Premiere: Róisin Marie Eats Her Heart Out in Her Video For "Like That"

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Róisin Marie by Christopher Walsh

Meet Róisin Marie, a New York-based R&B newcomer who, at only 21 years old, has the voice and vision of a seasoned ballad composer. Today, Róisin shares her latest track “Like That,” with an accompanying video directed and edited by the artist herself. We had the chance to catch up with Róisin, and chat about how “Like That” transformed from a diary entry into a fully realized production that captures both the vulnerability of heartbreak and the allure of being alone. Read our interview with Róisin Marie below.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hey Róisin! Thank you so much for chatting with me! To start things off, tell me about yourself and your musical background.

Róisin Marie: Hi! Thank you for having me. I am 21 years old, and from right outside New York City. Music has always been a huge part of my family, and growing up I was lucky enough to see many Broadway shows and concerts in the city. I was a theatre kid who loved to write poetry, and started writing my own music in college. 

Also Cool: What is your creative process like as a musician? Do you take inspiration from any influences? 

Róisin Marie: I work a 9-5 right now, so the biggest thing I am learning to work through is being able to clock back into music and find myself in my creative space after a long day at work. I have found that writing poetry, or journal entries as they come to me, and having a catalog of this to pull from, really helps me get my thoughts out when I do sit down to create. I am really inspired by the people I get to work with. They model consistency, accountability, and honesty. I think surrounding myself with them has made me both a better creative and a better human. 

AC: Congratulations on the release of “Like That!” Can you tell me about the evolution of this track and what it was like collaborating with RocNation signee Anwar Sawyer on its production? 

Róisin Marie: Thank you so much. This track really has evolved! It started as a ballad that Anwar sent me. I wrote to it, [and it became a] completely different song. Then like five months later, I was journaling about a relationship I wish I had explored with someone. I pulled up the ballad and started singing what I was writing until it felt right. It was my “idea of the day.” I played it when I got to Anwar’s studio […] And it was just a moment that we both felt. It all fell together after that. Anwar and I have been working with each other for about a year now. He is also my manager and best friend. Being able to create together is such a blessing.  

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Róisin Marie by Christopher Walsh

AC: “Like That” is being released with an accompanying music video, of which we’re super into. I’m curious to know: What inspired your artistic vision for the video, and how did the project come together to compliment the song’s narrative? 

Róisin Marie: It is! I am so happy you like it. The artistic vision was inspired by an incredible artist, Lee Price. Her series “Women and Food” shows women in vulnerable and intimate moments with food as a crutch, as a drug, as nourishment, etc. This just felt right to me. The song is about a heartbreak that I didn’t even get to properly feel; I am mourning a “what if.” I wanted to show myself in this intimate setting binge eating my feelings. I also wanted to add in the sexual elements of licking and eating food off of my fingers to further the feeling of loneliness, but in a somewhat awkward and uncomfortable way. 

AC: Branching off of that, how do you feel about working as an artist under the pressures of COVID-19 and quarantine, especially in NYC? How are you taking care of yourself and your craft? 

Róisin Marie: Part of me feels sad, but part of me is also super grateful for the time it has given me to get to know myself better. I haven’t gotten to perform and I don’t know when I will -that makes me sad. But in the time that I wasn’t working, I had a taste of being an artist and musician full time, and that was really nice and motivating. I am taking care of myself by being patient, going outside, calling friends, sleeping, eating, and channeling my emotions into my art. I hold myself accountable to write every single day, and I set intentions that align with my vision for the future. 

AC: Finally, we hear you’re working on your debut full-length project, which is super exciting! What has this process been like so far, and what can we expect in the coming months? 

Róisin Marie: I am! It’s been a lot of digging. I have to be super honest and real with myself and with who I am creating with. This writing and creative process over the last six months or so has really required me to strip away a lot of things I thought were defining me. I have been coming into my own skin and I think this process is definitely reflected in my writing. I can’t wait to share and see what comes of all of it. 

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Roísin Marie by Anwar Sawyer

Watch Róisin Marie’s video for “Like That” below

Credits

Director: Róisin Marie

Producer: Anwar Sawyer

Director of Photography: Andrew Greene

Editor: Róisin Marie

Colourist: Kevin Ratigan

Keep up with Róisin Marie

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Photography by Christopher Walsh

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Introducing Messkina: The Montreal DJ Setting Herself Apart With Unapologetic Self-Acceptance

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Messkina by Victoria Gravel

Picture yourself on a hot and unfamiliar beach, dancing to your escape from a busy routine towards an enchanting adventure. This scene describes DJ Messkina’s perfect setting to have her music pumping. 

After only a year of taking up DJing, the 21-year-old Montreal-based performer of Cameroon and Congolese descent has played in Montreal’s most popular clubs, such as Apt.200, SuWu, Datcha, Le Salon Daomé and Ti-Agrikol, to name a few. She’s even produced mixes for Moonshine and the major Brooklyn-based art collective Papi Juice, which celebrates the lives of the LGBTQ+ community.

Messkina’s unapologetic self-acceptance is what led to her DJ alias Messkina. It is the playful combination between her first name, “messy,” and the Arabic word miskeena for “unfortunate”  — a moniker she says echoes her character. 

Set apart by her contagious confidence and bold charm, Messkina’s presence behind the DJ booth encourages you to be yourself and dance to her carefully-selected house tracks influenced by the sounds of afro-fusion. 

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Messkina by Victoria Gravel

Dressed in a cropped pink velour jacket coupled with matching sparkly velour flared pants, Messkina met up with me in her Saint-Henri apartment to discuss her unusual journey as an emerging talent, and her newest mix “Philantropute.”

“I started producing mixes at a really dark period in my life,” says Messkina. “It was right when I dropped out of college and got temporarily fired from the strip club where I was dancing,” she says before she pauses briefly. 

“Who knew you could get fired from a strip club?” she laughs.

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Messkina by Victoria Gravel

The artist shares dealing with social anxiety starting at an early age, which kept her from staying motivated and performing academically. 

“Going to school was very demanding for me, and I smoked a lot of weed to get by,” she explains.

It was at this moment that she decided to pursue something new. 

It was shortly after that she responded to a call-out on social media looking for DJs. This led to her very first gig which was at the Mme Lee nightclub in Montreal’s Latin Quarter.

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Messkina by Victoria Gravel

“It was packed. I was shaking because I was so nervous, but I did it.” she says.

Leaving school and her job as a sex worker ended up being a blessing in disguise as it pushed her to get back in touch with her creative side, and discover making music as a new-found passion.

Messkina quickly found her distinctive and diverse sound; which pulls together melancholic melodies, hip-hop, African drums and house music. 

“I make music that makes you want to dance. Not to bang your head to, but just vibe to the rhythm,” says the DJ. “Although, I still consider myself new to the scene, and I still have a long road ahead of me in terms of experimentation,” she says. 

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Messkina by Victoria Gravel

Social distancing and other public health restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic have inherently changed the way DJs perform. At the beginning of the lockdown, Messkina tried live-streaming her sets and felt disappointed by the lack of connection with her audience.  

“I don’t like Zoom parties. It’s boring to me,” she says. “It’s not the same without an audience, as you don’t really know how it sounds and you miss out on instant feedback.”

“It was really nice to be able to perform again in person when bars were reopened. People were tired of being inside and wanted to go to the club. Although dancing was prohibited, they seemed to just enjoy their time out and socializing.”

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Messkina by Victoria Gravel

Messkina shares that despite the mental toll the lockdown has had on her, she’s used her free time to think about the style and aesthetics she wishes to pursue in her musical career.

“I have broadened my horizons musically and discovered several musical genres that I wouldn't necessarily have appreciated a few months ago,” she explains. 

Her newest mix, “Philantropute,” is quite different from her previous mixes, featuring a higher-energy and dazzling tempo.

“It is more upbeat, hectic, and chaotic. It represents where I am mentally at the moment,” says Messkina.

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Messkina by Victoria Gravel

Listen to Messkina’s latest mix “Philantropute” out now

Keep up with Messkina

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Written by Stéphanie Ricci

Stéphanie Ricci is a Montreal-based freelance multimedia journalist. Currently completing a journalism major coupled with a sociology minor at Concordia University, she is passionate about storytelling in all forms, but is particularly invested investigative work, writing about arts and culture, and creating original content.

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Premiere: Night Lunch's Spooky & Sparkly Video for "Damien"

A little spooky, a little sparkly, Night Lunch’s video for “Damien” is here via Celluloid Lunch Records. Infused with glossy neon 80’s vibes, “Damien” is perfectly reminiscent of Halloween-themed high school dances. Also, we love nothing more than a killer synth solo! The track is off their latest album “Wall of Love,” which we hopes serves as the next coming-of-age horror flick soundtrack.

The members of Night Lunch have been contributing to the Montreal DIY scene for the better part of the last decade, manifesting first as Baked Goods and The Marlees. Now as Night Lunch, their sound is retro-futurist; emerging from the lo-fi mud to reveal a shimmering gem of pop immortality with the release of Wall of Love. The nostalgia of 80's synth ‘n keys are a definite inspiration for this group, but unlike many acts that seek to revive that trend, Night Lunch comes from a place of timeless pop sensibility.

Watch Night Lunch’s video for “Damien” below

Premiere: Thomas Molander's "Third Walk" is a Psychedelic Dream of the Past and Future

Via Thomas Molander

“Our faces on wet grass, our walk is ending at last…” Thomas Molander’s warm and fuzzy vocals drift with us through a psychedelic daydream of what life used to be like, while offering a silver lining vision for what tomorrow may bring.

Via Thomas Molander

Today Molander premieres the music video for his song Third Walk, off his recently released album The Walk. The video directed by Sandy Spink, Toronto-based designer and director, and was created with the video game engine Unity, the programming language Max/MSP, and the video editing software Adobe Audition.

