Finding Freedom Within Limitation: Chicago's Pansy Shares Self-Titled Debut

View fullsize

Vivian McCall, photo courtesy of the artist

Spring has sprung, and this week we’ve got the brightest bloom in the bunch on repeat. Meet Pansy, the solo project of Chicago-based musician Vivian McCall. Today, McCall releases her self-titled debut album on Earth Libraries: a nine-track collection of impressions inspired by her experiences as a trans woman. Through Pansy, McCall shares how she reconnected with herself throughout her transition, and parses the highs and lows of embracing her vulnerability. Before creating under the name Pansy, McCall established herself in the Chicago indie scene with her band Jungle Green. As an analog admirer, McCall realized Pansy using the same lo-fi equipment that captured Jungle Green’s recordings over the years. The result is a candid, sunny debut that reminisces 90s college-rock as a backdrop for McCall’s frank lyrics. We connected with McCall leading up to her release to chat about her musical beginnings, rejecting confessional songwriting and leveraging musical imperfections and limitations to make an honest record.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hey Vivian! Thank you so much for chatting with Also Cool. First thing's first - congratulations on your debut record! To get things started, how does it feel to have realized such a work and to have had so much buzz and excitement surrounding its release so far?

Vivian McCall: Well, to be honest, it really caught me off guard. I always wanted people to like and connect with my music, but never expected all this interest. This is such a cliche... but I made this record for me and hoped it would resonate with other trans people, too. I thought it was so specific to my experience that people wouldn't care about it, or worse they'd tokenize it. I'm relieved that people aren't doing that or projecting weird trans stereotypes onto me. I think the specificity is exactly what people enjoy. They've been able to connect their own troubles to it — troubles that have nothing to do with being trans. That's been beautiful to hear about. I'm happy that something so me is finding an audience.

Also Cool: Knowing that you’ve been playing in your band Jungle Green over the years, when did you find yourself wanting to explore a solo musical endeavor, and where did this project find its beginnings?

VM: I've been writing songs since I was 14, but this is the first time I've wanted to put anything out. You can't really write songs you care about when you're out of touch with yourself. The point of Pansy — before it was anything or even had a name — was to write songs quickly from a really honest place. I didn't want to play a character and I didn't want to embellish any parts of myself, because that was literally my entire life up to that point.

It's hard to explain to people who aren't trans, but before I went on hormones, I could intellectualize what I felt, but I couldn't express it, couldn't talk about it. Everything felt grey, and I don't I mean nuanced, I mean indistinguishable. I used to think there was something really wrong with me, like I was missing some essential part of my soul. So, yeah, I could write songs, but they were totally meaningless! They didn't even feel like a part of me.

These songs did. That's the difference; what I'd always been waiting for. I could write honest songs because I was recognizing my needs and the actual pain I'd been experiencing. It's just trauma and learning how to process it and dig yourself out. So when you listen to the album, know that some songs came before this big tectonic shift in my life… and everything else came during the midst of it.

The whole process was like that scene in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy walks from the interior of her grey house to the colorful magical land of Oz, only to be ambushed by the Wicked Witch of the West. In my case, the Witch was me and everything I'd ever buried.

View fullsize

Vivian McCall, photo courtesy of the artist

AC: Thank you so much for sharing your experience and opening up about the evolution of your music. Staying in this vein of thought: You've spoken about realizing that you matter on your own terms, rather than from the approval of others — which I think is really powerful. How did you maintain that mindset while creating such an intimate and vulnerable work?

VM: I had to if I wanted to feel okay about what I was making; I had some concerns. For one, this record is not a diary and that's purposeful. I didn't want my songs to be read as confessionals or emotional pornography for liberals. I was really not okay for a long time and these songs were my way of finding meaning. Every song encapsulates some big emotion I'd wrestle with for months. The conclusions are ... ambiguous, because that's how I felt, and still feel, about womanhood.

I didn't stop and ask myself if the music was "good" as often as I normally do. I was really focused on asking, Okay this line... is this totally, one hundred percent, true to how I feel. Seriously, I did that like I was interrogating myself, which is so, so ridiculous.

I truly hope this doesn't sound self-serious because really, some of these songs came out fully formed and I didn't want to think that critically about them because I was afraid of altering the meaning along the way. I was so deathly afraid of using my music to manipulate my own emotions because it's such a powerful thing when you're vulnerable. At that time, that could have been really dangerous!

View fullsize

Vivian McCall, photo courtesy of the artist

AC: To touch on the sound of this record: You’ve spoken about your affinity for analog recording. What about analog production first moved you as a musician, and how has your relationship with it impacted your creative process?

VM: Recording music uses such a different part of my brain than writing it,and that's why I love it. Classic head and heart, right brain/left brain sort of thing. If I've laid my emotions out in a song, I can start asking how to make those feelings come across clear in a musical sense, or how to make the song catchier if that's what I'm going for.

Analog recording is so limiting, and yet those limitations are freeing. I have to get the right takes. I have to commit to the sounds I'm making. I have to live mix the stereo mixes, making the recordings you hear a kind of performance, too. It can be really frustrating, but I'm not tempted to endlessly tinker with my recordings. They are what they are and I love that.

That's a huge part of the process for me, really pushing whatever I'm doing to new places that I didn't expect. I don't like going into a song knowing what I'm going to do, because that kills the fun and keeps me from exploring. I'm not a master technician or anything, but I'm creative — partially because I don't totally know what I'm doing — but I know what I like. Sometimes that means precision (take after take), sometimes that means making it sound really fucked or sloppy; embracing whatever imperfections and limitations I have as a musician.

AC: To end thing's off, what most excites you about the future of your music career? Where do you hope to find yourself once live music is possible once again?

VM: Well, I'm excited that every song I've written since finishing this record isn’t explicitly about the transition. [My] new songs aren't about transness, but are written from that perspective I guess, just because it's me. I'm excited to be back on a stage again and start figuring out what I want to do next, musically.

