something she feels will never change. 

“I have an issue with being told what to do creatively,” giggles Muntinta. “[Méchant Vaporwave] and I have talked to a few labels here and there, and most of the time we notice there is a clause in the artist contract that says [I’m] not allowed to release music without their permission. I want to be able to express myself to the fullest extent, and I can’t imagine being met with someone telling me they’re not going to put something out because they don’t think it's the right fit. I love having all the control with regards to my work,” she adds. 

Currently touring across Europe, BACKXWASH will return to Montreal for her album release show on April 18th, 2025 at the SAT, performing alongside Only Dust Remains collaborators Magella and Fernie. 

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ONLY DUST REMAINS

Out now via Ugly Hag Records

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1. Black Lazarus
2. WAKE UP
3. Undesirable
4. 9th Gate
5. 9th Heaven
6. DISSOCIATION (feat. Chloe Hotline)
7. History of Violence
8. Stairway to Heaven (feat. Ora Cogan)
9. Love After Death
10. Only Dust Remains (feat. pet wife, Magella, Fernie and Morgan Paige)

Composed, Arranged, and Produced by Ashanti Mutinta

Mixed by Will Owen Bennett
Recorded by Sarah Harris
Mastered by Richard Addison (Trillium Sound)
Creative Direction & MGMT by Méchant Vaporwave

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BACKXWASH

Website | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | Youtube

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

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Saya Gray, Sextile, cootie catcher, And More: Also Cool's Playlist Refresh

Bakers Eddy by Brianna Da Silva

Somehow, this is the first Playlist Refresh of 2025 – while we’re sorry to keep you waiting, we’re delighted to bring the beats.

Fresh from Also Cool HQ, a plethora of shiny new releases from artists like Fine Food Market, DJ Python, and Bakers Eddy. If something catches your ear, you can browse the rest of our Playlist Refresh series by saving our playlist on Spotify.

Consider your springtime outings soundtracked…

Shy at First by cootie catcher

cootie catcher - Shy at First (Cooked Raw)

Proficient in the realm of smart pop akin to The Moldy Peaches and Alex G, Toronto’s cootie catcher just dropped Shy at First, a melange of earnest deadpan vocals, college rock instrumentation, crochet tutorial samples and field recordings finessed with a melancholic indietronica flare.

I’m afraid to be in love with someone who crashes their car that much by Fine Food Market

Fine Food Market - “Sometimes” (Arbutus)

A gentle first offering from Montreal-based artist Fine Food Market ushers us into springtime. "Sometimes" is off of multidisciplinary artist Sophie Perras' upcoming EP I'm afraid to be in love with someone who crashes their car that much, which is set to release this May. "I'm just trying to figure it out" echoes throughout the song, weaving through cinematic instrumentals and an all-too-familiar feeling.

FILLY

FILLY - “Whatever Happens”

Vienna-based artist FILLY has crafted a stirring, shimmering anthem with “Whatever Happens.” The rising talent flexes her hyperpop proficiencies on this track, baking lacerated vocal melodies into a glitchy nosedive. “Blame it on me like you do all the time / Pressing myself into every shape and every size,” she coos, licking her wounds from the passenger seat of a love gone cold.

Frau Fatal by Das Beat

Das Beat - “Frau Fatal” (Arbutus)

Our favourite Berlin-based duo Das Beat have released their first full-length album Frau Fatal, that's as romantic as it is dancefloor-ready. The title track "Frau Fatal" is a playful take on The Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale," transforming it with a Berlin club-kid mentality.

SAYA by Saya Gray

Saya Gray - “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” (Dirty Hit)

Avant-garde musician Saya Gray hovers inches from the Earth on “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE ),” the first track on her sophomore record SAYA. Bright, folky guitars trudge along, punctuated by textured bubbles and forlorn echoes of pedal steel as Gray softly muses on betrayal.

Sextile

Sextile - “S is For” (Sacred Bones)

Hot off their recent North American tour, Sextile shares “S is For”, a hard-hitting synth-driven banger. “It’s not super relevant to Sextile, but with my other project ‘S. Product,’” Scaduto clarifies (for post-punk.com), “I was always asked what the S is for – it’s always really been a Scaduto product to me. But this song is a sassy way to explain how many things the S could be.” 

Watch the music video filmed during their tour with Molchat Doma below, and catch them live in Europe this summer.

DJ Python by Michelle Yoon

DJ Python ft. Isabella Lovestory - “Besos Robados” (XL Recordings)

DJ Python—a.k.a. Brian Piñeyro—will release the highly-anticipated five-track EP i was put on this earth next week, and his scorching collaboration with Isabella Lovestory teases what’s to come. The reggaeton single rides a steady, hypnotic groove, slowly pulling listeners into the lusty undertow. 

The phantasmic music video, directed by studio info founder Bailey Marklew, heightens the vibrations – watch it below.

Bakers Eddy by Brianna Da Silva

Bakers Eddy - “UFO”

We caught Bakers Eddy, a pop-punk band from Wellington, Aotearoa, at this year's New Colossus Festival. Fronted by Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Kahungunu singer Ciarann Babbington and backed by his childhood friends, the band channels the raw energy of 2006-era My Chemical Romance. With their electrifying live show, Bakers Eddy is guaranteed to revive your inner emo teenager.

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PREMIERE: Get Over Your Situationship With sineila's "Take It Or Leave It"

Take it or leave it! When the uncertainty of a situationship comes to a head, sineila's latest single "Take It or Leave It" is the way out. Watch the music video, shot, edited and directed by Everly Lux, below.

"Take It or Leave It" crackles and glistens – metallic twangs and blasted-out synths live in symbiosis with reverb-drenched moments of bliss, conjuring up a magical, digital, futuristic sonic world. The track takes you by the hand, running through the night, tripping and falling through emotions, only to come back self-assured and not taking any bullshit.

Produced in Montreal with Oren Ratowsky (Brutalismus 3000, Brooke Candy, Cecile Believe), the track blends hyperpop, indie sleaze, and krushclub, layering anthemic synths with a high BPM four-on-the-floor kick.

sineila is a hyperpop artist, born and raised in Montreal. Her musical journey began with learning classical piano, taking voice lessons, and studying classical violin, which transformed entirely with her recorded catalogue. Her sound combines alt-pop and electronic/dance motifs, yet remains deeply melodic and stirring.

Through it all, sineila's emotional, ethereal voice takes the spotlight, dancing with conviction over fluttering, often bass-heavy, beats.

"Take It or Leave It" is her first of several new releases in 2025 – ushering us all into her digital, dance-forward world.

sineila
Instagram | Spotify

Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.

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skulK!d Lights a Match in Ottawa's Downtown Core with Rage Rap-Focused Event GHETT0 G0THIC

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With an aim to provoke the 9-5 lullaby of the National Capital Region, rage rap artist skulK!d invites you to the second edition of GHETT0 G0THIC on Friday, February 28th at Club SAW. When night falls, GHETT0 G0THIC’s lineup of disruptive performers and DJs hailing from so-called Ottawa will swarm the beloved artist-run centre’s stage. This next installment of GHETT0 G0THIC will see performances by Treus Jones, Wes Calliope, Namix Kilowatt, skulK!d, Expired Youth, and a B3B DJ set from GothBitch, TTRILLS, and PC. 