The video’s concept hinges on the contrast between analogue and digital aesthetics, mirrored by the music’s embracing of antiquated and modern recording styles. New words and landscapes emerge cyclically, building themselves and deteriorate endlessly. Walls fall and a building rises up from the sea amidst a perspective slowly creeping and rotating.

For fans of The Kinks, 60s fuzz, and early-internet psychedelic aesthetics, this one’s for you.

Watch the video for Third Walk now

Thomas Molander

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Welcome Home: Getting to Know Hannah Cohen

During quarantine, days feel long and hours even longer. Some of our thoughts get stuck in a loop of different hopes, anxieties, and boredom - at least mine do. Sometimes I spent the whole day thinking, "Am I gonna stay in sweatpants forever?", "Will the next season of Euphoria will be on Zoom because people can't go outside?", "Are my grandparents ok?"

One day, my brain just slowed down, and with it came more empathy for my body and heart. Suddenly, I enjoyed being alone in my apartment, drinking tea to strengthen my immune system. 

During one of my Release Radar listening sessions on Spotify, a sweet angelic voice began to sing. The song was This Is Your Life, from New York-based singer-songwriter Hannah Cohen's third album, Welcome Home, released in 2019.  

Hanna's sound on the album is dreamy, introspective and extremely comfortable. Mixing folk and pop, she invites you to meet her intimacy in a Carole King mood. For me, it was truly a sparkling moment to my ears and thoughts. Each instrument she uses from bursts of pulsing guitar, bass, or drums can captivate joy and lightness in our darkest times.

The album's atmosphere echoes a day lying in the grass, watching the sun, reflecting on thoughts, and drinking a nice cold tea by the pool. Hannah's music is totally a must for you romantics out there.  

I had the pleasure to talk to her about her album, inspirations, her creative process during quarantine and more. 

Photo via Hannah Cohen

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

João Rodolfo for Also Cool Mag: What does Welcome Home represent to you? What do you want people to feel while they listen to it? 

Hannah Cohen: For me, the songs felt like a meditation on the things I wanted to manifest in my life. I wanted change, a fresh start. I wanted to create a real home for myself physically and spiritually. All the constant energy of the city was too intense for my nervous system. I never felt like I was at home when I was living in NYC.

Also Cool: In your lyrics, we can feel that you were in a state of self-examination, isolation and outgrowing what no longer served you. Could you tell us more about your experiences while creating Welcome Home? 

Hannah: When I was writing the songs for Welcome Home, I finally realized I needed to leave the city. Moving to the countryside was a very intimidating and foreign idea to me, but I knew I needed a big change. 

I was scared to make such a drastic change in my life, but I felt that would be the only way to really shake things up. I feel like the universe notices when you make big shifts, and things will start to fall into places quicker than you'd think.  

Photo via Hannah Cohen

AC: Which song off the album is your favourite, and why? 

Hannah: I would say Old Bruiser is my favourite. It is a capsule of a really special time for me when I was letting go of things that weren't serving me anymore.  

AC: During these dark times and lockdowns, what can we learn about isolation with Welcome Home?

Hannah: Home can be anywhere you feel safe. Try to find that space in your mind. 

Hannah Cohen

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João Rodolfo is a trend forecaster, pop culture lover, writer and editor in chief of Sticky Icky Mag and Emma Roberts enthusiast.  

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Also Cool x POP Montreal Artist Spotlight: NOVEMBER

POP Montreal returns this year in a hybrid format (with both online and COVID-safe IRL events), ready to fill the void with good tunes and incredible talent. We're proud to announce our partnership with them, promoting some of our favourite artists.

First up, we have the dreamy NOVEMBER, who will be playing on Saturday the 26th, at the Rialto Clubhouse. Get your tickets and check out the even here.

Malaika for Also Cool Mag: How did music enter your life? What's your relationship to music like now?

NOVEMBER: Music was always present at home. I grew up with a single Haitian mother, and not only is music imbued in our culture, but she always said, "We aren't at church, the house doesn't need to be quiet." So something like an 80s power ballad or kompa was always playing in the background. 

I got into it more as an art in my teens as I started finding myself and discovering music by myself. Demon Days by the Gorillaz was pivotal for me as a kid. It was when I was really like, "Ok, I want to make people feel the things I'm feeling now." It took me a while from that point to even admit what I wanted to do out loud. Still, by then, I had started absorbing any music I could listen to and refining my own sensibilities. 

My relationship to music has really strengthened over the years. As it's become more of my career, I was genuinely scared there would be some tainted feels in mixing the art with more business stuff. But before anything, it will always be the most raw and spiritual way I express myself and process life. I'll never not make music, and I'll never not love it. 

Also Cool: Who are your musical inspirations? What are your favourite albums right now?

NOVEMBER: I've always been very inspired by fearless women. I'm a huge Lady Gaga fan and was blown away by Chromatica. Solange and FKA twigs are also two artists who's complete vision I'm just in awe of. Both released last year but When I Get Home and Magdalene were in my top played records for 2019. 

I'd say Dépêche Mode are also huge influences on my sound, and their music is sacred to me. Violator and Black Celebration are up there, but it's all amazing. I also adore George Michael and am influenced by him too. He had this amazing voice, made most of his music himself and seemed like a beautiful soul. I mentioned the Gorillaz, but really all of Damon Albarn's projects have impacted me, and I think he's a legend. 

Other albums I loved this year were; What We Drew by Yaeji, which is an amazing exploration of this soundscape, What's Your Pleasure? by Jessie Ware is disco fire, Mordechai by Khruangbin who are one of my favourite bands, Ungodly Hour by Chloe x Halle which is just excellent, how I'm feeling now by Charli XCX and Sawayama by Rina Sawayama both of which are amazing expansions on what pop music is. An album I've found myself going back to over the years to The Worry by Seekae, who are this Australian act. The record is perfect from start to finish. I'm really into the album experience. 

AC: What are your non-musical inspirations? 

NOVEMBER: I've always had a deep appreciation for visual artists and what they do. I love photography and try to see as much as possible through online mediums primarily. When I find photographers I like, I get very into their work. Right now Ren Hang is an artist whose photography I'm really into. 

Besides that, I love museums. I usually visit one wherever I'm playing a show and have a membership to the Fine Arts Museums in Montreal. I also love taking walks in nature, if possible. I love to observe life around me. Lastly, I love being around water, which is ironic because I can't swim. I recently saw the Atlantic for the first time, and it was crazy!! I'm the type to just sit and stare out for hours just thinking, writing, looking. And don't let me get a joint cause then it's doubled. 

AC: What's your experience been like with the Montreal music scene? Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to launch their own project, but who aren't sure how?

NOVEMBER: On one hand, incredibly supportive and uplifting. Many of the opportunities I've had so far have come from people in this city, rooting and pulling for me. People have been very real in this city because they've supported me because of my talent first, which has helped me grow in other areas. Everything kinda snowballs, and opportunities like the ones given to me by the POP team have helped. 

On the other hand, I can live in the real world and say I've seen people come out of nowhere and get much more, much faster. It's all good because there's enough cake on the table, and I truly believe that, but hey, would things be easier if I was white and playing acoustic guitar? Probably. That issue isn't just a Montreal one, though. 

My advice, which disclaimer is biased towards singer/songwriters, would be first off just experiment at home. Download whatever DAW and learn basics from YouTube and forums. You don't need to become a super producer if that's not what your thing is, but always have enough vocabulary to articulate what you want to, whoever you work with. Otherwise, everyone will try to impose their vision of you onto you. Your vision of self needs to be definite and self-created. Other than that, I'd say if your project has vocals, please, you don't need to be an amazing vocalist. I really believe in just being good enough to express your own vision. BUT if you have live vocals, make sure your lyrics get heard. I've seen and played lots of shows, and the strangers you'll be courting into becoming fans when you're the first act of a four-act bill will focus much more if they know what they're hearing. 

AC: You describe your music as "lovers with open eyes." If you could describe your songs as different kinds of lovers; Who are they, and what kind of dates would they take you on?

NOVEMBER: All my songs are the kind of lovers who cry, for whatever reason, but it happens. Maybe they're tears of joy. They write poetry, lay their feelings out for you and do that neck kiss thing. The dates would involve a museum, a smoke in the park, a movie in a small theatre (cause distancing), and late dinner after another smoke. 

AC: What's one thing that has helped you grow as a person and a musician over this quarantine?

NOVEMBER: Realizing I'm much more capable as an artist and business person than I thought. I finished my BFA in acting during the pandemic, and that helped me come into myself more. I became more able to negotiate for myself and generally be like ok this "what I do." I think I assumed success meant outsourcing a lot creatively, which wasn't how I liked to work. I rediscovered confidence in producing, visuals etc that I hadn't felt since I was a teen just trying shit out. 

AC: Wrapping up, what can we expect from your POP performance, and what's the best way to directly support you?

NOVEMBER: First off vocals. Some people have really cool bass solos, but I've got my voice. It's always been a main component of my sound. I'll be premiering my new song, Jerome, which is coming out right after POP on October 2nd. This will be my last performance before I release a new EP, so it's at least a temporary farewell to songs I've had in my set for years. Because of this, I wanted to update some older songs and add a few new layers to them. 

Other than that, you can always expect to feel something strong from my shows. Whatever that is is up to you. 

NOVEMBER

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Montreal-based Molyness brings Berlin, and Moroccan fusion to the techno scene

Photo of Molyness by Moussa Fellahi

This interview was initially recorded in French, translated by the author.

Having moved to Montreal from Morocco three years ago to pursue her passion for electronic music, Ines Mouline – better known as Molyness – brings a fusion of Gnawa, Sub-Saharan, Berlinesque, and orchestral influences into the scene, and her art.