Just being a trans woman puts you in some unique emotional situations — some good, some bad — and for the first time in my life, I'm present enough to actually experience my feelings. That's still really crazy to me. I feel like such an alien sometimes, being like, Wow isn't it crazy to be a person? It's so corny. But that's more or less the truth of how I feel. Out in the world, I don't feel as aggressive about my identity anymore.

I wrote a lot of aggressive rock stuff during this huge power-pop phase right before the pandemic hit. I liked the idea of writing lesbian love songs in the language of this super beta-male, cartoonishly sexist genre that I do… love. Then I got my heart really banged up and wrote a bunch of sweet acoustic music. There's a lot, a lot more than I'm used to sitting on at once.

AC: Before we let you go, how is the best way that we can support you as an artist and what are you future plans?

VM: Well, I really need a band! So I guess if you like the record, just write me on Instagram. Maybe we'll get along!

---

PANSY

Out via Earth Libraries on April 2, 2021

1. Who Will Love Me Enough?

2. Anybody Help Me

3. Tomorrow, When I’m Even Better

4. Trash

5. Shoes

6. Turn Ur Back

7. Woman of Ur Dreams

8. Mommi Housi

9. Me In Mine

---

Pansy

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the co-founder and managing editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

---

Related Articles

Tommy Newport Combines the Quirks of Saturday Morning Cartoons with Broadway Glamour in New EP "Ultra Mango"

View fullsize

Ultra Mango album artwork by Ruby Snell

Midway through February, Kansas singer, songwriter and producer Tommy Newport dropped his psychedelic new EP, Ultra Mango. Throughout his latest offering, Newport guides his listeners into a  hazy funk on songs like “Sweetener,” but also allows himself to become contagiously excitable in more upbeat moments, including the dance track “Ultra Mango” and the catchy synth-pop anthem “Marigold.” The result is an auditory journey that transitions from  sweet and syrupy to rotten within instants; Ultra Mango encapsulates the brightest moments from a young adult life, as well as the darkest ones.

We had a chance to chat with Tommy Newport about the ideas, emotions, and nostalgic experiences which ultimately led to the creation of Ultra Mango. Throughout both its restless moments and its languid ones, Tommy Newport reminds us with Ultra Mango of all the growing up we’ve done, and all the growing up that’s still left to do.

Spencer Nafekh for Also Cool: Ultra Mango is a very different kind of EP because it never sticks to one vibe, and like all your projects, you like to keep your listeners guessing. What kind of music did you listen to growing up? Also, would you describe your listening habits as consistently eclectic, or do you go through phases with what you like to hear?

Tommy Newport: Growing up, I listened to indie rock from the 2000’s and the 2010’s, with a healthy dose of 70’s and 80’s legends: The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, The Beatles, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Killers, Dan Auerbach, The Black Keys, Alex Turner, and Morrissey, to name a few. Those are just the core, though… There's so much more than the mainstream sort of iconic names that I consistently listened to. I loved early 2000’s & 90’s rap, R&B, and pop music, too. I have go-to artists that will never change, but I’m always finding new things. 

AC: Your eclectic taste is definitely reflected in your own music, and it seems to me that from beginning to end, Ultra Mango is an exploration of that shaky transition we all have to go through from our teenage lives to our adult ones. Are there any life-shaping experiences from your childhood that really set the tone and inspired the making of this EP? Is Ultra Mango based off of one single experience from youth, or multiple?

TN: I was lucky to have amazing parents that let me live my childhood and teenage life with no hassle and not many rules. This had its ups and downs: I started my career at sixteen, and I was a naive kid. I still am to a degree, but being naive is bliss until you become self-aware. Lots of lessons, and lots to write about. Even if the lyrics to some of my songs are telling the story of a relationship, the underlying story usually uses love songs as a parallel to a real story. Ultra Mango is the story of yin and yang in youth. There’s so much around to influence you at that age—you are just on autopilot. It takes getting older to really assess your youth. 

AC: I’m not sure why, but when I listen to Ultra Mango I feel as though I am transported into the world of an early 2000’s cartoon TV show. What’s your favourite animated series? If your new EP was a cartoon, which one would it be?

TN: I mean, Ultra Mango is definitely Invader Zim. The parallels are perfect. My favourite series was probably Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends or Dexter though.

View fullsize

Tommy Newport, image courtesy of the artist

AC: The artwork for Ultra Mango is equal parts surreal and touching, in its own bizarre way. Same with the title: I never thought I’d see the word “ultra” placed beside the word “mango,” and yet the combination feels strangely fitting for your work. Could you elaborate a little more on the meaning behind Ultra Mango’s title, as well as the weird and wonderful artwork that accompanies it?

TN: The EP artwork was inspired by thought processes resembling fruit, in that they can be very colorful, or they can be rotten. Those kinds of contrasting ideas and the rate of time in which thoughts can quickly go from vibrant and colorful to spoiled was a great metaphor for the human mind, youth and growing up.

AC: How do you harness your musical creativity on days where you’re feeling productive? Whether you’re singing, songwriting, or producing your music, are there any specific rituals that you like to partake in before you hit the studio?

TN: I don't have any rituals. I was a very superstitious kid with terrible OCD, so I am surprised now that you ask whether I have any rituals. Then again, making music was the only relief from that, it's like when you fall asleep on a road trip and wake up and you're there. Time spent making music flies by.

AC: Based on the online videos of your passionate live sessions—including your appearance in the internationally renowned YouTube series COLORS—it seems as though performing might be just as important to you as your music; would you say this is true?

TN: Performing is a huge part of it. I think that if you're not an artist and just the average listener, all you see of your favorite artists is them performing. So my idea of being a popular musician as a kid was being on stage or at a festival and performing like it’s Broadway. I'm thinking of Live Aid 1985, those types of things my parents used to show me.

Since we’re on the subject of performance, I just wanted to mention how much I enjoyed seeing you play a bone-chilling Dr. Frankenstein (and his monster) in the recently-released music video for “Shooting Star.” Can you see yourself acting in quirky roles like this for future music videos? I really hope so! 

TN: Yeah definitely, I love videos like that; just so ridiculous. I want to get deeply in touch with my love for films and make some really cool videos in the future. 