Conceptually celebrating the unity of hip hop, punk and gothic aesthetics, the night also features a pop-up shop from local punk-inspired brand The Craaft and encourages attendees to embrace its crepuscular theme: Fuck Marry Kill. Suggested attire includes wedding dresses, veils, leather, lace, blood-soaked and tattered clothing, and red/black/white monochrome. 

The event series is the brainchild of skulK!d, the moniker of Ottawa-based hip hop artist, producer, DJ, event programmer and youth mentor, Tafari Hall. Paying homage to the New York warehouse club movement of the same name—created by Harlem’s DJ Venus X in 2009—Hall’s rendition of GHETT0 G0THIC acknowledges the relationship between tenets Black culture and gothic culture, previously reflected on by the concept’s original founder.

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Tafari Hall AKA skulK!d, photo courtesy of the artist

“Venus X’s thoughts on the connections between Black and Gothic culture have had a huge influence on me as an artist,” explains Hall. “Despite Black artists exploring darker themes through music, the space hasn’t been claimed historically by Black people. Suffering and trauma have followed me, and other Black artists, throughout our lives, and I wanted to create a rebellious outlet to explore these experiences while immersed in a thematic environment, as gothic elements have always intrigued me,” he adds. 

Like Venus X, Hall’s beginnings in the music industry began with DJing. Now performing predominantly as a solo artist, Hall is inspired by alternative rappers dominating cloud rap and trap circles, such as Playboi Carti and Trippie Redd, fashion brands like HPA, as well as filmmaker David Lynch. Having recently retired his previous pseudonym Yung Heat in favour of his skulK!d persona, the spirit of GHETT0 G0THIC wholly personifies Hall’s stylistic shift and musical aspirations. 

“With Yung Heat, I felt like I was going down a road of conformity. I wasn’t having fun, I like to call it selling out. skullK!d is embracing my inner child; my act of defiance against parts of myself that prioritize the needs and feelings of others over my own,” says Hall. “I think the hip hop scene [in Ottawa] has been very curated. I don’t want to subscribe to that, both in my sound and with what I bring to the community. Of course, I’m extremely privileged in my ability to experiment with my music. It’s not my means of putting food on the table and paying the bills.” 

While Hall moonlights with his artistic and curatorial pursuits, his primary calling is leading Produced By Youth, a by-and-for Black youth music mentorship program, of which he is a founder. While Hall notes that hip hop and its practitioners are being more widely celebrated in Ottawa, he feels there are few outlets that encourage experimentation and challenging the status quo. 

“While Produced By Youth is a space for people in hip hop and rap to experiment and rebel, we are limited in our ability to reach the entire Black community of Ottawa. I also don’t think GHETT0 G0THIC is necessarily going to solve all the issues affecting the local music scene, whether it be the lack of venues or opportunities. That said, I can lead by example and share the resources available to me to help others push the envelope, perform, book events and make noise. I’m hoping it will be enough to inspire others to continue the work or do more,” explains Hall. 

As the original stomping grounds of Produced By Youth, Club SAW continues to be Hall’s venue of choice to host GHETT0 G0THIC and other programming. A longstanding resident of Ottawa’s historic Arts Court building (the former Carleton County Court House, now home to artistic organizations of all disciplines) SAW Gallery and its adjacent programming spaces has supported politically and socially engaged mediums since its inception in 1973. Since relocating to Arts Court in 1989, the artist-run centre’s activism-oriented mandate has rendered evermore palpable due to the history of its walls.  

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skulK!d performing at Club SAW, courtesy of the artist

On Club SAW, Hall shares: “Being able to operate and reclaim radically in this institution, a City of Ottawa building, where unthinkable atrocities were brought upon Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour, is truly one of the most unique experiences of programming [arts events] Ottawa. The space nurtures creativity and gives back to the community,” he adds. 

Acting as the connective tissue for Ottawa’s subversive and gloomy, GHETT0 G0THIC will see protégés and collaborators from Hall’s inner circle deliver “unholy, unruly and unforgettable” performances from 8:00pm ‘til late. General admission tickets are available for $15 for a limited time. 

skulK!d

Instagram | Youtube | Spotify

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

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PREMIERE: Tachie Menson Confronts Heartache and the Bittersweet with “Another Day” (Music Video)

Tachie Menson by Sofía Andrade

Between harsh winds and endless snow storms, the Montreal winter is long and bitterly cold. Occasionally, however, the clouds give way and the sky opens up – “Another Day” is the sun emerging, that brief, exhilarating moment in which those warm rays kiss your skin. Hope is therefore the ethos that drives Nia Blankson—better known as Tachie Menson—as she professes love and loss over the dreamy melody of her first official release. 

Born in England and raised in Queens, Menson is a Montreal and New York City-based singer-songwriter, publisher, and multi-instrumentalist. Although “Another Day” is Menson’s first musical release under her new moniker, Menson has been making music for years – her rich, experimental, and genre-defying sound has been shaped by her education as a classical pianist at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, as well as her work as the frontman of her band, Pyjama Day. She has already established herself as a familiar face and force of nature within Montreal’s music scene. 

Still from “Another Day” music video, directed by Rachel Moghrabi

Released on February 1st, “Another Day” is Menson’s first solo R&B and indie-inspired project. Sonic and conceptual thinking for the track, however, began as early as September 2023. Under the guidance of her mentor, award-winning producer Zeboria Peters (RUSUR), the song took on its characteristic glittery and subtly melancholic shape. Planning for the music video then ensued, and filming took place in the fall and early winter of 2024. Director Rachel Moghrabi and cinematographer Sam Li were instrumental in sharpening the colourful vision that propels each careful frame.

As such, the video’s Valentine’s Day release is no coincidence. Shifting between classrooms at a local high school, “Another Day” follows Menson as she vies for her classmate’s attention. Menson’s longing is palpable – her eyes track her love interest throughout, yet the object of her affection puzzlingly brushes her off. This is the bittersweet note that “Another Day” opens with, of seemingly unrequited feelings, a near-universal experience within queer romances. As Menson leaves school for a house party, however, anticipation builds and builds and builds. Finally, the two reach for one another, ready to connect in the most meaningful way – “Another Day” leaves us with an open, yet optimistic, and largely tender ending. 

Peppered with over twenty vibrant extras, and helped along by countless friends and volunteers, Menson shares “the music video was a massive undertaking [... that] not only showcase[s her] work as a debuting solo artist, but also [...] what is possible through collaboration and finding community.” Menson, however, firmly remains the focal point of the video, her voice “flutter[ing]” as she gently strums her guitar. 

At its core, "Another Day" is a study in contradiction: it is a track that floats delicately, bookended by Menson’s airy acoustic guitar, yet the lyrics are grounded, cautious, and even expectant at times. Both sonically spacious and lyrically precise, the song is a testament to Menson’s acceptance of being untethered, in embracing artistic uncertainty and evolution.

There is indeed a beauty in waiting, in aching. The result is a simultaneously intimate and expansive track, made even more so by its introspective visual accompaniment. 

Watch the music video for “Another Day” below.

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Tachie Menson

Instagram | TikTok

Nawaal Bhuiyan is a Montreal-based Bangladeshi researcher, writer, and educator. She is the Head Literary Editor of Scatterbrain Magazine, and enjoys cooking, knitting, and watching reality TV in her spare time.