I first met Mouline last summer at a techno afternoon party in the Mile-End. My friend introduced me to her, and I got to see her mix a set for the first time at the Newhaus, a club downtown where she has often played. It was back in Winter, we took a taxi down to the club lit with blue lights, behind a hidden door in the Dirty Dogs on de Maisonneuve. From there on I got to see Mouline frequently play, either at house parties, outdoor raves or larger venues.

Nestled in the back room of Le Café Depanneur, Mouline and I discussed her upbringing, her influences, the beginnings of her musical path, and her positionality in the electronic scene of Montreal.

Photo of Molyness by Soline Van de Moortele

The style of her music is rooted in her attachment to her native Moroccan culture. She describes her style as “melodic-techno.” Mouline was born in Casablanca, but spent most of her childhood and teen years in the capital, Rabat. It was here that Mouline began her musical career. She grew up seeped in music, her mother pushing her to play piano, and gave her rock & roll influences – particularly, Pink Floyd, whose long intros and sound design have inspired Mouline in her musical production.

At a young age, her mother, a musician, had her playing piano, guitar, and later the bass. “My mother is one of the people who enriches me the most,” she said, “in what I do, in the sense that she encouraged me from the beginning. She let me leave so I could pursue something that I love and that impassions me.”

She began playing electronic music in highschool, as it became “la tendance,” the trend. New electronic music gear was hard to come by in Morocco – when she visited Medina with her mom, Mouline bought her first used production material, and eventually her dad would bring her back a Pioneer from France. Finally, her first year in Montreal, she purchased her first controller and her Traktor S4 which she continues to use for her live sets.

Photo of Molyness by Moussa Fellahi

Mouline arrived in Montreal three years ago first to complete a certificate at Musictechnic, and after discovering electronic music as an immutable passion during this time, she took the next year off from school to build networks and perform around the city. Last year she began a Bachelors degree at Concordia in electronic music.

Most of Mouline’s evolution as an artist has come from each of her live performances – learning to gauge the public and space is something which demands an interaction with the energy given to her from her audience. “When I compare my first live sets, my first playlists, even people’s reactions, I’m told more and more that in my live sets people are able to better recognize my signature [as an artist]… More and more I let myself go, I let myself experiment a lot more.”

“Each time I perform a live set, it’s an experience, and I learn so much from each one.”

Photo of Molyness by Soline Van de Moortele

The first set she played was in Morocco, at a hotel party with a beautiful view her friend from school invited her to perform at back-to-back. “It was the best way for me to throw myself in front of an audience,” she explained. “It gave me a sense of confidence and that’s what we want.”

Her professional performances in Montreal kick-started when she met Abdel – stage name DJ Adverb – who plugged her for gigs across the city. He connected with her through his cousin who knew Mouline back in Morocco, and invited her to play an opening set for a party he was organizing at the downtown Montreal club the Newhaus: “He told me ‘You’re going to play at the Newhaus, it’s now that I need you.’ He had never heard a set of mine, nothing. He just trusted me.”

Mouline did the opening set for the night, and she recalled the experience as being “totally sick, it was just do dope.” From there on, Abdel became a kind of manager for her, booking her frequent shows at the Newhaus and the Velvet club in Old Port. She’s also played underground parties, in hidden indoor spots with more industrial techno. “I like the underground side, I like the intense side of it, but I think I’m someone who always prefers playing in nature.” In general, Mouline isn’t one to go out a lot in clubs or in raves that she might play in. “I don’t really go out in those places, I’ve never been the clubbing type…It’s an intense lifestyle to go out all the time.”

Photo of Molyness by Moussa Fellahi

I asked Mouline about her biggest influences. “The first, the biggest, is David August.” David August’s Boiler Room set from 2014 was the first set she ever watched. “Honestly, there were no mistakes. His live set was perfect.”

“His album from beginning to end… that’s the kind of thing I want to do. The essence is very different from what I do, but in everything relating to [his] sound design, the way he interacts with the sound, how precise it is.” Him and Nicolas Jaar were the first DJs she followed.

“In music a bit more Arab there’s Shame who’s really good, and Monsieur ID. They play around a lot with Gnawian music.”

Mouline also described to me with passion one of her all-time favorite collaborative albums, “Marhab” by Maalem Mahmoud Guinia, Floating Points, and James Holden. A friend in Morocco showed her the album before she arrived in Canada. The album was done in a town near Marrakech, in Guinia’s home. They spent two-weeks in his home recording the album. “It was just recorded jamming…[I love] that alchemy, and that mixture.”

“[The album] is a good reference to what I want to create,” but with her own, less intense style.

Photo of Molyness by Soline Van de Moortele

As a full-time student whose courses went online, Mouline lost most of her routine structure when the pandemic began raging in Montreal. That said, she was able to be productive, in part in her musical production, and in part in the places she was able to play at. It was the first summer she spent away from Morocco.

“Honestly, it had a more positive than negative impact for me. I recognize we were really lucky to be in Montreal, we weren’t completely restrained, there was trust in the population... There are always phases, moments that are easier than others, moments of putting yourself in question, but I took time for myself.”

“What I loved was that it gave space for newer artists.” Mouline had a chance to play in and organize smaller events at a more local level, rather than going through large, established organizations and collectives.

Photo of Molyness by Moussa Fellahi

With the pandemic raging on and limited access to large events, Mouline believes more local artists will be brought forth. For the Montreal scene, Mouline said she’d “encourage…the push for outdoor parties.”

There are some, including Piknic Electronik and Igloofest. “But the prices keep going up…. I’d want to keep the spirit of Montreal…Everyone must feel good. We gotta stop increasing festival prices every year, [and] play more with the local scene. There’s tons of choices here for local talent, and diversity. No need to go far.”

UTOPIA · Utopia x Electroftours presents Molyness

Right as our interview was finishing up and Mouline was getting ready to leave, I wanted to ask her one last question that, as a techno-lover but not a techno-player, I wanted to know: how do you choose your songs?

“This is what I really learned through live performance… Between my first lives and the ones I do now there’s a huge difference. I now realize that the pieces I listen to alone, those that really get me vibing, aren’t necessarily the best for performing. It’s a different approach… I couldn’t give you the exact words to describe which songs I perform live.”

“It’s about the rhythms, and how you bring [the different songs] in. I play around, it takes time, it’s frustrating, you have to listen to a lot of bullshit… it always takes several steps. Some days I go check stuff on Beatport, Bandcamp, a bit of anything, and I transfer them onto my YouTube playlists.”

Molyness

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

Old Dog, New Tricks: That Dog.’s Music 25 Years Later

They could have been as big as Weezer or Green Day, yet 90’s band That Dog. remains something of a hidden gem in the world of alternative music.

In 2019, the release of their critically acclaimed comeback album “Old LP” reintroduced many to the band’s older catalogue, and reminded listeners of the charm of their girly yet dissonant brand of rock.

Check out Etta Gerrits’ comic exploring That Dog.’s history, and why their music - and 90’s girl rock in general - remains so relevant today. 

While you read, listen to That Dog. on Spotify

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Etta Gerrits is a cartoonist/musician/whatever she feels like being located in Ottawa, Ontario. She likes 90’s girl rock, taking pictures of mittens she finds on the ground, and young adult mystery novels.

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Premiere: Alpen Glow's debut single "Saturday Nite"

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Image credit: Amery Sandford

Remember that Gossip Girl meme that was circulating a few months back? There was one really relatable rendition of it - and I really miss going to gigs, girl. Please find below if you haven’t seen it, courtesy of the very niche Montreal meme page, @burymeatleritz. Alpen Glow’s debut EP Amertape 2020 threw me right back into that quintessentially ‘covidian’ mindset of reminiscing about nights out partying with friends, dance floor romances, and most notably, hugs, girl. 

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@burymeatleritz

Alpen Glow is the debut solo project of Montreal-based visual artist and musician Amery Sandford (BBQT, Born at Midnite). Inspired by new skills acquired during lockdown, Amertape 2020 and the accompanying 3D animated videos are an escape into an alternative digital dream world where your lockdown fantasies come to life. Far from being heartbreak songs, Amery’s cheeky lyrics keep the vibe lighthearted and fun, with instrumentals tastefully inspired by the corniness of 2000’s pop and reality TV. 

“The whole thing kind of happened within the time of lockdown. I wrote it all when I was deep in quarantine so that I could go somewhere else mentally - on the days when I could actually make music. I also cried a lot and watched a lot of reality TV. Quarantine was a lot of creative productivity and a lot of being really sad.” 

Admit it, we’ve all had at least one trash TV show we’ve been unusually invested in these past few months. When asked what her guilty pleasure was, Amery unhesitatingly named Real Housewives as inspiration when writing this EP, “I actually started watching reality TV in a serious way during quarantine and the songs are definitely inspired by those weird social experiments. I’ve been watching a lot of Real Housewives - a few of them have music projects and make songs that are very highly produced, but lyrically very sketchy. It’s kind of crazy. I’ve been thinking about these highly-produced, super ‘aspirational’ people who appear on Bravo TV a lot.” 

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Photo credit: Brandon Brookbank

Sketchy as it may sometimes seem, stark detachment from reality proved to be a great coping mechanism for bleak times, “I was entering these weird worlds through reality TV… I was also alone in my apartment because I don’t have any roommates… and I was thinking about going somewhere else for a minute, and about the power that creative people have to do that - the power of world building.” 

While some of us just binge-watched Too Hot to Handle, Amery saw an opportunity to integrate her visual art with her music, taking the time to learn how to play the keyboard and do 3D animation, “It was a good time to learn something new - I got really into 3D animation and taught myself how to play the keyboard - and I ended up writing all the songs on it.”