AC: It seems as though we’ll have lots to look forward to from you in that case, music and otherwise. Ultra Mango might be the first bit of work you’ve released in the new year, but will it be the last? What else do you have in the works for 2021, music and otherwise?

TN: 2021 will be great…  Grammy nom coming next season.

Tommy Newport

Instagram | Facebook | Spotify

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

Instagram

---

Related Articles

Enter La Femme's Neo-Maximalist Nightclub "Paradigmes"

View fullsize

Paradigmes album artwork by Polygon

Paris-based psyche rockers La Femme are keeping listeners on their toes in anticipation of their forthcoming record Paradigmes, out next week on April 2nd via Disque Pointu and IDOL. The LP marks a milestone for the band, being their first release after five years of touring extensively, adding several musical accolades to their trophy shelf (including the coveted Victoires de la Musique award and Gold certifications in France for their first two releases), as well as playing major international music festivals, from Austin Psych Fest to Glastonbury. Formed in 2010 by Sacha Got and Marlon Magnée, La Femme has seen a rise in success comparable to the greats, but remain humbled by the everlasting centrality of their DIY roots. 

The band has already given us a glimpse into the sultry and psychedelic smoking-lounge that is Paradigmes, through teaser tracks “Paradigme,” “Cool Colorado,” “Disconnexion,” “Foutre le bordel,” “Le Jardin,” and most recently “Le sang de mon prochain.” From what we’ve heard so far, we’re intrigued by their clever use of horn sections, DEVO-esque wind-up rhythms, and a sprinkle of cool, laissez-faire nostalgia à la Serge Gainsbourg to present a sound best described as Neo-Maximalist. 

As the title of the album implies, Paradigmes’ narrative is as complex as its grandiose musical arrangements. While the lyrics throughout unpack the many anxieties and frustrations with cultural norms and expectations within Western culture at large, it equally tackles personal afflictions within the human experience — like love and heartbreak, sexual and gendered exasperations and general feelings of depression and nihilism. The band explains that they managed to touch on both existential and intimate themes by tapping into their intuitions, noting: “Maybe it’s easier to write when you are sad or plagued with negativity? The record took on a life of its own when reflecting on our own experiences.” 

View fullsize

La Femme by Oriane Robaldo

Speaking on how the record fell into place, La Femme says that the development and production of Paradigmes was a culmination of experiments, rather than a deliberate realization of a heady think-piece from start to finish. “After we toured Mystère in 2017, the band took break from music. We reunited in 2019 with the hopes of finishing a record, and brought together a bunch of material collected in our hard-drives and chose 15 songs to build Paradigmes. It’s taken a lot of time for us to finish because we are picky on the details.” 

Knowing the band gained popularity by exclusively touring North America before they were picked up by European audiences, I was curious to know if their experiences of the United States informed the cultural critiques within Paradigmes. “Really, we just toured and traveled throughout the US a lot — so yes, the influences and experiences from those memories are definitely present throughout Paradigmes. We specifically commemorate places we’ve visited like Colorado, New Orleans and Los Angeles. But the album also features influences from other countries like Spain and Turkey, as well as three different languages (French, English and Spanish) — so, it’s a world music record in that way. We like the folklore of places and what comes out of them.” 

View fullsize

La Femme by Oriane Robaldo

The ambition of the Paradigmes project is topped with a particular aesthetic crafted by the band. Of the six singles they’ve put out so far, three are accompanied by a music video that takes place in the futuristic “Paradigmes” nightclub. Frequented by a collection of eclectic regulars, such as go-go dancers, cyborg songstresses and intellectuals with an uncanny resemblance to Michel Foucault, you get the sense that Paradigmes is a hang-out where all are welcome. The band expresses that the album’s title track and their song “Disconnexion” were the inspiration behind their fictitious venue. “The song ‘Paradigme’ sounds like a generic, 70s TV show and ‘Disconnexion’ like an intellectual radio show. Combined, these concepts created the set of a fake TV show where all the video clips are connected. At the end, when you watch them all together, it’s going to be a full-length film.” 

At the end of our interview, La Femme lets me in on how they plan to celebrate their release in the most fittingly over-the-top way possible. “We’re going to have the biggest digital party and eat popcorn in front of our computers! The best way our fans can support us is by dropping out, tuning into our record and movie and starting an orgy.” Ça marche, La Femme! 

---

PARADIGMES

Out via Disques Pointu and IDOL on April 2, 2021

1. Paradigme
2. Le sang de mon prochain
3. Cool Colorado
4. Foutre le bordel
5. Nouvelle-Orléans
6. Pasadena
7. Lacher de chevaux
8. Disconnexion
9. Foreigner
10. Force & respect
11. Divine creature
12. Mon ami
13. Le jardin
14. Va
15. Tu t’en lasses

---

La Femme

Instagram | Facebook | Website

Spotify | Apple Music | Youtube

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the co-founder and managing editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

---

Related Articles

Beat-Making, Animal Crossing & More: Loop Sessions Celebrates One Year in Quarantine

Pitbull has competition for his title as Mr. Worldwide, and it's Loop Sessions. The beat-making project has 19 chapters, including Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Windsor, Edmonton, Londrina, Bauru, Diadema, Paris, Toulouse, Brussels, Brisbane, Detroit, Milan, and Istanbul, to name a few. 

Founded in 2016 by The Loop Pilots and Artbeat Montreal, the project ranges from pre-pandemic in-person events to their recent online expansion with their #StayHome events on Instagram Live and Twitch. IRL activities center around vinyl records, where participants have five minutes to sample their material, which they must use in the evening's production. 

March 24th 2021, marks one year of their online event series, and they're celebrating their #PannyAnni with a month-long Animal Crossing-themed visual collaboration with Mags (aka one of our favourite artists). They're also doing a giveaway with the record store Aux 33 Tours, which features one of our Also Cool tote bags! 

We got to chat with the Loop crew about their event series, community, and worldwide presence below. 

Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: How did Loop Sessions get started, and how has it expanded since?