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Panda Bear, Toro y Moi, and Nourished by Time Set the Stage Aglow at MTELUS

Panda Bear at MTELUS, photo by Rebecca Judd

Tuesday brought a historic triple bill to MTELUS: psychedelic staples Panda Bear and Toro y Moi, backed by rising act Nourished by Time. As I huffed down Sainte-Catherine Street, my feet skating through the dreary sludge of Montreal winter, I pondered what I was about to see and just how it would collide. Hours later, I would make the same trek while lost in reverie, guarding the restorative energy of the evening close to my chest.

The evening began with Nourished by Time, the project of Baltimore’s Marcus Brown. The artist has garnered acclaim for their kaleidoscopic sound, fusing lo-fi pop, R&B, and countless other genres into their compositions. Shortly after 8 PM, Brown’s three-piece flocked to the stage, and it didn’t take long to get bodies shuffling. Brown is a fascinating performer; their fragmented contorsions and rich vocal timbre command your attention with ease. The standout from this set was easily “Daddy,” pulsating and raw in its emotion.

Nourished by Time at MTELUS, photo by Rebecca Judd

Once Nourished by Time had wrapped up, I peered behind me, where I was met with a predictable sea of rolled-up beanies and wire frames. The atmosphere in the room had intensified, and many fans could be heard speculating on the impending sets or gushing about their favourite albums. 

Panda Bear (otherwise known as Noah Lennox) was next to emerge, and there was plenty to anticipate. His forthcoming album Sinister Grift (Domino) has been touted as a rock-forward revelation, sporting inputs from Cindy Lee, The Spirit of the Beehive’s Rivka Ravede, and—a Panda Bear first—the other members of Animal Collective. When Panda Bear and his backing band emerged, they did so modestly – with the exception of bassist Tim Koh’s comically-timed elf sweater. Before long, the venue was subdued by a jangly fog. 

Panda Bear at MTELUS, photo by Rebecca Judd

Panda Bear deployed hallucinatory visuals throughout the show, which were crafted by longtime collaborator Danny Perez. Technicolour terriers, a swarth of chrome masks, and waves of jagged slate awakened the senses while looping with velocity. The band maintained a sharp, unbothered focus throughout the night, allowing these images to heighten the experience in whichever way (if at all) it made sense to the crowd.

But don’t be fooled, I was there for the sound – and what a cohesive sound it was. The Panda Bear setlist included dynamic selections from Sinister Grift along with reworked numbers from the artist’s colourful career. This current band arrangement meant that many of said numbers manifested with an alluring coarseness, such as my personal favourite “Slow Motion.” The new material was similarly engaging, “Ends Meet” dominating the pack with its soothing harmonies (padded by Ravede and Maria Reis) and its percussive clomp. Notably missing was “Defense,” the first single from Sinister Grift, which features a searing guitar solo from Cindy Lee. This was a strange decision, as it would have been warmly received at a Canadian tour stop, but there was still plenty to chew on.

Panda Bear has sustained ample comparison to Brian Wilson in his career, but his yelpy, agile inflections conjured images of Ezra Koenig. There were also pepperings of country in Lennox’s aggressive guitar work, which beckoned intrigue about the stories one would hear on Sinister Grift. Looking back at the crowd revealed furrowed brows and nodding heads, studiously absorbing Lennox’s every move.

Toro y Moi at MTELUS, photo by Rebecca Judd

At this point, MTELUS was ready for Toro y Moi. When Chaz Bear and his crew took to the stage, beaming with pride to be back in Montreal, they were greeted with fervour. The night picked up speed with songs like “Mirage” and “Laws of the Universe,” and Bear sank effortlessly into those vibrations. Making use of every inch of the stage, his charm was intoxicating – he embodies this delicate cheekiness that makes you feel as though you’re the only one on the floor. This furthered the sentiment behind songs like “Girl Like You,” which attendees emphatically shouted back at him.

Wrapped up in such emotion, you can imagine how puzzling it was to hear “Who likes picking up dog poo?”. Bear then tossed out a few handfuls of Toro y Moi-branded dog poop bags with a grin. “Pass some to the back,” he implored at one point, with many stuck on how that merch came about in the first place.

Toro y Moi at MTELUS, photo by Rebecca Judd

From there, the audience was swept away with a selection of tracks from Bear’s latest album Hole Erth (Dead Oceans). This release boasts a sharp emo-trap angle which has provoked dissent amongst the masses: while some view it as noble experimentation, others (particularly earlier fans) have struggled to savour the taste. I found that this crop of songs landed pretty well amongst the crowd; those who were trying to make sense of it were welcome to retire. Bear blissfully carried on, shining through numbers like the punk-tinged “Tuesday” – a track where Bear yearns for the sonic versatility that many refuse to embrace.

The front of the room may have held the most immersive Panda Bear experience, but I came to learn that the reverse was true for Toro’s fans. I shuffled to a staircase near the bar around “Ordinary Pleasure” and caught a vision of limbs waving back and forth to the disco force. Several attendees had assembled a full-fledged dance circle, their hips perfectly synchronized to the beat. There was refreshing connectivity amongst those who surrendered to the sound, unburdened by superiority. Bear closed the night off with a cover of his glittering Flume collab “The Difference” – a fitting reward for those whose hearts had been in it all along.

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Nourished by Time

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Panda Bear

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Toro y Moi

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

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Playing Dress-up: Unpacking the Artistry of Yolande Laroche

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Yolande Laroche by François Mittins

One way or another, you have likely run into Yolande Laroche in the Ottawa music scene. The Hull-based musician is omnipresent; she is a member of the acclaimed art-rock group Pony Girl and the experimental trio KAY-fayb, a solo artist known as Orchidae, and a classical music educator, amongst many other things. Armed with an admirable work ethic and limitless creativity, Laroche has a lot to look forward to.

For one, she’s on the lineup of Crystallize, the latest Congrego venture co-presented by Also Cool and Dominion City. Held on Saturday, February 15th at Club SAW, the supercharged festival features a slew of rising talent from Ottawa, Montreal, and beyond, compiled by guest curators Geunf and Fiamma. Laroche has eagerly teased that her sound will be “dark electronic music leaning into techno,” fit to break winter’s frost and set the dance floor ablaze.

Laroche is also fresh from the release of “Sun and the Stars,” her latest offering as indie-pop superstar Orchidae. The uplifting disco-inspired song marks the first single from her forthcoming debut True Beginning, out April 4th via Birthday Cake Records. But despite its vibrant groove, the roots of “Sun and the Stars” reveal something deeper. Laroche notes that the song depicts a codependent romantic relationship from her past. “‘Sun and the Stars' represents a longing for that firework type of love, then losing yourself in the idea of it – no longer being present in your body, with who you are as a person,” she explains. “It was important for me to not just give my attention to my sad persona because I can linger in that if I let myself. I really wanted to lean into the joy that I experience as I'm exploring my personhood and relieving myself from that relationship where I disappeared and I needed to find myself again.”

That joy is palpable in the song’s music video, which was shot, edited, and directed by Conor DeVries. The video features a liberated Laroche rocking a warm-toned two-piece as she struts through the bare halls of Axenéo7 in Gatineau. I remark that this stripped-back set allows the message of the song to shine. “I wanted to dance. I wanted to hold the microphone as if I was performing on stage,” Laroche recalls. “We had access to this perfectly square window, and we got up early to catch the sunrise. That was important – with ‘Sun and the Stars,’ we wanted to integrate sunlight and work with the space.” At one point, there is a cheeky glimmer of Laroche’s tooth gem, which she reveals is a call-back to her album cover shoot with François Mittins. “I wanted to bring as much world-building as possible. I love artists who go far into the visual aspect of their music, [and] that is something I aspire to do.”