The videos are an experimentation with using a highly-technical program for the first time and freely accepting the clumsiness that comes along with it, “Visually, since I’m not very good at it yet, I would say [the videos] look like early 80’s animations - all these weird spaces that look like a video game with me on a tiny screen. It was a very lo-fi look.” Is it an Instagram filter? Are we in a Zoom club scene? Who knows? Almost too closely resembling some saved video-call screenshots on my camera roll, the aesthetic is relatable and reminiscent of the virtual reality we’ve been living in lately. 

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Image credit: Amery Sandford

“Saturday Nite” has a bar scene at the hottest new fantasy dance spot, Amerbar, “I was just thinking, ‘Oh, I'm going to make a bar,’ and then once I modeled it - it looked really sketchy! It's funny visualizing something and then trying to recreate it in a program that you're not very good at - I love that shit. I love when people use programs like that, but they aren't necessarily technical [themselves]. They make something that sounds really unique. That's always been my relationship to music. I'm a visual artist first and musician second - and [being an ‘outsider’] makes it very special.”

“A lot of people that I know just pick up music - and you just have different ideas when you're not a trained musician. You can make things where trained musicians are like, ‘what the fuck?’”

Who needs music theory when we’ve all been in need of a hug since March...

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Check out “Saturday Nite,” the first single from Alpen Glow’s Amertape 2020, below:

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

Make sure to stay tuned for the release of Summer House on September 18th and the full EP on October 1st on Bandcamp. 

$2 from every sale will be donated to The Black Healing Fund, a Tio'Tia:ke / Montreal based project that exists to provide Black people in the MTL area with discretionary funding for therapy and other mental health focused resources.

Below is a playlist of songs that inspired Amertape 2020, including one Real Housewives production (!!!) called Chic, C’est La Vie - we are obsessed.

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

Oddysseys Debut Post-Punk Banger "Body Heat"

If you've been searching for your end-of-summer post-punk banger, we've got you covered with Oddysseys new single “Body Heat.”

With cascading vocals, punchy drums, and high-energy sound, Chicago's Oddysseys’ break away from the shoegaze sound they're known for. This track is a highly-anticipated follow up to their 2019 album "Odd Behaviour."

"Our single, 'Body Heat' marks a new direction, as our upcoming project will embody the pent up energy and anticipation that has built over this period of quarantine and rampant social injustice. Combining the elements of 80's postpunk with punchy post-rock production, we wanted to be louder about how we feel and not beat around the bullshit."

For fans of DIIV, N0V3L, Egyptian Blue and Omni, Oddysseys might just be your new obsession.

Listen to Body Heat now

Oddysseys

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Re:Conceive - raising money for the Native Women's Shelter and the Just Solutions Clinic in Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal)

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Image Credit: Nick Castonguay

Re:Conceive is a collection of tracks from artists living in Tiohtiá:ke, so-called 'montréal', and is raising money for the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal and the Just Solutions Clinic. It aims to activate solidarity between indigenous peoples, settlers, immigrants and refugees alike. Electronic music is a potent conduit in this process, in reclaiming space where just realities might be cultivated or imagined. With the arrival of the rising global tide of right wing politics in 'québec', and the unaddressed history and continuance of colonialism and structural white supremacy in 'canada' at large, it is high time that we reconceive of our history, our present, and our way forward.

All revenue generated by this compilation will be donated 50/50 to The Native Women's Shelter of Montréal and The Just Solutions Clinic.

Re:Conceive est une collection de pièces d’artistes habitant Tiohtiá:ke, appelée «montréal». Le but de cette initiative est de lever des fonds pour The Native Women's Shelter of Montreal et l’organisme Clinique des Solutions Justes.

Ce projet à pour but d’activer la solidarité entre les peuples autochtones, les colonisateurs, les immigrants de même que les réfugiés. La musique électronique est un conduit puissant dans ce processus, en réclamant l’espace où les réalitées équitables pourraient être cultivées ou imaginées. Avec l’arrivée d’une vague globale de politique de droite au «québec» ainsi que l’histoire et la continuation du colonialisme et de la suprématie blanche au «canada» qui n’ont toujours pas été adressés, il est grand temps de reconcevoir ensemble notre histoire, notre présent et notre chemin vers l’avant.

Tout revenu généré par cette compilation seront donné 50/50 entre Native Women's Shelter of Montréal et Clinique des Solutions Justes

Listen to / buy the compilation on Bandcamp

---

festive moment, tragic and playful neurosis -
celebration of a past event
festive moment as a celebration of a memory
festive moment – marginal, multiple, anti-idealistic,
more counter-monument than
monument

our frail and sick incandescent bodies
coming to celebrate
towards ecstasy
towards ecology and social justice

ghosts will re- main, lurking in new and old buildings, in the voids where buildings used to stand, and in the psyches of those who walk the streets

whatever their origin or reason for being there

it's dancing, disorganized
crowd high on amphetamines
they are coming to celebrate the victory (post-war celebration)
police is gone, prisons are closed
festive moment, they shot the monuments

explosion-like shocks
in which we
gather together - softening together

spending lavishly in in the economy of the underground
the event is a founding disaster
memory is kept in the stones of-
in the economy of the underground
epitaph of our amphetamine-fueled black-outs

How long can we last? What has to be remembered?

The hidden gathering spaces as resting places for souls exhausted by repetitive and alienating work, exhausted by the coercive and violent systems, looking for the feeling of belonging to a group, of being alive. Active destruction of bodies, waste of energy and production force.

How long can you last?

Our microscopic stories at the scale of History that will be, at worse, unknown, at best, vague feelings of an event.

If, under the sun, we endeavor to be part of history, under the moon we remember our purpose is to rot.

a festive moment to feel that we belong in a community in a given space and time – a capacity to negotiate with otherness
festive moment, initiatory and vital praxis
the event is a founding disaster
the festive moment is not entertainment

Writing by Ariane Gagné

Released August 21, 2020

Mastered by Cristobal Urbina

Art by Nick Castonguay

Logo design by Kristian Spears

Additional mixing on track 12. 'AK47' by Joaquin Sabat
Vocals on track 19 'Hallowed Utterance' performed by Odile Myrtil
Cube Life is a project between Fengir & CMD

Thanks to Andy Poblete for his evocation of political issues in 'québec'.

Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal:
Since its incorporation in 1987, the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal has provided shelter and support to First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and their children. Our clientele are self-referred or referred by community resources. The shelter provides an environment where women can focus on their various challenges and rebuild their lives. Our in-house programs combined with our outreach services help in the healing process of women, while assisting them in re-establishing a balanced lifestyle. The Native Women's Shelter works within an Aboriginal framework. We incorporate many different teachings from the various cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. We combine traditional healing techniques with contemporary approaches to give the women a multitude of options to address their immediate needs and issues.

Depuis son incorporation en 1987, le Refuge pour femmes autochtones de Montréal a fourni un abri et du soutien aux femmes des Premières Nations, inuites et métisses et à leurs enfants. Notre clientèle est auto-référée ou référée par des ressources communautaires. Le refuge offre un environnement où les femmes peuvent se concentrer sur leurs divers défis et reconstruire leur vie. Nos programmes combinés à nos services de proximité contribuent au processus de guérison des femmes, tout en les aidant à rétablir un mode de vie équilibré. Le refuge pour femmes autochtones fonctionne dans un cadre autochtone. Nous incorporons de nombreux enseignements différents des diverses cultures des Premières Nations, des Inuits et des Métis. Nous combinons des techniques de guérison traditionnelles avec des approches contemporaines pour donner aux femmes une multitude d'options pour répondre à leurs besoins et problèmes immédiats.

The Just Solutions Clinic:
Service d’information juridique, défense des droits sociaux et accompagnement, s’adressant aux personnes vulnérables et marginalisées, dans le domaine du droit des réfugiés et de l’immigration. S’adresse aussi aux professionnels de la santé et des services sociaux, ainsi qu’aux intervenants communautaires. Accessible gratuitement, sous réserve des frais exigés pour certains formulaires et selon certains critères.

The Just Solutions Clinic provides free legal information and assistance, rights advocacy and accompaniment to vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals in the domain of refugee and immigration law. The majority of the people we assist are refugee claimants and other newcomers with a precarious immigration status. We also help social and health professionals and community workers understand their clients’ immigration situations. Available free of charge, except for the fees required for certain forms and based on certain criteria.

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Artist Spotlight: Active Surplus talk creativity, friendship, and releasing their first EP on Pacific Rhythm

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Image Credit: Michelle Chiu

“We were always just chillin - we were homies. Homies first, and then we just happened to love jamming.” 

Active Surplus, the collaborative project from Toronto duo Evan Vincent (Emissive) and Ian Syrett, is a product of friendship. As most good things do - one of the most exciting new electronic projects began completely by chance. The two met at a house party in 2014, while studying in London, Ontario - they happened to be the only people in the room who listened to techno. After many years of hanging out and jamming together - they’re convinced to now be approaching thousands of hours of face-to-face time (re: the 10,000 Hour Rule) - this May they released their eponymous first EP on Vancouver label Pacific Rhythm. During a Zoom call one warm quarantine evening, I chatted with Evan and Ian about everything from the ins and outs of producing music with a friend, to piecing together years of work for their debut record, dreaming of hazmat suits to bring back clubbing, and their parallel love for both Baltimore house and roti. 

The EP is a compilation of four tracks weaving together groovy, chilled-out electro melodies with chopped breaks referencing the percussion of Jersey club Bmore house. The intro track, “Yaye”, sets the scene with an addictive vocal chant over very danceable, choppy drum samples, and gentle chords characteristic of the West Coast sound throughout. 

This unique combination of influences was what turned years of jamming and experimentation into a distinctive voice. “We got to the point where we realized we had a LOT of music - and we just sat down one day and we were like, okay, let's actually start putting all the loose ends together. Who does this energy speak to - what sort of cultural movements are inspired by this and are informed by this?” One particular movement seemed to really resonate with them - and suddenly the rest of the pieces fell into place.