Mags: It all started with a trip to Brazil. Montreal producer and DJ Dr. MaD and his mentor and former high school English teacher, Lou Piensa (of Nomadic Massive), form the duo The Loop Pilots. They were on a sort of tour, where they discovered a weekly event, Beats Brasilis, which would serve as the inspiration for Loop Sessions, powered by Artbeat Montreal.

Magnanimous: They contacted us (Artbeat Montreal) and asked if we would be down to start a recurring beat-making gathering, and the rest is history. It has expanded very organically since, either from people who participated in Montreal and brought it back to their hometowns or people from abroad who reached out to us. We now have almost 20 chapters.

shmings: After the first ten or so editions, Mad was busy with law school, Lou was in the middle of moving to Brazil, and ABMTL co-founder SevDee was getting ready to be a father. I stepped in on the administrative side so Mark wouldn't have to carry the operation on his own.

In the time we've been putting on the event, we've expanded to almost 20 cities. The growth has been exponential, and we have more chapters preparing to join the fold.

Also Cool Mag: The Animal Crossing graphics are emblematic of this past year in quarantine. How has Loop Sessions allowed you to stay connected? Tell us about one of your favourite memories from this past year.

shmings: The concept came about when I was brainstorming with Mags, who I credit with coining the term #PannyAnni. As a way to commemorate the trying year we've all had, to reinterpret our flyer mascots as Animal Crossing characters is peak zeitgeist. Don't be surprised to see them go up as NFTs in the near future.  

That we were able to continue gathering with our fellow creatives twice a month during confinement, albeit online, helped keep many people sane, myself included. I've only recently started submitting my own beats at Loop Sessions. I've been notoriously reluctant to share my amateur musical sketches, so to be able to do so among my extremely talented peers has contributed to pulling me out of my shell.

We have an amazing community, one that's supportive and celebrates people from all walks of life. It's beautiful.

Magnanimous: Our online editions have been an interesting way to get to know our community better. We get to have one-on-one conversations that were not as common in the IRL event format. One of my favourite Loop Sessions memories of the last year was when I decided to host with my hair down and sunglasses, which caused the participants to get really creative with their outfits.

Mags: Loop Sessions was very instrumental for me in staying connected to the beat-making scene, as well as the friends I made through it all those years ago (namely 2013). Because of my arduous immigration journey, I had only been back to Montreal from the US a handful of times, and only one of those times coincided with a Loop Session. I used to attend in person pretty regularly, having missed a few in the beginning. But then my LS contribution skipped from session 16 to session 31 in August 2019. When they announced they'd be going online, there was no way I was missing my chance.

I'd say my favourite memory has ironically been wiped from the web due to an aggy algorithm: it was at LS #48 for Halloween and I was the crate provider. This session saw the birth of a new alias for our then-host Magnanimous, who is now affectionately referred to as Spicy Mark. Now one of many new in-jokes, the spice emoji has become emblematic for the online Montreal sessions!

Spicy Mark

AC: Loop Sessions is seriously coming for Pitbull's place as Mr. Worldwide. How has the project grown to be so global?

Mags: Word of mouth typically. Most of the global chapters were founded before the pandemic, so lots of folks from other places had attended at least one session and asked to bring it back to their hometowns. Loop Sessions DMV is one of, if not the first chapters to be founded during the pandemic and debut online. 

shmings: Loop Sessions was international from the get-go. One participant took it to Brussels; another brought it to Vancouver, and so forth. Before we knew it, we had chapters across four continents. 

To me, the most important move we made internationally was having Beat Brasilis rebrand their event as Loop Sessions São Paulo. It was important for that association to be cemented because we've always credited the original source. By adopting the name, they acknowledged us. 

I'm still holding on to the hopes we'll be able to tour this global circuit we've assembled. Fingers crossed!

AC: Can you tell us about the newest chapter, Loop Sessions DMV. What are the differences between the two?

Mags: The main difference I've observed is that, because Montreal is already so small, many of the participants, even from the beginning, knew each other or had at least heard of each other. The online version allowed for a more one-on-one focus (over the IG sessions) with the chat serving as an amicable peanut gallery. It's allowed us to get to know one another on a more personal level, not just artistic. Whereas with the DMV chapter, it's almost all new to everyone! Many of the participants had not experimented in sample-based production before, which allowed them to step out of their comfort zone.

On top of that, many of the artists don't know each other at all! So this is allowing us to bridge a few gaps in the underground music community of the DMV, which is something of a tri-state metropolitan area, so it's a pretty wide net we've cast. Our host B. who is also new to Loop Sessions does a great job of encouraging folks and really enjoying all the different beats. It's been really wholesome so far, and you're all invited to the next session on April 2nd!

AC: What are some of the ways that Loop Sessions keeps the scene connected?

Magnanimous: Since 2020, we are doing two online events each month, which provides the space for the community to exchange and interact, both musically and personally. We also have a Discord where people can connect between events.

Mags: With the online editions proving to be somewhat more intimate, people have been less shy about striking up collaborative partnerships and even friendships through the web. A few recent examples of this are the new song and video released by MC Kayiri, produced by Sabrina Sabotage. The original beat was created at LS 50 and selected to be part of a cypher at the Hip Hop You Don't Stop festival in late November 2020, of which Kayiri was on the bill. More recently, a beat produced at LS 48 by Rekha made its way to Télé-Quebec just a few weeks ago on the new music competition La Fin des Faibles.

AC: Tell us about some of the artists you've worked with for the project.

shmings: The most crucial addition to the Loop Sessions team has to be Shogo. He's responsible for our wholesome visual style. I can give him a theme, a colourway and a silly reference, and he'll turn in this vibrant, playful artwork that's really a lot of fun. Working with him is a pleasure.

Magnanimous: The list is very long, about 40 to 60 beatmakers from here and abroad that submit beats each edition. Salute to every one of them!

Each second event of the month, we have a guest crate provider, and in the last year, we had the pleasure of having people like DJ Kemo from the Rascalz, Scott C and Urban Science.