Laroche shares that True Beginning has been in the works since 2019, propelled by the strong desire to articulate her voice and celebrate her evolution. She points out that her mental health journey is entwined in the album’s narrative: “I wasn't at peace, and with that conflict within me I saw two options – either I could try to figure it out or it was going to get worse. [The music] really comes from an honest willingness to discover my heart and see if I can relieve myself of my emotions.” By embracing the art of vulnerability, she has discovered that she can help others heal from their journeys. “I’m mixed race, I'm queer, so those two things can feel alienating,” Laroche admits. “I’m hoping that [the album] can allow people to dive [into] their own minds and hearts, just by giving them the language to talk about their experiences.”

The Orchidae project clearly stands amongst a collection, but while these paths may appear to lead in many directions, Laroche insists there is a sense of harmony. “I found that what I love is exploring music in all of its facets. Through the different arrangements, it's still my voice, but I'm putting on a different costume. I think that everything that I'm showing up with is a sum of all of my experiences.” Laroche remains unburdened by genre, and this allows her to remain curious under any conditions: “If a song is good, it doesn't matter what dressing you're putting on it. It can be country, pop, or a dance track. As long as the core of it is meaningful, it’ll be good.”

And she laughs while pointing out another truth: “I think I want to make myself as hireable as possible, and I want to say ‘yes’ to as many things as I can. In doing so, I've opened up my community, and I’m able to show what I can do because I'm not just a ‘one-trick Pony Girl.’” The creativity never stops, it just exerts itself with different forces.

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Yolande Laroche by François Mittins

This is why it’s so exciting to have another chapter of Laroche’s story unfold at Crystallize, where she will be performing under her full name. Laroche recalls the beginning of her foray into electronica: inspired by Marie Davidson’s performance at MUTEK, which she describes as “transcendental,” she harnessed that energy to create a brand-new set for the September 2024 edition of Pique. “I've always been so traditional in my writing – starting with piano and arranging it with musicians. This Yolande Laroche material is all done on the computer, but [it is] still coming from my diary.” Laroche clarifies that this project is not record-ready, but it occupies a similar space to Orchidae in her mind: it’s another chance to control her narrative with confidence. DJing might present a learning curve, but it’s one that she is determined to navigate.

As Laroche prepares to take the Crystallize stage, she drops a few nods to other names on the bill. “I'm super excited about Sineila,” she gushes. “I met her at a Pop Montreal mentorship program, which was probably the best industry event that I’ve ever attended. I've listened to her music online, but I think the live experience, especially for her kind of music—which is hyperpop—you want to see that live. She kills it on the costumes.”

She also speaks highly of Sweet Morgane, an Ottawa-based DJ who’s enriched the scene as one-half of the team behind Fortress. “I love her energy and her fits.” For a little while, we chat about groups like Fortress—and Congrego—who step up to the plate to craft productions that the Ottawa community can be proud of. “There is a hunger [for that programming],” Laroche muses. “It takes so much work to build community events and plan them, and not everyone has that capacity, so I’m grateful for those who do.”

Curious to experience one of Yolande Laroche’s many characters IRL? Join us for Crystallize, Congrego’s latest production on Saturday, February 15th from 8 PM-2 AM at Club SAW. Early-bird tickets are sold out, but you can still snag some advance tickets for $25 at the link below!

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Yolande Laroche

Instagram | Spotify | Bandcamp

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

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Also Cool's Taverne Tour 2025 Top Picks

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Bundle up, Montreal! It’s time for Taverne Tour. From February 6th-8th, 2025, Taverne Tour’s boundless programming will sprawl across the main street venues of Montreal’s iconic Plateau borough. Offering a wide stylistic spectrum from garage, punk and hardcore to rap, electronic music, neo soul and rock & roll, Taverne Tour’s lineup showcases homegrown mainstays and notable touring talent. Aside from the Also Cool showcase on February 7th at O Patro Vys, here are our recommendations for your Taverne Tour musical checklist!  

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Ada Lea by Monse Muro

Montreal alternative singer-songwriter Ada Lea always has us at the edge of our seats, attentively parsing over every word she sounds out in her intimate sets. Known for her melancholic 2022 Polaris long-listed sophomore album one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden, Lea has a third album in the works for later this year, which is rumoured to be her best yet. Her stunning 2024 EP notes leaves us eager to reencounter Lea’s raw, character-focused songwriting in the flesh.

Ada Lea plays Saturday, February 8th at La Sala Rossa.

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Chandra by Kate Young

The 1980 cult album Transportation from NYC-born mutant disco troubadour Chandra is a cherished gem in the Also Cool record vault. Four decades later, interpretations of her pre-teen new wave revelations are still infectiously danceable, and have toured with the CHANDRA band across Canada, the United States, and all the way to Barcelona’s Primavera Sound festival. The current iteration of the CHANDRA band includes members of Bile Sister, Body Breaks, New Chance, MISZCZYK and Blonde Elvis, among others. 

The CHANDRA band plays on Saturday, February 8th at Le Ministère.

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Fraud Perry by Alex Apostolidis

For those who have yet to experience the undeniable star power of Montreal hip hop artist Fraud Perry, you’re in for a treat. Described as the lovechild of Doja Cat, Rico Nasty and Azealia Banks (with the Also Cool addition of a sprinkle of Doechii), Perry’s witty flow and Southern charm commands a room, leaving audiences enchanted and utterly gagged. Hot off the release of her Goodybag mixtape this past fall, we anticipate a class-act performance, complete with Perry’s signature double entendres and punk attitude. 

Fraud Perry plays on Friday, February 7th at Le Belmont. 

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The Gories by Daniel Kroha

Another must-see act from this year’s Taverne Tour lineup is seminal garage rock trio The Gories. Formed in Detroit in 1986, the band’s visceral approach to its signature “punk blues” sound is a beacon of DIY excellence. With an expansive lore (which includes recording in a tin shack, releasing a Spinal Tap cover on Sub Pop, breaking up and eventually reuniting), these forerunners of Motor City noise bring an essential chapter of musical education to the festival. 

The Gories play Saturday, February 8th at Le Belmont. 

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Lip Critic via Taverne Tour

New York City’s Lip Critic intrigues with the amount of sound four people can produce. Composed of two drummers, two samplers and vocals, Lip Critic’s charging collision of digital hardcore, punk and industrial incites head banging and wide-toothed grins. The band’s 2024 album Hex Dealer (Partisan Records), is a totally uninhibited desecration of the powers that be, and a new favourite listen for fans of The Garden, YHWH Nailgun and Death Grips.      

Lip Critic plays Saturday, February 8th at La Sotterenea.

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Ribbon Skirt by Ani Harroch

A live performance from hometown heroes Ribbon Skirt is always on our radar. Formerly known as Love Language, the band is led by musician Tashiina Buswa with support from her close friend and collaborator Billy Riley.  With their debut album Bite Down set to arrive April 11th via Mint Records, Ribbon Skirt’s latest brings a darker, more experimental atmosphere to the indie rock duo’s effervescent energy, exploring themes of memory, grief and Buswa’s connection to her Anishinaabe identity and cultural practices. 

Ribbon Skirt plays on Thursday, February 6th at La Sala Rossa.