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Evan: “We started chasing down the Bmore [Baltimore]  sound pretty heavily. Finding ways to flip that into what we were already doing. And I think that's really the one thing. It's really hard to have cohesion - especially when you have a lot of ideas. Having something that's the glue that puts it all together as a theme can be really hard to grasp.”

“So yeah, looking towards Jersey club and the Baltimore sound, it was a really nice way to get a lot of the tracks gelling together conceptually. But it’s something that we kind of jumped on to - we really started absorbing it later. Initially [the tracks] had more of an electro vibe.” 

A good thing about working with a sample-heavy sound is the ability to move the samples around and change the direction of the tracks - and upon receiving positive feedback on “Yaye,” the duo figured they were onto something. 

“We can take different worlds and combine them. It's kind of like collaging - that's usually how I think of it. You're taking all of these different elements and finding ways to get them to say something as a collective whole.”

Ian: And this is our first EP, right? So this was our first crack at sending a message out there - and we've got tons more material that we're going to keep working on. The theme for the first EP was definitely very B’more heavy, for sure - that was the vibe that we were feeling at the time.”

When asked why they decided to release on a Vancouver-based label, Active Surplus described working with their friends at Pacific Rhythm as a natural fit for this record. 

Evan: “My favorite labels are the types that have a narrative. We were racking our brains thinking, what's our influence, what are our favorite labels? And then who do we also have a connection with? You know, because you want it to be natural. It's awkward when you're shopping records and you don't know [the label] - music's a very personal thing.”

Good news! Pacific Rhythm is once again connecting game with one of Toronto's most promising young duos, Active Surplus. Active Surplus is the collaborative project from Evan Vincent (AKA Emissive) and Ian Syrett, who also appear on this past winter's fourth volume of Rhythms Of The Pacific. Their new self-titled EP is their love letter to the house music sound that first sprouted from the West Coast. It's laid-back, groovy and touched with lovely instrumentation, like the plucked strings on "Meera," a heartfelt tribute to a loved one. "Meera" and the billowing groove of "Ambrosia" might remind you of early Pacific Rhythm releases, with dainty arrangements and chords that waft across the rhythm section. But Active Surplus put their own spin on things. The EP was heavily inspired by the stuttering drum patterns of Baltimore club, which undergird each track in subtle but noticeable ways, making the grooves that much skippier and slippier. "Yeye" calls to mind the feeling of early Walt J material and delivers a devastating earworm that will stick with you long after the lights have come on at the end of a late night Dance Opportunity, while the looped woodwinds and cool-blue keyboards offer a sweet melodic hook on the irresistible "One Beyond." There's a confident, naturalistic quality to these rippling grooves and silky sounds, which the duo credit to an obsession with water. After all, in their words, "we might not live by the ocean, but we're all H20 on the inside." Thanks for listening!

While Evan works as an audio engineer and producer, Ian’s day-job is that of an audiologist. I asked Ian what it’s like to be so immersed in working with different aspects of sound - both hearing and music:

Ian: “It's definitely influenced the way I think about sound, for sure. It has more of an influence on some of the experimental stuff - I've tried a few things as far as more out-there sounds. I studied psychology when I was in undergrad and I was going to go into research in psychology. I was really interested in music, and I deejayed when I was younger - a lot. So [audiology] was a logical step for me to combine my love for sound and music with my background in psychology. As far as whether it influences actual musical material, maybe in some subconscious level - of just incorporating things that I've learned in school and in work.”

“I'm thinking about sound at work all the time, so I'm never that far away. There's similar language going on - both professionally and in my creative pursuit. It definitely makes it easier for me to work at the hospital, and then afterwards Evan and I jam for like - seven hours. Evan comes over, we jam and eat a roti, get back in the studio - eat lots of roti (laughs).”

“I love jamming and working with Evan because he's really proficient and creatively [he’s] really fun to work with. When I work on my solo project, I can sit there and work on the same sample for like three hours - whereas when I'm with Evan, I'll work on it for five minutes, and I'll look up, and he'll just be on his phone and I'll be like, ‘Oh yeah, shit, somebody else's time matters too’. It's easier to keep track of what the goal is when you're working with somebody else.”

Evan: “I'm guilty of the same thing - I'll be tweaking a filter for 45 minutes and it's like, you have to think about what the end pursuit [is], especially when you're with somebody else. I think it's easier to reach a manifested concept when you can be like, ‘this is working,’ or ‘maybe let's try this,’ and you can kind of work back and forth instead of just going in blind.”

Ian: “And lately, like for the past like two years, every time we jam we're making a track - or at least finishing something. So you spend enough time together, and eventually you finish each other's sentences. You don't have to go searching for the medium where your interests meet. It just sort of happens. It's more intuitive.”

Of course, what’s a Zoom call these days without mentioning something about the pandemic - I asked Active Surplus what advice they’d give creative people to stay motivated during this time of isolation:

Evan: When you find yourself with all this time, remember to take care of yourself and be easy on yourself. Also, this is an opportunity to actually just really explore the creative ideas that you're into because there's no more impetus to do just what's cool, or what's what people want. Now's the time to do exactly what you want to do and figure out what your voice is, and what your message is and what speaks to you.”

“Even if you're just making music for your own enjoyment, good. Find the thing that makes you feel amazing. As much as I love going to a club, and dance floor material, producers will feel like they need to make stuff that will get played to get out there - and to have their stuff in mixes. I think we'll see a lot more music of people just exploring sounds, trying new things. Exploring new directions, expressing themselves, expressing their frustrations. And getting into new ideas.. We'll see a lot more albums in the next little while.”

“You have time and you sit home; you can sit and listen to a record for an hour - it’s not like you are strapped for time anymore.”

...and then the conversation went a little beyond advice...

Ian: “You have to build a club where there's a tunnel that goes from your house to the club, but you're in your own little thing, and everyone's in there, and you can dance, and then there's another tunnel that brings the drink or whatever into your hands. And then you can jam with speakers inside each tunnel. And then when you're done, you're just back in your house.  

Evan: “I think I saw this thing online -  hazmat suits for clubbing - like you have your little cigarette…”

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Check out Vitamix on n10.as radio and catch Active Surplus’ guest mix with House of Delancey on Noods Radio on August 29th at 20:00 GMT

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Janette King Debuts New Track "Mars"

Janette King by Adam Nigro

Producer, vocalist and DJ Janette King is back with "Mars." This lusty pop-RnB track produced by Jonny Tobin marks the launch of the record label Hot Tramp.

Founder/owner of Hot Tramp Sarah Armiento has been managing Janette since she launched her company in 2019. "Janette King is one of the most talented, creative and positive people I've ever met who matches that with an equally impressive work ethic, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit". This track is a taste of Janette King's forthcoming debut LP to be put out by Hot Tramp in May 2021. 

Imagined through sex, longing, and lust, "Mars" is a song about overcoming your fears to explore a deeper connection with someone who seems to be from a different planet than your own. This dreamy soundscape with catchy melodies and powerful vocals will definitely take you around the galaxy. 

We caught up with Janette over the phone to talk about the out of this world track, Hot Tramp's launch as a label, and her thoughts on the contemporary creative process. 

Dan MacDiarmid for Also Cool: This will be the first single on Hot Tramp as a label. Hot Tramp started out just last year, but I quickly heard it come up as a big name for show management and promotion, and now it's becoming a label.

Janette King: Yeah! I think it is really cool about Hot Tramp because you don't see a lot of women-led anything in the music industry. Hot Tramp is entirely run by Sarah. She tries really hard to be intersectional, inclusive, and diverse in the work that she does. I think that it's demonstrated in the shows that she puts on and promotes, even within her artists.

Also Cool: Let's talk about the song itself. "Mars" is Hot Tramp's debut single, and it's a celebration of Black queer sexuality. What does the song mean for you? 

Janette King: I had an intimate experience where we played with the idea of being on a different planet. I thought it was really cool because,  sometimes, as a Black artist in general, you kind of just feel like you're from a different world. I don't know, I also just feel like Black artists... they're kind of hypersexualized in certain aspects. It's nice to say "fuck it" to all of that (laughs) and explore sexuality and sensuality regardless. 

AC: Yeah, in your own voice. 

Janette King: Exactly, and as an artist, I haven't really written a lot about my sexuality, so that was kind of a new avenue for me. Exploring it within my own art. It was kind of a challenge, I wanted to expand a bit in terms of what I write about.

AC: What do you usually write about?

Janette King: I would say that I usually write about love. People breaking up, getting together. 

AC: Can you tell me anything more about the upcoming album? What's the vibe going to be, and what's in store for you?

Janette King: I always write about love, and it's a compilation of love songs, to various degrees. But more so, I was focusing on loss in terms of relationships. It expands into loss of oneself and loss of life, and mental health. 

It's an album about love and loss, just like all my other ones (laughs), but it kind of dives more deeply into the loss aspect and different ways you can lose.

AC: Did you write the song this summer?

Janette King: My friend who is the producer of the song, Jonny Tobin, created the beat and the soundscape. I wrote the lyrics, the melodies and the harmonies, and then my friend Alex mixed the vocals together. We did it in our own respective bedrooms.

Janette King by Adam Nigro

AC: It's really cool that with technology and different ways to connect, you can do all that stuff even if you can't get into a recording studio.

Janette King: In this day and age, with the pandemic, it has to happen that way.

AC: Well, that's getting to the obligatory question, "How are you doing in quarantine?" Has it had influence over this song and your upcoming debut full-length album? Do you have any thoughts about its impact on Hot Tramp and artists and the disadvantages and potential new avenues?

Janette King: Personally, I've been creating a lot more than I usually would. It's given me a lot of space and time to just be an artist. However, I would say on the business side, it was devastating. We had a whole East Coast tour lined up, and a bunch of shows we wanted to do in promotion of the album. We had meetings with various industry folks... there were a lot of things that fell through because of COVID, small heartbreaks.