Mags: As the founder of Loop Sessions DMV, I enlisted the help of my dear friend S. Sweet, bandleader and bassist of DC-based band Black Folks Don't Swim?, as well as Richmond-based collective Grimalkin Records (of which Backxwash is a former member). Sweet is the one who pointed me in the direction of Bliberation (B. for short), a producer, DJ, and craftsman. I went with my gut feeling: out of three or four names I was given, I chose B. simply because they had Hua Li as a mutual, the only one with a Montreal connection, however small. It was a sign I couldn't ignore, and I'm so glad I didn't because everyone loves him!

AC: How could someone get involved with the project?

Magnanimous: Check our Instagram and Facebook pages for the next event, sign up and get involved! Follow us on Twitch @loopsessions, where our events are now being broadcasted.

Mags: Follow your respective chapters on Instagram (the one platform each chapter is presently on), come participate or sit in on a session, and if you're so inclined, hit us up if you have a cool idea for a crate! If there isn't a chapter near you, everyone is welcome to attend any of the chapters; it's a global community after all, and the pandemic has only emphasized that by virtue of the online events.

shmings: Loop Sessions are open to the public. Whether you make experimental electronic music or '90s boom-bap, all styles are welcome. 

The aim is to have as many people experience the joy of making music and sharing their work in a communal, non-competitive atmosphere. We all have to start somewhere, and for many, Loop Sessions was the first time they manipulated vinyl records or sampled. Some even made their first-ever beats at a Loop Sessions event. The online iteration of the event makes it that much more accessible. No matter your skill level, our community will receive you with open arms. 

AC: What's the best way to support Loop right now?

Magnanimous: The best way to support is to participate and tune in to our broadcasts. Follow us on social media and spread the word!

Mags: Follow us in the DMV on all our socials at linktr.ee/loopsessionsdmv, we're also currently accepting donations to support our SoundCloud at streamlabs.com/loopsessionsdmv 

shmings: Check out our #StayHome playlists on SoundCloud (https://soundcloud.com/loop_sessions), where we've amassed over 1200 productions for the Montreal chapter alone. Share the music you love with the people you love, and when you're ready, come make a beat with us. 

---

Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media specialist, currently based in Montreal.

---

Related Articles

Maryze Debuts Glimmering 80s Banger "Too Late"

via Hot Tramp Records

Usually, I'd write a clever opener, but this song has been stuck in my head for DAYS; that's how much I like it. You may know Maryze as Montreal's TikTok icicle queen or from her last single with Backxwash. Either way, you would know that she's a creative powerhouse, putting out hit after hit, and "Too Late" is no exception.

The track is a glimmering 80s banger, touching on themes of uncertainty and self-doubt. It's comparable to alt-pop tracks such as Sky Ferreira's "Everything Is Embarrassing" or Caroline Polacheck's "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings."

"I wrote this song when I was feeling both frustrated about wasting time and also completely unable to motivate myself in the pandemic," explains Maryze. "I was kicking myself while I was down, which obviously isn't helpful to get back up. For some reason, even if the lyrics are pretty depressing, the song came out upbeat and dancey. I immediately heard it with an 80s beat – the era of sad dancefloor hits."

During a time when routine can become soul-crushing, "Too Late" is a relatable emo anthem for crying on the dancefloor while hoping for a brighter future. Maryze delivers her most confident performance yet, giving listeners another peek at her debut LP, out Fall 2021 via Hot Tramp Records.

Watch "Too Late" below.

Maryze

Instagram I Spotify

TikTok I Twitter I Facebook

Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media specialist, currently based in Montreal.

---

Related Articles

Come Along on a Dreamy Adventure with Freck's New Track "222"

via frecks

Wanna get lost in a shoegaze dream? freck's latest track, "222" is the perfect fix. It's a beautiful combination of sparkly guitar strumming, with Mazzy Star-esque vocals, that make us feel like summer is on the way. The track is a follow-up to the Portland-based artist's last single, "Alone Again," which we covered earlier this year.

The music video follows two best friends as they explore a forest, have a picnic, and share predictions of the future for each other. Alternating between shots of melting candles, Tarot cards, and the cloudy sky, freck's honey-smooth vocals bring us along on the adventure in a dreamlike state.

Water rushes around the girls, and sunlight filters through the trees, leaving us with a languid sense of nostalgia. For fans of Mazzy Star, Soccer Mommy, and all those who want to feel something slow and sweet, this one's for you.

Watch the video for 222 below.

frecks

Instagram I Twitter

Spotify I Soundcloud I Bandcamp

Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media specialist, currently based in Montreal.

---

Related Articles

"Shell(e) Pt III" is the Cherry On Top – and Marie-Clo is Taking a Bite

View fullsize

Marie-Clo. Photo credit: Alex Brault

Not to get all existential on a Friday morning, but what are you looking for? Who are you showing to the world? What more is there to see? Ottawa’s creative chameleon Marie-Clo toys with these questions on Shell(e) Pt III - and we’re hooked.

Shell(e) Pt III is the latest notch in Marie-Clo’s belt, standing as the final chapter of her Shell(e) trilogy – out now for all to stream. This EP boasts indie-pop at its best, enhanced by the magic of Polaris-shortlisted producer Olivier Fairfield (Fet Nat, Timber Timbre). As a whole, the project captivates with its playful curiosity and feminist narrative. Retro groove “At Ease” shines with a punchy attitude, while “Lève tes voiles'' wraps the listener in a sensual, seaside metaphor. 

Marie-Clo · Shell(e) Pt III

But the standout track among the three is “Play Nice” – a sunny indie tune guaranteed to make your toes tap. With “Play Nice,” Marie-Clo provokes the listener to explore their soul and leaves no stone unturned. Her vocals strut with authority as she contemplates: “What are you looking for? / Are you looking for praise? / What are you hiding from? / Sentiments ablaze?” Introspection has never sounded so fun!

Shell(e) Pt III embodies the essence of Marie-Clo – an eclectic and colourful performer who does not shy away from a statement. Throughout this collection, Marie-Clo emerges as a phoenix from the ashes, and a performer is reborn.