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Taverne Tour

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Butterflies, Cuckoos and Vampire Daydreams: The “Flower of the Soul” Experience

Liana Flores by Magdalena Styś

For a few hours on the evening of November 10th, time stopped in Rotterdam’s Rotown club. There was no sold-out show, no merch stand, no warm, starry night outside the venue walls; there was only a stage ruled by a kind forest witch who, armed with a guitar, a band and a delightful sense of humour, invited everyone in the building to forget the miserable mundanities of everyday life and step into her fairytale world.

Flower of the Soul is the first feature-length release of the indie British-Brazilian artist Liana Flores, whose name might bring back faint memories of pandemic-era TikTok – in 2021, Flores experienced a rise in popularity as her comforting and introspective “rises the moon” went viral on social media. While her distinctive style shines through both her previous and more contemporary releases—especially in its romantic lyricism, with nature as a recurring motif—Flower of the Soul is a much more polished showcase of Flores’s artistry.

Flower of the Soul takes the best elements of the genres it derives from – folk and bossa nova – and through its delicate vocals and layered instrumentals it crafts an enchanting experience filled with wonder and tenderness. It’s the definitive soundtrack for an afternoon spent daydreaming by the windowsill, a nostalgic journey back home or a walk through the forest. It’s a painkiller for the yearning soul and restless mind, which is especially clear to those lucky enough to hear the songs performed live.

Flores’ captivating stage presence faithfully mirrors the ethereal qualities of the album. Interspersed with astronomy facts (did you know that on Jupiter, it rains diamonds?) and vampirical daydreams, the performance lifts the audience from their everyday concerns and keeps them focused on the set in front of them. “Hello again,” which marks the beginning of both the record and Flores’ set, is one of those songs that gains a second life when heard live, with the call-and-response chorus building an immediate sense of camaraderie in the audience. “I wish for the rain,” a simple yet devastatingly sincere recount of the end of a relationship, was one of the definite highlights of the album, and its live rendition made the quiet post-breakup agony of the song even more piercing. Other noteworthy parts of the show included “Butterflies” and “Cuckoo”, to which Flores referred as a “double creature feature,” “Nightvisions,” which the Spotify genre algorithm could probably describe as “romantic-novel-protagonist-core,” and “Halfway heart,” the perfect description of complicated relationships.

The supporting act from the hypnotizing Raquel Martins, an absolute hidden gem of the singer-songwriter genre, only elevated the experience. Martins was possibly the perfect opener for the show; her performance, which included the hauntingly beautiful single “Empty Flower” from an EP of the same title, was intertwined with asides about the nature of being a musician and the experience of moving away from home. 

While the album itself provides a wonderful listening experience, the live renditions of the songs gain a new layer of depth and vitality, making it an essential set for any bossa nova fan. Thankfully, Flores has already announced more tour dates for 2025 – right now, you can expect to hear her live in February and July.

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Liana Flores

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Magdalena Styś is a writer and poet currently based in Amsterdam.

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Bladee Transforms Montreal's Igloofest Into A Frozen Dreamscape

Photos by Maggie Aulman

On Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, Bladee transformed Montreal's Igloofest into a frozen dreamscape with the best live set we've seen from him yet.

Igloofest usually hosts at least one underground or alternative night a year (last year's was 100 Gecs and Surf Gang)—appealing to the city’s younger audience. The crowd was completely unfazed by the cold, with a respectful moshpit breaking out almost immediately. Both Drainers and new Bladee fans alike were dancing and cheering together all night long.

Photos by Maggie Aulman

Bladee jumped onto the stage waving his signature jagged flag, ushering us into "Paranoia Intro" and the usual Cold Visions album setlist. However, instead of his usual routine (widely documented on TikTok during this tour cycle), he dropped rave remixes of some of his biggest tracks, including "BBY" and "Be Nice to Me".

Photos by Maggie Aulman

Overall, it was an excellent set, with everyone from VIP to the back of of the massive crowd screaming Bladee’s lyrics. On the way out, everyone talked about how it was the best set they'd seen from him in years. Bladee’s Cold Visions aesthetic was completed by the perfectly timed snow flurries, dusting the shoulders of Igloofest goers in bright snow gear.

Igloofest continues this weekend! Get your tickets here.

Words by Malaika Astorga
Photos by Maggie Aulman

Photos by Maggie Aulman

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Cold Visions Take Over Igloofest 2025 (Bladee, Zeds Dead, Skepta, Strawberry Gothcake)

In true Drain Gang fashion... 𝓒𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓥𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 have come to Igloofest this year with killer headliners like Apashe, Four Tet, Marie Davidson, Strawberry Gothcake, and—of course, the Icedancer himself—Bladee.

The coldest festival of the year kicked off last weekend with Michael Bibi, Apashe, and Claptone, who had all the colourful snow-suit-clad ravers dancing the night away. The programming continues this week, with Bladee on Thursday, Zeds Dead on Friday, and Skepta on Sunday.

If you're questioning whether the cold is worth it, each major headliner has two supporting acts and a healthy dose of official afterparties branded as "Après-Ski." London's COUCOU CHLOÉ, Swedish House Mafia's own Steve Angello, Turkish star Mahmut Orhan and Belgian producer Maxi Meraki will also grace the stage of Igloofest this year. Plus, the programming includes local legends of all kinds, pulling from every corner of Montreal's underground rave scene – including Homeby6, Strawberry Gothcake, Lia Plutonic, and Unicorn.

You'll find us at Bladee's set on the 23rd and Strawberry Gothcake's showcase on the 31st, but it's safe to say that every weekend is absolutely stacked with heavy hitters.

Igloofest

Tickets | Instagram

Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.

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Interview: Franki Charms with Electropop Antics on Debut EP "All the Things I Try to Say"

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Helena Palmer AKA Franki

Like a chandelier suspended over a crowded dancefloor, Franki’s debut EP All the Things I Try to Say fractalizes flirtatious embers for all that relish in its captivating electropop beams. The new project of singer-songwriter, producer and visual director Helena Palmer arrives in the afterglow of Brat summer, here to thaw the stillness of Montreal winters with an atmosphere that evokes steamy nightclub windows to meet cutes under apartment fairy lights. 

Having conceived the project exactly a year ago during a sojourn in Ottawa, Palmer returned to Montreal with new-found creative determination, inspired by switching musical gears. 

“With my first acoustic project under my real name [Helena Palmer], I had a difficult time finding my place here in Montreal. I didn’t feel a sense of community, and it was disheartening. I was looking up to pop artists like Charli XCX, Grimes and Björk while playing guitar solo, and I didn’t feel like I had a fully-fledged identity. While I was in Ottawa for eight months last year, I decided to mess around with electronic production, and out of that I was able to launch a whole new project and everything snowballed from there. By the time I returned to Montreal in May, I had a ton of self-booked shows under my belt as Franki, and now I’m being considered for festivals and have my own scene of peers at similar points of their musical journeys. The project has helped me solidify my place as an artist here, and it’s been heartwarming and reassuring,” shares Palmer. 

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Franki on the set of her “I’m A Mess” music video, photo courtesy of the artist

While guitar composition will be making a comeback in Palmer’s musical arsenal—whether or not the project continues in its current vein of IDGAF pop—she emphasizes that reinventing her songwriting approach was a cornerstone in the genesis of Franki.  