AC: Summer is when all these independent festivals and shows happen. All of a sudden, artists can't tour, and DIY local venues are shuttered. It's a weird transition phase because everyone has time to make new work, but there are limitations on how they can share that with other people. 

Janette King: Totally. People who didn't think certain things were possible, like producing an album with somebody over the internet, are now realizing, hey things are actually easier than I thought that they'd be. You're going to see a lot more producers pop out of the woodwork, you're going to see a lot more video editors too. When people have a lot of creativity and have a lot of time, magic happens, you know?

You can listen to "Mars" on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Tidal, Soundcloud and Youtube. Keep an eye out for the official music video to be released in September, highlighting Black queerness and celebrating Black people's sexual freedom and expression, and make sure to stay tuned for what's coming up in the future from Janette and Hot Tramp. 

Hot Tramp

Instagram / Facebook

For Inquiries: Sarah@hottrampmanagement.com

Janette King

Instagram / Website

Dan MacDiarmid is a 24 year old writer and reality television scholar originally from the suburbs of Southern Ontario, now living in Ottawa. You can follow their cat on Instagram at @archieisfromriverdale.

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Premiere: Freck's "Alone Again" is the Perfect End of Summer Anthem

Frecks by Allison Barr

You know that feeling? The one you get when you're biking around in August, stopping to pick wildflowers and long grass, and watching the sun go down? That feeling that makes you admit that summer is ending, but you're holding on to it anyways?

Portland-based Freck's latest release, "Alone Again," is precisely that. It’s an anthem for the end of summer, and perfect for your main character playlist.

For fans of Current Joys, and Yumi Zouma, Frecks is easily your favourite new up-and-coming artist. “Alone Again” is the first single off her upcoming bedroom pop EP, "Scorpio Sun," which is set to be released later this year. "Alone Again" explores the fear of being abandoned and the process of navigating codependent partnerships.

It's the perfect dreamy bedroom rock ballad to dance to in a field of flowers, to cry to, or maybe both at the same time.

Frecks by Allison Barr

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Hot Tramp Launches Label, and Announces Jannette King Release

It's a good day in Montreal when not one but two of your favourite music scene creatives announce new projects. Hot Tramp debuts as a record label alongside the announcement of Janette King's latest single 'Mars.' Stay tuned for an interview with Janette for her release on August 21st.

In the meantime, the label, run by Sarah Armiento in Montreal, is focused on raising the stage for womxn artists. So far, three artists have been set to release albums through the label in 2021: Janette King, Maryze, and Alicia Clara. Partnered with Outside Music as a worldwide distributor and The Diving Bell Social Club as its home venue, Hot Tramp is poised to make 2021 a breakout year for its artists.

Janette King by Adam Nigro

If you don't know her already, Armiento launched Hot Tramp in 2019 as an artist management company with Maryze and Janette King on the roster. Hot Tramp soon expanded into show promotion, tour booking, and PR, working with over 20 artists in the first year. The inaugural and iconic Hot Tramp Fest was the year's highlight, showcasing 25+ womxn artists across five days. They received festival support from Grolsch, Vans, MOOG, and more.

Regarding the switch over to a label, Armiento explains, "I'm launching Hot Tramp as a label because I think it's a necessary pandemic-adjusted pivot from my former format of a management company and show promotion. Secondly, I think that the industry needs more womxn-run labels to create safer spaces for artists, especially in the wake of all these industry call-outs.

There seems to be a cleanse happening in the industry right now that is dusting off some old cobwebs and clearing up space for newcomers like Hot Tramp." Launching the label alongside Janette King's latest single 'Mars' is the perfect start to making this year in music the Trampiest one yet, and we can't wait to see what Hot Tramp does next.

Hot Tramp

Instagram / Facebook

For Inquiries: Sarah@hottrampmanagement.com

Janette King

Instagram / Website

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Premiere: Antoine93 Volume EP

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Photo credit: Jordan Weitzman

Bedroom pop has never been more true to its name - mid-lockdown, post-breakup, and trying to keep his head above water amid a global pandemic - Antoine93’s new EP on Montreal indie label Your Approval Isn’t Needed (Pascale Project) is a stark contrast from the typical lo-fi sounds associated with DIY bedroom productions. 

Taking on a polished, dancey, hyperpop aesthetic, Antoine 93’s production style gives us sparkly party vibes, while his lyrics reveal the prevailing rawness and vulnerability that we could all relate to over the last months. Looking back on the writing process, Antoine joked that what started out as love songs ended up just being about breakups. A big 2020 mood. 

As the title suggests, Volume is meant to be loud, and stands for forging your own creative platform. As an independent artist, and until recently feeling like he didn’t fit into the prevailing queer scene, Antoine embraced his own aesthetic with this album and in the spirit of his friend Pascale’s Your Approval Isn’t Needed label. Who says DIY releases can’t be glossy pop with a punk essence? 

Half of the proceeds from this release will be redistributed to Taking What We Need, a Montreal-based volunteer-run community group dedicated to helping trans women, trans-feminine (AMAB), and two spirit people get what they need through discretionary funding. 

Learn more about Taking What We Need here

Download/Listen to Volume by Antoine93

Bandcamp Spotify

Cover art by Samantha Blake

Songwriting, production, mixing, mastering: Antoine Lahaie

Additional songwriting by Seamus Dalton on “We Got a World” and “Speed”.

Listen to Volume on Spotify. Antoine93 · Single · 2020 · 5 songs.

Antoine93

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Your Approval Isn’t Needed

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DIY Spring Goes Digital For Their 4th Edition

Growing up in Ottawa, there was little to nothing to do when it came to the music scene. For both co-founders of Also Cool, Elsa Mirzaei was and still is a beacon of hope for what the music community could be like.  

Since 2016, Elsa’s festival DIY Spring has featured an array of Black, Indigenous, and racialized artists, working to strengthen the local music scene. This year DIY Spring has gone digital, and today they announce the lineup for the fourth iteration of the festival.

Debby Friday by Wayne Hoecher

Due to the circumstances caused by the COVID-19, presenting an in-person music festival has had to be re-imagined. Keeping true to form by continuing to support artists, DIY Spring has transitioned into a digital format and is presenting its content virtually this year.

In spite of the circumstances, the festival team is optimistic about the shift to digital that has been made necessary by the pandemic. “We are excited to present our thoughtfully curated lineup in a free online format that makes space for our different realities, in a way that is slow, accessible, and meaningful during these hyper-digital times.”

Backxwash by Bianca Lecompte

The festival will run from August 3rd to September 3rd and features a mix of exclusive performances as well as new works by Polaris-nominated artist Backxwash, Debby Friday (Vancouver), R.A.P. Ferreira (Nashville), Sri Sri, Jah’kota and more. 

More information including a full lineup announcement can be found at www.diyspring.net. 

OK SO THIS LINEUP THO??? I told you we had some goodness planned. Get on the mailing list to find out when your fave is up! Just kidding, they're all your fave. #localmusic #ottawaevents #ottawamusic #undergroundmusic #diy #grassrootsfestival

LINEUP

Exclusive Presentations:

Debby Friday (Vancouver)

Backxwash ft Mechant Vaporwave (Montreal/Ottawa)

R.A.P. Ferreira (Nashville)

Jah’kota

Sri Sri

HTEBASIŁÉ

Virtual Cypher:

Paula C

Babe Ruth

SeiiizMikk

Zim (NYC)

Eyeda Sophia (Toronto)

Girls+ Rock Showcase:

Aurora Jade

Naïma Charles

Alicia Asp-Chief

Miss McLeod

+ live panel co-hosted by Full Femme x BabyPink Media: A Look Into : the Intersections of Art, Current Events and Accountability co-presented by DIY Spring, Full Femme, BabyPink Collective

DIY Spring

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Introducing Trans Trenderz: A label by & for Black trans artists

Trans Trenderz is the Black trans-owned record label helping trans and nonbinary artists achieve mainstream success by providing them with the resources they need. Founded by Blxck Cxsper (they/them) in 2016, the record label has now grown to span across Montreal and NYC, with Steph Durwin (he/him) joining the team in 2018. 

The label mobilizes allies via the Ghostly Beats Project, which provides Black trans artists with the resources they need to launch their careers. This includes recording, mixing, mastering, financial help with distribution, graphic design, music video creation, and marketing, all completely free of charge. They also host educational workshops for covering (but not limited to) transness, identity, and creative practices.

We caught up with Trans Trenderz to talk about the label's history and learn how allies can help. 

Blxck Cxsper: Hi! I'm Blxck Cxsper, Black non-binary hip hop artist from Montreal, and founder Trans Trenderz. My pronouns are they/them.

Steph: Hi I'm Steph, I'm an NYC-based engineer, producer & songwriter, and my pronouns are he/they.

Blxck Cxsper via Trans Trenderz

Malaika for Also Cool: Hi! It's so nice to meet you. Let's start by talking about how the label began.

BC: The label started off as a mixtape that I had curated and produced. It featured 14 different trans artists from all over. We released it during a live launch in New York City on November 6th, 2016. I'm a Capricorn, so I'm always thinking about what's next every time I achieve a milestone. That's what initially inspired Trans Trenderz. The day after the launch, I was like, what can I do next? How do I keep going?

Steph: We met in the summer of 2018 at a trans health conference. We brainstormed about how we could work together on Trans Trenderz. We launched the label's NYC branch shortly after that and found some artists to start working with right away. 

Also Cool: What kind of support does the label offer to its artists, and how is it different from other labels out there?

BC: We don't take any royalties from our artists. We're a label, but we also provide management, an agent, the full package. So when an artist works with us, we're providing them with everything they need to get their career started. We also prioritize working with Black trans people and providing them with the support they need.