View fullsize

Marie-Clo. Photo credit: Alex Brault

---

SHELL(E) PT III

Released on February 12, 2021

1. Play Nice

2. At Ease

3. Lève tes voiles

All songs written and performed by Marie-Clo

Produced by Olivier Fairfield
Mixed by Charles Fairfield
Mastered by Sage Kim
Drums, percussion & pads by Olivier Fairfield
Bass, synth & organ by Greggory Clark
Guitars by Julien Dussault

Photography by Alex Brault

The full Shell(e) trilogy is now available as an LP – complete with one additional bonus track, “Tides of Fools”. Stream and purchase the full album here!

---

Marie-Clo

Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp | Soundcloud

Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

---

Related Articles

In Conversation: Carlyn Bezic Talks Taking Up Space On and Offline with New Project Jane Inc

View fullsize

Jane Inc by Andrew McGill

What role do you play in today’s social media rat-race? Are you an observer (always monitoring, never posting); a creator (sharing content related to you and your interests); a critic (engaging with and commenting on said content), or; a luddite, in the sense that you’re disenchanted altogether and logged off (and out) forever? Whatever your involvement in whichever form of feed Discourse™, one’s stance on social media translates as a fraction of the self — sometimes, in more ways than one — across online spaces. These curated extensions of the self are of particular interest to Toronto musician Carlyn Bezic, and are given centre-stage in her new solo project, Jane Inc. 

Known for her involvement in acts like Ice Cream, Darlene Shrugg and as a touring member of US Girls, Bezic realizes years worth of side-gigged musical experimentation as Jane Inc. Building off samples, break-beats and Ableton tutorials, Jane Inc’s debut Number One is out on Telephone Explosion Records March 19th, and serves as a reminder that Bezic is no one-trick-pony. 

What started as layering bass, guitar, synth, and vocals on top of drum breaks and samples has now transformed into the dance-machine that is Jane Inc, with Bezic as its ring-leader. With the help of recruited support from Toronto recording engineer and stalwart Steve Chahley (Badge Epoque Ensemble, US Girls, Ben Stevenson) to coproduce, the duo recorded live drums performed by Evan J. Cartwright (US Girls, Tasseomancy), saxophone by Nick Dourado (BUDi Band, Aquakultre, Fiver) and wurlitzer by Scott Harwood (Scott Hardware) to marry Bezic’s hypnotic, cyber reveries and glittering grooves.

Leading up to her release, I got the chance to chat with Bezic on taking the reins with her latest musical venture, and how she dissects the tensions between the self and the ills of today’s digital climate on her anticipated release Number One.

To open our conversation, Bezic tells me about the origin of Jane Inc, which she explains was inspired by stringing together a myriad of concepts. “The name was born out of a few things. My middle name is Jane, so it’s kind of about me in a way. But, I also liked Jane as in, Jane Doe… Someone who is a blank ‘woman’ figure. ‘Inc’ also plays on my approach to the writing and recording process, where I thought of [the project] as my own little company where I’m playing a bunch of different roles, you know?” 

Bezic elaborates on the shapeshifting quality of Jane Inc, asserting that it’s personified more as an artistic mindset, rather than a traditional alter-ego. “[Jane Inc] is like a mental trick. It was helpful for me to view, say, a baseline as something other than a direct reflection of me — Carlyn, as a human being — that supposedly expresses to you exactly who I am. This framework was informed by an explicit exploration of how what you do online creates a new being removed from reality — which can be both liberating and also terrifying.” 

From here, our conversation shifts onto the topic of how artists in particular struggle to exist, both in relation to survival and relevancy, without having some kind of online presence. Noticing Bezic comments on this in her songwriting, I ask her how she navigates the difficult position of wanting to be critical of this phenomenon, while also having to be complicit in it. 

Sighing in a way that feels relatable, despite the lag of our Zoom call, Bezic states: “I mean, I find it to be a real mind-fuck.” 

View fullsize

Jane Inc by Andrew McGill

“The way I personally engage with the Internet isn’t very healthy, I think. I’m 100% addicted to the Internet, even though I know it’s really insidious. I’ve been experimenting with posting more and showing myself, which feels strange and disingenuous because our engagement habits are so intrinsic to our perceived empowerment. When this is tied to the thing you’re creating… it becomes even more complicated. [My music] isn’t then just an extension of who I am as a person, but also a product, and I become its advertisement — even though I’m just a human being. It’s inescapable because it is so essential for my job, and I’d rather have some control over how I am perceived by handling my social media presence myself.” Continuing on this notion of how she remains purposeful in navigating the maze of social media, Bezic comments: 

“Intentionally taking up online space represents a growth for me. I’m trying to be more comfortable sharing [my music] and being myself, and it feels similar to what it would be like in real life and during a performance. That being said, when I think about it deeply, this comes at the expense of commodifying myself and the art that I’m making. So, like I said, it really is a necessary beast.” 

Through listening to her teaser tracks from Number One, I noticed Bezic’s lyrics air her frustrations with the physical world in parallel with her commentary on social media. Her single “Steel” struck me as an observation on how identity is manufactured by our physical surroundings; through mundane, daily activities. I was curious to know if the sentiment I was picking up on was informed by Bezic’s experiences with the fast-paced rhythm of Toronto.

“Toronto is a city that hates creative people. We are also seeing in a really real and horrifying way how it also hates low-income people, unhoused people and racialized people. [‘Steel’] was born out of a very complicated relationship I have with Toronto, as I grew up here and have lived here the majority of my life. Though Toronto has a very strong [arts] community and is full of creative people, its bureaucratic, big city energy doesn’t allow for any sustainability. It hates itself. Even before the pandemic, I felt like I had no energy. The city was never giving me energy. Everyone is working to live, or living to work, the places [we] love are closing down and rents are skyrocketing. You know, the same old story as everywhere else. The opportunity keeps on getting smaller and smaller,” Bezic laments. 

Bezic’s outlook took an upward turn towards the end of our interview, where she told me about looking ahead and her plans for the future. 

“Though I complain that Toronto sucks, there are a lot of musicians here who really inspire me and push me forward. I am excited, and feel lucky to have collaborated with them [on this record]. I’m looking forward to eventually having a band at some point and figuring out a nice little setup for doing livestreams or something lowkey. Other than that, I’m already writing the next album, which I’m hoping to release in the next year.” 