“When I was writing primarily on guitar, I would often start with lyrics in my Notes app – words that I had been accumulating. Right now, I’m more inspired by sounds that I hear in music or life in general. I try to go for a ‘feel’ when I’m composing electronically, and then I'll weave in the lyrics afterwards,” she says. “I’ve been bouncing back and forth between both my old and new processes, as I find playing guitar very therapeutic and it helps me to think things through. For example, the lyrics and the melody of the EP’s title track came to me as one thing, and then I made an instrumental to go along with it. Whereas ‘Act Clever’ started as a track that I’d made in a single morning that was later influenced lyrically by a conversation I had with a friend later that day. ‘Jeans’ was actually the first song I wrote the day I moved back to Montreal,” adds Palmer. 

Emulating the upbeat fizz of 00s pop in the background of her childhood in England, All the Things I Try to Say embraces both the carefree spirit of being young in a vibrant city, as well as the growing pains of comparison haunting your mid-twenties.  All the Things I Try to Say thrives in its duality – with themes of self-doubt and feeling second best filtered through frothy, distorted UKG beats, punchy production and Franki’s bubbly vocals and cheeky lyricism. Capturing the vibrations of her close-knit music community, Palmer actually met the album’s producer Oren Ratowsky (Cecile Believe, Enjoy, Cowgirl Clue) one night at beloved St-Hubert Plaza club, Le Système.

On collaborating with Ratowsky, Franki recalls: “Working with Oren was the first time I’d ever sent someone else my finished tracks. He was very patient with my—let’s say carefree—way of making music, and the back and forth between us was a great lesson for me in learning to be assertive. I’m so stoked on the final product. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever worked on, and we’ve talked about co-producing together in the future.”

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All the Things I Try to Say album cover

Franki’s perfectly imperfect pop approach comes to life in her new music video for “I’m A Mess”. Directed and edited by Palmer herself, alongside Kyra Saad and Chloé Galarneau, “I’m A Mess” sees Franki and her entourage indulging in a Marie Antoinette-style dinner party à la Sofia Coppola with a little more indie sleaze flavour on the menu. Inspired by “the original messy girls” in the 1966 film Daisies by Věra Chytilová, on the video Palmer comments:

“‘I’m a Mess’ is about feeling chaotic. It captures the intensity of taking on too many tasks when you’re trying to reach a certain level and attain success in different areas of your life, while not giving yourself enough time to process [it all] or rest. It comes from that feeling that you should always be doing more.”

On All the Things I Try to Say, Franki reminds us that quote unquote success is overrated and impossible to define, and that we deserve to let loose and embrace the curveballs life throws our way: “So wear your heart on your face / And don’t be afraid / That when you speak / Someone might hear / Act big / Act clever / It’s your life girl / So do whatever you want”.

Franki plays the Also Cool Taverne Tour showcase on February 7th, 2025 at O Patro Vys in Montreal alongside Fireball Kid & Ura Star, Los3r and Public Appeal. Get your tickets and explore the festival lineup below!

Franki

Instagram | Spotify | Youtube

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

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Nabihah Iqbal On the Art of DJing, Knowledge Sharing, Mentorship and More

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Nabihah Iqbal by Joseph Hayes, via the artist’s website

A virtuoso and undeniable taste-maker, London-based artist, producer, curator, broadcaster, and DJ Nabihah Iqbal says she could have never imagined the impact that her finely-tuned ear would have on audiences across the world. After extensively touring her 2023 album DREAMER for the last 18 months—all while igniting dancefloors in between—the globetrotting Iqbal reminisces watching people relate to her music as the “most incredible experience” of her musical tenure. 

“I was reminded of the power of live music one night while in Minneapolis at 7th Street Entry when I left the stage feeling better than going on. I was feeling ill and tired that night, and just having a sense that it wasn’t going to be a good show. But I was met with the most beautiful crowd who had such good energy, so much so that I actually got emotional on stage. Though it was a smaller audience than others I had seen on tour, [the show] just did something to me that I had never felt before.” 

Joining our virtual call from Upstate New York, where she is currently crafting a string-quartet composition, Iqbal’s warmth and candor are no match for the fuzz of our Google Meet signal. 

Iqbal tells me the classical commission marks her first time working with multiple stringed instruments (apart from her signature polka-dotted electric guitar) and has introduced a welcomed challenge to her usual creative process. 

“Even though I composed all the parts on [DREAMER], this is the first time I’m working with instruments I’ve never played before, like violin, viola, and cello. I’m normally thinking more about the relationship between the individual instruments when I’m writing my own music. But in the case of string instruments, you can’t just play a chord, there’s a lot of movement.” 

In having to think outside the box, Iqbal teases that she would love to incorporate a string ensemble into her next album, which she says will be her next project once she wraps this musical residency. 

When not serenading listeners with her atmospheric post-punk-influenced dream pop, Iqbal also moonlights as a DJ as a resident on NTS radio. She has graced the stage at Boiler Room, LAB LDN, Sacred Ground, and The Lot Radio among others, as well as clubs from coast to coast. As a crate digger with a background in ethnomusicology, Iqbal’s sets deliver top selections spanning genres such as Funk, Soul Jazz, Afrobeat, Dub, Disco, and more. 

From being brought to tears by a Shakuhachi flute player in Kyoto, engulfed in the spiritual trance of a Sufi percussion circle in Lahore, and stumbling upon a polyphonic ensemble of Booboo pipe players on a beach in Sierra Leone, Iqbal gratefully credits her expansive palette to experiencing the role of music in different cultures around the world.  

Though musicianship and DJing occupy different notches in Iqbal’s artistic belt, she says their influence on one another is indisputable. 

“When you love music, you just absorb so much of it. What I create is a product of everything that goes into my brain. The amazing thing about DJing is that it really helps you understand more about the human relationship to music. It’s been there since the start of time, people moving their bodies to sound. It’s a primordial thing, and so much more than just playing music for people to dance to. It’s about taking people on a physical, spiritual, and mental journey,” explains Iqbal. 

“When I watch more senior DJs, people like Moody Man, Gilles Peterson, or Benji B – they’re way more in tune with what DJing is and it's such an amazing experience. It’s what I aspire to cultivate. I love playing all kinds of different music with no boundaries – it’s all about how it makes you feel. The only thing is, it has to make you dance!”, she laughs. 

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Nabihah Iqbal DJing at NTS, via Friends of Friends / Freunde von Freunden

More recently, Iqbal had the opportunity to step into a musical leadership role at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in her hometown. Growing up near the St. John’s Wood neighborhood of London as a lifelong music enthusiast, Iqbal’s dream to explore Abbey Road Studios came true when she was selected to mentor a younger artist as part of its Amplify program.  

“It was such an exciting and special experience to be recognized by such an iconic studio as someone who could come in and play the role of mentor. While the internet has democratized music and knowledge sharing, and the industry is starting to move in the right direction, I still feel like there isn’t enough acknowledgment of women producers,” she says. 

Motivated by reinforcing the importance of reciprocity and encouragement in musical dynamics, Iqbal said she and the studio audio engineer, Seth, were happy to take the backseat and let her mentee Emily drive their recording session. 

“For her, it was a lot of first times: first time in the studio, first time using professional gear, first time using her voice. I really wanted her to feel like she was leading everything that day," adds Iqbal. 

Whether in physical or virtual spaces, Iqbal is committed to fostering inclusivity across all levels of the industry: “I think there needs to be more space made for goodwill rather than territorialism. The whole point of music is sharing. Without it, music wouldn’t exist at all.” 