What we do most often is a six-month contract where the artist will release one single. They keep their music and royalties' rights, we take 10% of the booking fees, and then split the profit from the merch sales and physical copies. Artists don't have to pay anything in advance, and we record and produce their music entirely for free.

Steph: We do everything from pre-production to recording, mixing, mastering, distribution, the artwork, even going as far as performance coaching and mentorship. The goal of what we're doing is to provide the knowledge and skills to our artists so that even once our contract is over, they're to be fully independent. 

AC: This is the most ethical model for a label I've ever heard of.

BC: Well, we're artists too, you know!

Apollo Flowerchild via Trans Trenderz

AC: Understanding industry terms, knowing what kind of a team you need (or not), and even owning your music is essential to surviving as an artist, so it's great to hear that you offer that kind of support.

BC: We don't want the artist to ever be the only trans person in the room. It's essential to have another trans person there with them, so they're not alone if anything happens.

AC: Tell me about some of your artists! Do you focus on particular genres, or is it more general?

BC: It took us a little while to figure out who we wanted to work with, and the most important thing was learning to know when an artist was ready. The artist needs to be able to work with a team, and we need to make sure that collaboration will work before making the commitment. 

Right now, we have Apollo Flower Child and Heather Hills on the label. It's very important to me that the majority of the artists on the label are Black trans people. When it comes to who we work with as a team, there are a lot of white allies volunteering, which is great. We're working on expanding and looking into collaborations with different studios (especially in Montreal). This will allow us to have the infrastructure to work with even more artists.

AC: What would be the best way for an artist interested in working with you to reach out?

BC: We don't just work with artists that we sign, we work with many other people as well. We have a forum for Black and other trans musicians to connect and build this online community. 

Black trans musicians on that forum can ask for free services, whether that be mixing, mastering, graphic design etc. They can connect allies on the forum who offer their services for free. We use that forum to find the artists that we want to sign next since we can witness their growth and provide resources. So whenever we can help someone's career in a more committed way, we reach out to them to sign them. 

AC: How have your operations changed since COVID-19, and how are you readjusting?

BC: The only thing that's really changed about how we work is that we don't do as many live shows. But seeing as Steph is in new york, and I'm in Montreal, we've been working remotely forever. We've been Zoom professionals before it was cool.

AC: One of the most significant barriers to entry for musicians seems to be even knowing how to send a press email, or figuring out how to reach out, or how to make an EPK. We really want to provide advice & tips for anyone starting out and wonder what advice you would have.

BC: I'm a self-taught musician, and although it seems obvious, I would really recommend googling things all the time. How do I promote myself? Google what an EPK is and how to make them. There are so many resources online, even for free. That should be everyone's reflex, google EVERYTHING.

Steph: Something that I've found to be a  useful process is first defining the boundaries of your artistic direction. Figure out what that is, and draw a clear distinction between yourself and your brand. Find someone who's brand aligns with yours and take inspiration by adapting their methods to your brand.

Heather Hills via Trans Trenderz

AC: Do you think artists need to be online to be successful?

BC: Definitely, without question. Again, free resources. Everything that isn't online is often very expensive. Being online is the best and most resourceful way to get your music out and make yourself known.

Steph: Another thing that's interesting in that sentence is the word "success." What is success? What does it mean to you? It's almost like artists might feel pressure to have a particular definition of success that doesn't necessarily align with their personality or the music they like to make. 

I always say, think about what that means for you. Maybe for you, success means playing shows a few times a month at your local bar, and that's totally ok. 

AC: Wrapping up, is there anything you'd like to highlight, or is there any specific kinds of support that you're looking for from allies right now?

BC: If there are allies from Montreal who want to get involved, whether that be a studio or professionals that can help sign a few artists in Montreal, that would be great. 

ALLIES: Offer your services to Trans Trenderz here

Trans Trenderz

Website I Forum I Instagram

Blxck Cxsper

Instagram I Spotify

Apollo Flowerchild

Instagram

Heather Hills

Instagram

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From Beatmaking Workshops to Community Leaders: These are the Froot Origins

If you haven’t heard of Montreal’s Black, queer, hip-hop trio Strange Froots already, it’s about time you drop everything and check out their entire discography on Bandcamp… STAT. The group is comprised of the talented Mags aka Passion Froot, Naïka aka Dragon Froot, and Sage aka Star Froot. Next week, Strange Froots will be celebrating their 6th anniversary as a band with us by throwing a Digital Sleepover — and you’re all invited! Come play our favorite party games, learn trivia about local artists, and have an open discussion about the COVID-19’s impact on our community, as well as the contributions made by its Black artists! DJ Mollygum will also be playing the after party.

The event will be streamed online, and will also serve as a partial fundraiser, with the proceeds donated to the Black Lives Matter DC, Regis Korchinski-Paquet’s family, to Taking What We Need (a Montreal-based discretionary fund group for low-income trans women) and Also Cool Mag's Artist Emergency Fund. Janice Ngiam (of Sun Astronauts), has volunteered her talents and allyship all the way from Hong Kong. For every new donation 20$CAD or more, Janice will produce a short, personalized song about anything you want! Discover her music at www.janicengiam.com/music.html

Join the Froots this Thursday on Instagram from 5pm to 8pm for a Frootiversary Happy Hour, and get a taste of what's to come this Saturday!

We got the chance to catch up with the Froots to reminisce on their early beginnings, discuss their future aspirations, and hear their thoughts what work has to be done to make Montreal’s hip-hop circles more inclusive and safe for QTBIPOC folks. Check out our interview below!

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Strange Froots (from left to right: Mags, Sage and Naïka), photo by Didi M’bow

Also Cool: Before we begin, tell us who you are and about your individual artistic pursuits.

Mags aka Passion Froot: My name is Mags. I’m an illustrator, cartoonist and graphic artist by trade, as well as a beatmaker, singer-songwriter, MC and casual guitarist.

Naïka aka Dragon Froot: My name is Naïka, I’m a Haitian, queer, Black woman. I’m a singer-songwriter, a guitarist, a bassist, and an MC. I recently released my first solo album, Painted Imageries, this past January.

Sage aka Star Froot: Hello, I’m Sage! I'm a singer, songwriter, actor and producer. I am also a passionate linguist, studying Spanish and Mandarin. Learning languages is a really interesting and ceaseless artform to me. 

AC: Individually and collectively, how has music helped you learn and grow?

M: On an individual level it has helped me spiritually for as long as I can remember, producing (more so than writing) has somewhat helped me translate my journey to sound. It’s also helped me reconnect to my ethnic origins as a first-generation African-American; in learning how to sample, I’ve been able to reimagine classic songs my parents would play around the house, or that I would hear over the summers of my childhood visiting relatives. As part of a collective, I think I’ve been able to contribute the story-telling attributes of my instrumentals, as well as the eclectic sounds of our diaspora. 

N: Individually, music has helped me grow into who I am and explore every facet of what I am., [Music] has given me the ability to express myself in a way that can be scary, but at the end of the day, honestly. Collectively within Strange Froots, this band’s music has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone by pursuing artistic directions and musical styles that are not necessarily my go-to. The band keeps challenging the ways that I write, compose, and structure music, and I love that about Strange Froots.  

S: Music has given me a way to express myself creatively and honestly. As a dynamic introvert, I spend most of my time reflecting over socializing. Music has been a great conduit for me to both share who I am and bond with those in my circles. It’s how I found Mags and Naïka all those years ago. I can’t imagine life without music. If I don’t like the song, I’ll change it, but there are very few times where I’ll go for silence. 

AC: What are the Froot origins? How did your diverse creative backgrounds come together for the first time? 

M: At the time of our meeting (Spring 2014), I was in my last year at Concordia. I was VP Marketing and Communications for the then-named Hip Hop Heads Concordia, of which I am a co-founder; this was a revival of the university’s long-defunct hip-hop club. I had by this time already been acquainted with a few of Montreal’s hip-hop artists, and it’s through them that I was introduced to NoBad Sound Studio. 

N: The manager of NoBad Sound at the time wanted to do a “girl” workshop, ‘cause few of them were at the studio and few were seen in hip-hop in general. It’s through this that our diverse creative backgrounds came together. I came up with the name Strange Fruits (paying homage to Billie Holiday and Nina Simone) for our band, as we are all Black and know what the song talks about: it was very dear to me, to us. Then Mags came up with the spelling “froots,” like the cereal, ‘cause we’re all nerds like that and are all pretty “out there”... fashion and personality wise, we’re all very colourful. But it says a lot too: the “roots” within fROOTs, refers to our Black roots, and it is also a derogatory gay term that was reclaimed by the queer community; which includes all of us in this band.

S: I was the last to arrive. I went to NoBad interested in beatmaking workshops, when I met Mags and Naïka days later. We shared our musical taste and gauged that we all had very different musical backgrounds. As the alternative member of our alternative-chill-soul collective, I am influenced by rock, house, jazz, pop, film scores, musicals, i.e. eclectic. I was also part of a theatre troupe and sang in choirs growing up, so working together came very naturally 

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Strange Froots (from left to right: Sage, Naïka and Mags), photo by Andrée-Anne Guy

AC: What is your creative process like as a collective, and how has this evolved over the years?

M: A lot of our collaboration these days (COVID withstanding) has happened digitally, sending beats, voice notes, guitar riffs and the like, due to ever-conflicting schedules. In the very early days, even after our first EP dropped, we would continue to meet up at NoBad and much of our collaborative efforts happened there. Then, you have songs like “Regular” that come about from very random inside jokes created well outside of the context of the band, and just from goofing around as friends.