View fullsize

Jane Inc by Andrew McGill

---

NUMBER ONE

Out via Telephone Explosion Records on March 19, 2021

1. Gem
2. Steel
3. Faceless, Bodiless
4. Dirt and The Earth
5. Bloom Becomes Me
6. My Oldest Friend
7. His, Mine
8. Obliterated

All songs written and performed by Carlyn Bezic

Drums and Vermona by Evan J. Cartwright
Saxophone on "Bloom Becomes Me" by Nick Dourado
Wurlitzer on "Faceless, Bodiless" by Scott Hardware
Mixed by Steve Chahley and Anthony Nemet
Produced by Steve Chahley and Carlyn Bezic
Toronto, 2020

---

Jane Inc

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the co-founder and managing editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

---

Related Articles

Premiere: Sisi Superstar Reclaims Emo Culture with "Demon Tales"

View fullsize

Photo credit: Ariana Molly

Reject modernity, embrace tradition. Sisi Superstar is queering emo music with her poppy, goth, 2000’s alt-rock-infused debut EP, Demon Tales. From co-founding the queer party series, Unikorn Parties, to her popstar debut, dive into Montreal’s glamorous underground drag scene with Miss Spooky 2021, the queen who creates her own reality, building her own spaces when gatekeepers try to stop her.

The scene kids are coming to take their music back. We talk our favourite early 2000’s melodramatic rock bands, the challenges of writing your first album, owning our skinny jean-wearing high school looks, call-out the high school bullies who turned emo for aesthetics, and analyzed the science behind social media’s ever-present based-cringe ratio in the all-revealing interview below.

Maya Hassa for Also Cool: Let's start with the story behind Demon Tales.  How did the album come to be?

Sisi Superstar: I first met my producer at a party I was hosting over a year ago.  At that time, I was trying to start a band with my friend Awwful - we started working on a few songs, but it was sounding very raw to me.  I had never really sung before - and I didn't know much about music production either. I always want to put the right amount of effort into the work I put out – and that project just felt rushed. I was worried it would become "that one drag single" I release - I didn't want that to end up happening.

Right before the pandemic, I met Pierre Crube at Muy Muy, which is a Mexican party series that we also host in Montreal. It’s funny, I didn’t recognize him at first, but he was in a band that I used to listen to as a teenager called Numéro#. They were really popular in the French music scene - I even had photos of them in my locker and went to a lot of their shows in high school. I was obviously wired when I realized who he was. It was 6:00 AM, I was in a look, talking a lot, but not making much sense - there's a certain point during the night when you start making insane plans with people, knowing that in reality it’s totally not going to happen.

We started talking about music, and he was just like, “Yeah, you should pass by my studio, we can record something, test the waters.” At this point I’m thinking, “Okay – we’re not really friends yet, we just met at this party.” It was super intimidating to go there, especially since it was my first experience making music with a stranger. Afterwards, he sent me some beats and I started writing lyrics for a song that ended up on this EP.

“Icy Tears” is the most lyrically complex song I wrote - it was my first single, so I had a lot to say. In my experience, when you start a new medium, you just have so many ideas. I had so many things to recount about my experiences, since I first moved to Montreal at 17, to now - over ten years later. The title, Demon Tales, is just a play on words – the songs are tales of demons past.

AC: This album is giving me Lady Gaga, a little bit of synth pop, a little bit of early 2000’s goth vibes – what sounds were you channeling for this release?

SS: I have two sides of me - I really like experimental and hardcore electronic music, and I also like rock and alternative. Since this is my first EP, I didn’t want to get too distracted by my music taste, and instead, work on finding my voice and deciding what sounds good. A lot of people don't necessarily produce the kind of music they listen to on the daily - expressing whatever is inside of you matters most.

Demon Tales is a mix of early 2000’s rock moments like Linkin Park, Avril Lavigne, and melodramatic alt-rock bands like Sum 41 and Billy talent, mixed with electronic music, new wave, and a bit of goth in the style of Crystal Castles. If you mashed all of those up and turned them into a pop song, that’s the sound I’m going for. I would call it emo pop.

My aim was also to reclaim emo music. With this new trend of people jumping on the emo and scene aesthetic bandwagon, it often seems like they aren’t genuinely part of the culture. If you were an emo or scene kid in my generation, you would have had to endure a lot of judgement for looking that way. It’s great to see so many people appreciating it now, but this has consistently been my lifestyle for years. People used to bully me for wearing skinny jeans, acting feminine, and wearing nail polish – now it’s considered “aesthetic.” I'm fucking reclaiming emo music – but I’m making it really poppy and queer at the same time.

View fullsize

Photo credit: Ariana Molly

 AC: You're a visual artist, a DJ, a drag artist, and a makeup transformation legend. How did the start of your career as an artist look like – and how did you end up getting into the club scene?

 SS: My medium has always been a mix of illustration and painting, but when I started going out a lot, I was consistently throwing looks. I’d wear colorful contact lenses and makeup, but I wasn’t necessarily going for the full drag moment - yet. I was experimenting with fashion - and then I think it just grew on me. One day I was like, “wait, let me try on that wig.”

The first time I did drag was about five or six years ago, when I went to the Dita Von Teese show in Montreal. I tried dressing more feminine and burlesque, took a glamorous cab ride with a friend, and realized I really felt in the moment – I loved being femme-presenting. 

It all came together when I started throwing my own events. I was already so involved in the party scene, I thought maybe I should learn how CDJs work, so I decided to give it a try. I was experimenting with drag around that time too, but not necessarily performing – I didn't feel like I had a place at the bars in the Village to actually perform there.

 That didn’t stop me, though - if I didn’t have a seat at the table, I had to build my own. That's what happened with Unikorn parties. Awwful was already DJing and throwing Glitter Bomb, so they showed me the ropes - and that’s how Unikorn Parties was started.

Coincidentally, Ariana Molly invited me to her studio for a shoot one day, and someone was reading tarot cards there. Without telling them much about what was going on in my life, they told me I was juggling way too many things – and they were right. I was DJing, doing drag, making art, throwing parties - doing everything at once.  