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With musings for a new record forthcoming, Iqbal is set to tour in February and March supporting American singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten. In the meantime, she is in midst of a DJ stint between NYC and Canada. Her tour will conclude in Montreal, where she will headline Also Cool’s first show of 2025 on January 25th at Le Système. Iqbal’s DJ set is not to be missed, as well as those from Also Cool Co-Founders Malaika Astorga (flleur) and Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (Lamb Fatale). Early bird tickets are sold out! Get your second tier tickets below. See you on the dancefloor!

Nabihah Iqbal

Website | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | Youtube

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

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2024 In Review (Also Cool's Top Albums)

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Listen along with the official Sounds Cool 2024 playlist!

Available on YouTube and Spotify below.

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2hollis - boy
Electroclash has merged with cloud rap, creating 2hollis, the bleach blonde “god boy.” Backed by his SoundCloud cult following, 2hollis gained exponential momentum opening for Ken Carson on tour earlier this year, and will be headlining his own tour in 2025. boy is as aggressive as it is tender, with almost ambient tracks like “you said my name for the first time,” contrasting with 2009-electroclash-pop style bangers like “two bad.” The album was also produced by 2hollis, and feels sonically unafraid – melding genres in a way that’s innovative without being obnoxious. 

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Alix Fernz - Bizou (Mothland)

“On Bizou, Fernz leads us down a drainpipe into an unabashed, palpitating reverie of studded leather, troublemaking and lipstick-stained dive bar mirrors. Produced in the bedrooms of three different apartments, with vocals tracked on Fernz’s iPhone mic, Bizou fearlessly criss-crosses remnants of bratty 70s-punk with new wave romanticism in a blistering 32-minutes.” 

- Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter, From Bartender to Headliner: Montreal's Alix Fernz Turns Heads with Debut Album "Bizou" (Mothland), April 15th, 2024

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Banggz - 4 THE BANGGERZ 

“The sophomore record of Nigerian-born, Ottawa-based Afro-rap vanguard Banggz has been on repeat since it dropped earlier [this year]. Aptly titled 4 THE BANGGERZ, the album delivers hit after hit along with a star-studded cast of featured performers, including City Fidelia, Asuquomo, and Jahmeema. 4 THE BANGGERZ sees Banggz ambitiously craft a ‘sonic escape,’ fusing West African rhythms, futuristic soundscapes and energetic anthems of resilience, identity and camaraderie.” 

- Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter - Also Cool’s Playlist Refresh, August 20th, 2024

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Bladee - Cold Visions (Trash Island)

Evil music is so back. Ice king Bladee is leading the way with his confessionary crash-out album Cold Visions. The 30-track album rips into feelings of paranoia, feeling too old to be in the room, and self-isolation, featuring long-time collaborators including Yung Sherman, Yung Lean, Whitearmor, Thaiboy Digital, and Ecco2k. Lyrically, the album ranges from spiralling mantras (“One second in my bag”) to the kinds of things you tell yourself when you’re too high (“I’m normal / In the club dressed formal”). Overall, it’s an icy dive into Bladee’s mind, leaving drainers everywhere rejoicing.

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Cecile Believe - Tender the Spark (ambient tweets / Supernature)

Cecile Believe is your favourite artist’s favourite artist, point blank. Tender the Spark is introspective and indulgent all at once, and has ushered in the recognition she deserves after years of innovation in the pop sphere. “The world didn’t even, but it feels like it’s gone now / Late stage self-portrait, last ride let’s kill it.” If “Blink Twice” is the invitation, “Ponytail” is a free fall dive into Cecile’s world.

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Chanel Beads - Your Day Will Come (Jagjaguwar)

Lush, hopeful, and gorgeous, Chanel Beads offered Your Day Will Come into the world this year, and was met with mass appreciation for their mystic optimism. “You owe it to yourself, gotta believe in something else / Good people out of view / Soul to bear.” Everything from the reverb of their guitars to angelic vocal treatments feels like it came from another realm – reaching its hand out to try and touch the future. 

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Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee (Realistik Studios)

Modestly released unto the masses in early spring, the staggering beauty of Cindy Lee’s Diamond Jubilee has incited a near-universal cotton candy trance. The creative aptitude of the artist otherwise known as Patrick Flegel has reverberated at different frequencies for the past two decades, but their vision for Diamond Jubilee falls perfectly into place. The record boasts a cinematic romanticism that is concurrently enlightened and instinctual. Flegel’s narrative unfurls with rigour (122 minutes, to be exact) – a psychedelic deer-legged odyssey through satin sheets and bleary dreams.

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cumgirl8 - the 8th cumming (4AD)

With their anticipated debut record the 8th cumming, cumgirl8 channels their avant-garde spark into a satisfying collection. The group unabashedly delivers a searing industrial sound with the likes of “uti,” while flirting with softer territory through the dream-pop weightlessness of “girls don’t try.” Inspired by Siouxsie, Ladytron, et plus, cumgirl8 have penned the next chapter on feminist punk.

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The Dare - What’s Wrong With New York? (Republic Records)

From dropping his gig as a substitute teacher to producing for Charli XCX, it's safe to say The Dare made an explosive entrance in 2024 with his debut long-player What’s Wrong With New York? While some thought the Dimes Square trickster on a mission to resuscitate indie sleaze wouldn’t stay relevant post-TikTok virality, the fresh-faced Harrison Patrick Smith remains plastered across tour posters and fashion outlets in his signature black suit and tie. Pumping out certified club hits for the sake of raunchy, hedonistic entertainment, The Dare makes music for those of us who came of age reblogging doe-eyed American Apparel ads with the weight of Web 3.0 looming on the horizon.

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Fontaines D.C. - Romance (XL Recordings)

This album first entered the Also Cool consciousness in Paris this summer, when every bar we went to somehow played Romance all night long. While we’ve been big fans of the band for quite some time and were happy to hear they were getting recognition, but we had no idea how successful the album had become. The innovative, surging yet punchy composition, paired with vulnerable and gritty lyricism, grabs you by the throat and leaves you wanting more. Fontaines D.C. has set a new bar for indie rock (although you can hardly call hundreds of millions of streams indie), and has given the industry a hard shove in the right direction. 

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Khruangbin - A La Sala (Dead Oceans)

Houston trio Khruangbin cast a spell of surfy grooves with their latest album A La Sala. The psych-funk record is assured in its composition, rejecting flourish for atmosphere, and it yields an uplifting result. While there are strutting basslines and loungey guitar licks aplenty, A La Sala is meant to be enjoyed in all its leisure. Every song is another petal swaying in the breeze.

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Kim Gordon - The Collective (Matador Records)

Underground polymath Kim Gordon celebrated her 71st solar return touring her fearless post-rock opus The Collective. Released this past March, The Collective serves up a “blistering collage of dissonant guitar [with] an ear-splitting trap underbelly” (Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter - Also Cool’s Playlist Refresh, February 23rd, 2024). With diaristic meditations on doom scrolling, heteronormativity and the mainstream, paired with noisy, gripping and avant-garde bed tracks, Gordon’s sophomore solo venture proves that she has yet to rest on her (self-taught) musical laurels. 