N: OHHH child it has evolved! At first, we would all sit down together and write to a beat Mags or Sage produced, or a riff I played on the guitar. We held a lot of importance to composing all together in the same space and time, but it’s not always feasible and realistic. Now, we tend to write separately, propose something from one person who wrote, created a riff, laid down a beat and then the rest adds to it. We talk more openly about what we want to change, about directions of the sound. It’s literally a constant draft and constant back and forth within our capacities and availabilities, instead of depending on each other’s presence to finish a song. 

S: I think now a major difference, especially with our individual artistic pursuits, is that we create music with an understanding of if it’s for Strange Froots or for another passion project. If I can imagine Mags dropping a fierce 16 or Naïka working magic with her bass for example, then it’s for Strange Froots. It was easier in the beginning to put us all in one room for a few hours to create, but later became very unrealistic. 

AC: Since meeting through the NoBad Sound Studio workshops, do you feel that the Montreal hip hop scene has become more inclusive? In your view, what work has to be done to further grow hip hop spaces in this way?

M: In the 6 years of our existence, I’ve seen some slow, gradual efforts to not only include more cis women than they did at the time (because if we’re being honest that was their first hurdle). We’ve seen some kind of attempt at understanding and including the LGBTQ+ community. They’re not going to get it right all the time or on the first go, (some might even say there’s a  sense of pinkwashing and “you-go-girl”-ism), but I’d like to think that our group’s existence helped create more waves in that direction, especially in the Black community. 

N: Adding to that though, the Montreal hip-hop scene is VERY underground. The hip-hop that you see out there, that is being paid attention to, is mostly performed by white cis Francophone men. It completely disregards the Black and Latinx folks that laid the groundwork for hip-hop in Montreal, and the deeply ancestral history of hip-hop for Black folks. It’s our culture. In the last 10 years or so, Quebec suddenly “discovered hip-hop” from white kids, even though it’s been here for decades... So is it more inclusive to women? Meh, not really. We make our spaces. There needs to be a lot of work done for women in hip-hop and for queer folks. Hip-hop was made by marginalized folks who were Black and Brown: you have to include women and queer Black and Brown folks, not just the cis het straights, ‘cause they are marginalized as fuck. 

S: I agree, there’s still a lot of work to be done. There is hope – queer and black artists like Backxwash lighting the ground up – but when it comes to the hip-hop scene in Montreal, space is sparse and divided. White Francophones are still the dominant voices of hip-hop in Montreal unless the event is specifically curated to showcase queer and POC voices. Considering the origins of hip-hop as a tool for the marginalized and oppressed, it is crucial that more queer artists of colour are able to share their multifaceted truth and be on the mainstage. I hope we can get to a point where black and queer-owned venues exist and our music is not competing for airtime and spots in the margins. 

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Strange Froots (from left to right: Naïka, Sage and Mags), photo by Kinga Michalska

AC: Beyond music and performances alone, Strange Froots has acted as a collective driving interdisciplinary collaboration in Montreal. How have you connected with the music community, and how has that had an impact on your outlook as artists and activists?

M: From experience alone, I’d say due to the varying types of shows we’ve been able to play, we’ve not only made some great friends and musical colleagues, but we’ve been able to connect them to each other in many ways. With amplifying other artists through our platforms and association came an organic sense of belonging, like, “some of us are synth artists and some of us do hip-hop and some of us are riot grrrls but fundamentally we want the same things.” I was able to adopt this mentality when I was approached to co-found the multidisciplinary winter festival Lux Magna in 2017, alongside certain members of the Suoni Per Il Popolo festival.

N: I’m a part of a collective that I I co-founded called Fruition. Fruition is by and for QTBIPOC, and ensures that we have the space to thrive and access the resources we need to survive, succeed and heal in spite of systemic racism, oppression, assimilation, colonialism. We create art/music events, workshops, panels with QTBIPOC folks within our community so they can tackle their artistry in a way that is safe and radical. Individually, that has a lot of impact on me to help me grow and feel even more secure in my identity, but has also helped me find tools to build within our community. 

S: I find activism goes hand-in-hand with hip-hop, since injustice is not too far behind. In our collaborations with The Rap Battles for Social Justice, we had opportunities to explore deep rooted issues in our society, like austerity, police brutality, and climate justice. It inspired me to become more politically informed and recognize the power of music to facilitate important discourse. We are all writing our own artist blueprint while also having to navigate the erasure of inclusive physical spaces to share our art. In Montreal, the helping hand comes from utilizing our network and own creativity. That’s why it’s crucial to stay connected and support each other. I think it’s great that many collaborators are people we can also call friends, but at the very least, are people who share our values. These are people that I want to see flourish, so my activism is about standing up in the face of injustice and also facilitating joy as a form of resistance.

AC: Now that we are coming up on your anniversary; what has been a defining moment in your band’s history, and what are some of your future aspirations as a group?

M: Not to be a total Leo rising about it, but I think our priorities and our individual scopes had to severely shift when I was made to leave Canada. Long story short, I had a few bureaucratic hiccups regarding my status in Canada, and so I was turned away at the border when I was returning from a home visit from Silver Spring, MD. A lot of things were put on hold, and I attribute a lot of my shortcomings in taking care of my status, to hyper-focusing on keeping the band afloat. I held an unhealthy amount of self-worth in what I was able to do for the community and how I was able to alleviate my bandmates’ workload (I was the only one done with school), it took me away from myself in some very detrimental ways, and I think we’ve finally reached a place where we see that clear as day, and are constantly working to not repeat the mistakes that lead to several kinds of pressure and burnout. I hope that our group can continue influence positive and progressive change in Montreal’s youth, to make our queer circles less racist, and the hip-hop scene less queer and transphobic overall, and I hope as more doors open for us, we can hold them up for our friends in the game.

N: A defining moment in our history was going to Senegal and finally seeing our community of QTBIPOC fam come together when we put on hip-hop performances for queers. For future aspirations, I want us to keep creating and finding ways to create for ourselves, as a way to sustain imagery and art within our community.

S: I would love for us to all be in the same place physically for longer than a week! Technology helps, but our first in-person rendezvous will be something. The most defining moment for me so far has been our trip to Senegal. The connections made there and the wisdom shared will last with me forever. If the fates allow, I would love to journey with the Froots again to another motherland. Ultimately, I wish for more growth, love and understanding and for us to keep doing the work we do. The journey has been incredible so far. I’d like to see how much further we can go.

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Strange Froots (from left to right: Sage, Mags and Naïka), photo by Mariel Rosenbluth

Keep up with the Froots on their socials!

Strange Froots

Facebook | Instagram | Website

Mags

Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud

Naïka

Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp

Sage

Instagram

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Introducing Liquid Love: A label for the Montreal underground

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Liquid Love Records is a new project by Montreal-based producer and DJ, Martin Cadieux (AKA Liquid Love Angel). “Boundary Condition” marks the label’s second release, embracing the spirit of local collaboration and paying tribute to the city’s underground scene. Two original tracks by Cadieux are accompanied by remixes from Toronto-based Korea Town Acid and Hesk. The EP features original artwork by Francois Beauchesne.

“Boundary Condition” features a hammering acid bassline with a vocal sample of Stephen Hawking discussing his theory of the universe before the Big Bang, “My motto is there are no boundaries.”

Representing the local scene’s diversity and no-boundaries versatility of sound, what begins as a 160 BPM, drum and bass hard-hitter transforms into to a slower, more club-friendly house mix, until it’s finally reworked as an emotional IDM-flavored jam with Korea Town Acid incorporating sustained pads and emotive chord progressions. Meanwhile, Hesk is recognizable for his footwork productions - and his stuttering remix keeps the essence of the style’s rhythmics while simultaneously pushing its boundaries with elements of acid and techno. 

Pursuant to the label’s essence, the record was produced with an improvisational style to it, using live hardware - representative of how Liquid Love Angel and friends organize and play live analog shows around the city.

Martin: “Detroit, New York and Chicago - they have their own sound. I wanted to start a label to represent Montreal. We have such a beautiful and diverse city, and we have a lot to offer in terms of music, producers, and DJs... We have a very vibrant city.”

Attending Concordia University’s Electroacoustics program, Cadieux developed an interest in experimenting with analog synthesizers. Being around so many people with a similar passion inspired him to build his own platform - giving exposure to an unfailingly innovative underground dance music scene.

Martin: “I got tired of always listening to other people's music. We have great artists in Canada. I know a bunch of them. I went to school with them. I'm going to shows with them. I'm playing shows with them. 

It did take time - but now that I have all these people, I'm putting everything together, and I only plan on releasing more music. Just seeing where it goes.”

In the spirit of improvisation (we’re all winging it, right?) Martin recounted how the collaboration came to be:

Martin: “I didn't know how it was going to turn out. Jess [KTA] checked it out on Instagram in a 10-second clip and she asked, ‘What is that?’ - she made a comment on one of my posts and said she was going to be playing in Berlin in a few days, at this club called Wilde Renate. She wanted to play the track - and I hadn't finished it yet… 

Then she hit me up like two weeks later and said, ‘Hey, I'm going to play in this club - I want your track where is it? What's going on?’ 

It's hard to put yourself out there - the more I'm doing it, the more I'm impressed with other people. Constantly releasing music - yeah, it's for the love, but also it takes concentration. It takes effort.”

Korea Town Acid by Colin Medley

From the producer, to the remixer, to the sound engineer, to the cover art, putting out a record is a collective effort - it takes a lot of coordination, a lot of synergy. It’s exciting to see a DIY project come to life and shed light on the lesser-known gems in the city.

Martin: “This is the beginning of something important for me, and I'm hoping to bring out other artists I find interesting on the scene through this.”

All proceeds from “Boundary Condition” will be donated to a local organization dedicated to supporting POC in Montreal - get it here. 

Liquid Love Records

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Liquid Love Angel

Bandcamp I Soundcloud

Korea Town Acid

Bandcamp I Soundcloud I Facebook

Hesk

Bandcamp I Soundcloud

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