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Mdou Moctar - Funeral For Justice (Matador Records)

Mdou Moctar continues to dominate psych rock with his 6th studio album Funeral for Justice. On Funeral for Justice, the Saharan desert blues guitarist and singer, alongside his equally impressive band, delivers a masterful denunciation of France’s colonial legacy in his homeland of Niger. Embracing rebellious tones and an accelerated pace— all while uplifting Moctar’s Indigenous mother tongue of Tamasheq from start to finish— Funeral for Justice is an impeccably produced protest album and a steadfast commitment to honouring one’s roots.

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Molchat Doma - Belaya Polosa (Sacred Bones Records)

Molchat Doma have long been the reference point when it comes to dark-wave, post-punk and cold-wave. Their music is the meeting point for goths, vampires, and just about every Eastern European Brutalist video edit on the Internet. Belaya Polosa, released earlier this year via Sacred Bones, expands their universe with new techno-adjacent soundscapes, while staying true to their post-punk origins, and of course, heartbreaking lyrics. The album explores their new reality in Los Angeles and the loneliness that comes with it, having left their lives behind in Minsk, Belarus: “Everyone who I have known for a long time / Everything I haven’t lost / I put it off for years / Pain and resentment of the days – there seems to be no difference / How everyone is so used to it!” The band will continue their epic tour across North America in January.

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Nick Schofield - Ambient Ensemble (Forward Music Group)

“Self-proclaimed ‘ambient raver’ Nick Schofield (Best Fern, Saxsyndrum) [dropped] his third solo sonic venture, Ambient Ensemble, via Halifax label Forward Music Group. Along with a band of masterly local collaborators (Yolande Laroche, Philippe Charbonneau, and Mika Posen), the Hull, QC-based electroacoustic composer achieves otherworldly splendour on Ambient Ensemble. Likened to works by masters Brian Eno and Philip Glass, Schofield's delicate yet profound Ambient Ensemble is a kaleidoscope of lush, instrumental bliss.” 

- Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter - Also Cool Playlist Refresh, February 23rd, 2024

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Trevor Sloan - A Room by the Green Sea

“On Sloan’s latest self-released album, A Room by the Green Sea, the simple beauty of summer vacations gone by unlocks so much more. Sloan teleports between country fairs and shifting waters, backed by layered acoustics, subtle drum patterns, and field recordings. From the precise memories of ‘Praying Mantis’ to the sober admissions of ‘Blade on My Face,’ A Room by the Green Sea is the embodiment of what you’d hope to hear by picking up a conch shell. It’s the creamy cable-knit jumper that you slip into as the sun kisses you goodbye.”

- Rebecca Judd, A Lost Season, A Magical Year: Trevor Sloan Releases "A Room by the Green Sea", September 6th, 2024

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VICTIME - En conversation avec (Mothland)

“Deconstructing a guitar-bass-drums mold, while still embracing their unbridled exploratory approach, VICTIME have returned with a genreless sophomore manifesto that they credit as their best work to date. Hurtling at 100kph, En conversation avec is a corrosive, meter-busting rendez-vous of DIY breadboard overdubs, pixelated synth-scapes and a complete disregard for conventional musical permissibility.” 

- Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter -  Five Years and Three Cities: VICTIME Unveils New Album “En Conversation Avec” (Mothland), October 25th, 2024

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camoufly and Dazegxd, Scarlet Rae, Safe Mind, And More: Also Cool's Playlist Refresh

Hildegard (Helena Deland and Ouri) by Raiden Louie

While 2024 is coming to a close, our favourite artists show no signs of slowing down – we couldn’t resist dropping a Playlist Refresh to celebrate.

The Also Cools have an abundance of new tunes to share from artists like Das Beat, Hildegard, and Fickle Friends. If you hear something you like, we encourage you to explore the rest of our Playlist Refresh series by saving our playlist on Spotify.

Scroll on to feast your ears!

TUKAN by Joris Ngbn

TUKAN - “Pluck”

Belgian electronic outfit TUKAN have kept us in a spell since their thrilling three-part stint at FME 2023 – so naturally, with the news that their latest album Human Drift will drop next month, we’re riding high. The dark ambience and bouncy synths of “Pluck” indicate a sharp new direction for the group. Trust us: it’s never too late to ride the wave.

Das Beat by Marina Mónaco

Das Beat - “Wrestling My Mind - Salzbauer Edit” (Arbutus Records)

We love a rave edit, and Das Beat’s newly remixed “Wrestling My Mind - Salzbauer Edit” really hits. Perfect for long walks to the rave, or when you’ve been inside your apartment for way too long and now it’s dark out and you decide to go on a mental health walk.

Camoufly by Francesca Mirabile

Dazegxd by @cooly.fooly

camoufly and Dazegxd - “nothing left 2 say / give u everything” (kawaii bounce)

With euphoric new single “nothing left 2 say,” the synergy between the elusive camoufly and Brooklyn “genre-agnostic” Dazegxd will deliver a shock to your system. Follow that up with the slinky garage banger “give u everything” for maximum pleasure.

Your Friend Brennan

Your Friend Brennan - “Figment”

Sweeping, gorgeous, and the right amount of spooky, Your Friend Brennan offers “Figment” off of his latest album Dream Hall. Accompanied by a live visualizer shot in an abandoned church, “Figment” pulls you into through a shimmering veil and into YFB’s world.

Scarlet Rae by Gita Gandelsman

Scarlet Rae - “Bleu” (Bayonet Records)

Scarlet Rae brings a beautiful and glitchy offering into the world with “Bleu,” landing softly for fans of Alex G and Elliot Smith. “This is the most vulnerable song I have ever written,” Rae says of the brooding track. “A reflection of pain, love, and powerlessness that comes with watching paranoia take over someone you cherish.” Inspired by her sister’s name, the track weaves through processing the numbness of dissociation and raw emotion.

Hildegard by Raiden Louie

Hildegard (Helena Deland and Ouri) - “No Other Mind” (Chivi Chivi)

Montreal’s mini supergroup Hildegard (Helena Deland and Ouri) share “No Other Mind,” a gentle follow-up to their most recent album Jour 1596. The track feels like playing with your childhood best friend on a summer afternoon, exploring the grass and running through fountains.

Fickle Friends via YouTube

Fickle Friends - “Dream” (Palmeira Music)

Brighton indie-pop group Fickle Friends remain chronically underrated. Their melodic sensibilities deliver an uplifting radiance, and their knack for lovesick lyricism can dig the deepest memories out of anyone. Following a hiatus, the band is back and brighter than ever, and their new single “Dream” reminds you of the sound that was impossible to forget.

clay pigeon

Never Better

clay pigeon and Never Better - “Ten Holes In Your Tennis Court”

“Everything means nothing to me now.” The latest track from clay pigeon and Never Better feels like warm sunshine, reminiscent of 2016-era Jons’ Serfs of Today. Sparkling guitar cascades through the song, while the lyrics guide us through the beautiful mundane, careful thoughts, and contemplative reflections.

Safe Mind by Yulissa Benitez

Safe Mind (Boy Harsher and LUCY [Cooper B. Handy]) - “6’ Pole”

Although not a super new release, “6’ Pole” by Safe Mind (LUCY [Cooper B. Handy] and  Augustus Muller of Boy Harsher) is a banger that’s been rinsed and repeated on our personal playlists more times than we can count. LUCY appeared on Boy Harsher’s 2021 album The Runner (Original Soundtrack) with his track “Autonomy,” and this feels like the perfect follow-up.

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