They told me that I was going to find a mentor who would help bring all of that together. At the time I couldn’t really imagine how all the different things I was doing would end up working out, but after meeting Pierre, I realized this was it. I could perform in drag and express my creativity through music and visuals. Sisi Superstar became my pop persona. It took time, but now I realize it’s all aligning.

View fullsize

Photo credit: Ariana Molly

 AC: You said you wrote “Icy Tears” when you were feeling inspired in Mexico City – what was special about being there?

SS: I was there for a festival called Backdoor - a queer party series that happens in Vancouver, Toronto, LA, and Mexico City. My friend Sam Blake introduced me to the organizers when they came to Montreal, and I ended up flying out to Mexico for their next event. I loved it - being in a new place gives such a boost to your confidence. People in Montreal are used to seeing me around the nightlife scene. It’s a small city, so we're like a big family here – but in Mexico it was really popping. People get excited when they see a fresh face – they’re not jaded. That energy was very inspiring.

AC: The first single you released, “Purest Evil,” was recently remixed by D v D, a DJ/producer in the Montreal party scene. How did you end up collaborating?

SS: I first knew D v D’s music through Soundcloud. He came to a Unikorn party once – and I just knew I had to go talk to this person. I ended up going to a few of the events he was DJing – parties in the basement of La Sala Rossa – and I just thought he was a really good DJ and producer.

Our music tastes are very similar – we both love a hyper pop moment, EDM, hard dance, all that. I wanted him to do a remix because Demon Tales isn’t very dance-y, it’s more introspective headphone music for when you’re taking the metro and you’re “having the feels”. I wanted to make a remix that was closer to what I would actually play in a DJ set next time I do my goth night.

@bubblebadbitch

 AC: You’re also a TikTok star. How is that working for you as a platform to promote your art?

SS: I haven't gone viral or anything, I'm just enjoying TikTok more than other social media platforms at the moment. I actually got put in “TikTok jail” recently - I got flagged for wearing a bikini with my breast plate. It was just too sexy, but it also felt deliberate, because I’m a drag queen and the algorithm is very selective. It's less welcoming to queer bodies and marginalized identities - especially targeting sex workers. When an influencer posts suggestive content, their posts are treated differently. A similar thing happens on Instagram – if you have a blue Verified check, your posts are less likely to get reported. I'm basically reported on all social media, so I’d rather just focus on whatever platform makes me the happiest.

The TikTok community is very cringe sometimes, but it’s also a lot more authentic. It’s not about presenting an image for people; it’s about posting the stupid shit showing who you really are. Rawness is valued over curated content – you won’t spend hours modifying your appearance before posting it on there – it’s meant to be a live moment. More importantly, it's usually meant to be a joke. Social media can get pretty dark sometimes, so it’s nice to have this constant source of comedy. I can spend an hour on Instagram and not laugh, but if I'm on TikTok, I'm going to laugh – like, a lot.

AC: The based-cringe ratio is so real - I’m obsessed with testing how far I can go before crossing the line. Navigating the algorithm is especially difficult for artists, because you have to master a lot of different platforms, including Soundcloud and Spotify, to get the views that you deserve.  

SS: It’s hard – I keep them all. I can’t put all my eggs in one basket.

---

Support Sisi Superstar on Bandcamp and listen to Demon Tales on Spotify below:

Produced by @pierrecrube
Mix/Master by @lebeaudet
Photos by @arianamolly
Graphic by @casketnap

Listen to Demon Tales on Spotify. Sisi Superstar · Single · 2021 · 6 songs.

Wanna Be My Daddy? Mystic Peach Talks Sexuality, Creative Process & More

Via Mystic Peach

Heavy-hitting and spellbinding, Mystic Peach's track "Wanna Be My Daddy" is a grunge-rock reminder to not give a fuck about what others think of your sexuality.

It's an anthem for every small-town kid who wants to feel comfortable and confident with their identity, despite the judgements of others. We got the chance to chat with the band about the track below.

via Mystic Peach

Malaika for Also Cool: Hi! Hope you're all holding up the best you can. How would you describe yourselves to those who don't know you?

Curtis for Mystic Peach: I don't think we've ever sat down to think about it, but here's a list we've gathered in the past few years- Melodic Pop, Psych Pop, Psych Rock, Space Rock, Noise Rock, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Grunge and some others. So take your pick, but, at our last show, the sound engineer called us Psych-Punk, which we like.

Also Cool: Let's get into your origin story. How did you all become friends and get into music? 

Mystic Peach: Curtis and Joe went to the same school and had worked on a few projects together throughout the years. We went through many phases that were all enjoyable, but looking back, it was all very confusing. One minute we were recording loud droney stoner music, and then the next week, we'll be recording Mac DeMarco-Esque guitar pop. I don't think either of us knew what we wanted. 

I just felt like we were going nowhere, and I wanted to actually find the strengths in my voice and guitar playing. I vanished for a while, and not many people could get hold of me unless they actually came to my house. 

Shortly after the vanishing trick, Jimi and I met down at the pub through mutual friends and started talking about music and bands. I was astonished that Jimi wasn't in a band. We both knew of each other through previous bands, so it was a chance to woo him with my songs and get things going. After two years of not really speaking, I got in contact with Joe to ask if he wanted to give this project a go. To my surprise and with little reluctance, he said yes. 

Now we're all friends doing some pretty cool stuff and playing music that we like. We're very lucky that we actually like each other.

AC: What's the local music scene like where you're from, and what role did it play in getting you into music-making? Were there any venues or spaces in particular that made you want to be a part of the scene?

MP: I would say it's healthy, there's plenty of interest, and locals are willing to give bands a listen. I wouldn't particularly say there was a specific local scene we wanted to be part of; perhaps we just wanted to shake the whole thing up a bit. I think as long as you get on with fellow bands and those in the music community making things happen in the city, that's all that matters, really. 

We have venues like Joiners, Heartbreakers and The 1865 in Southampton, and Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth. We wanted to play them after seeing some of our favourite bands perform there. The promoters are always looking for new music, which keeps the city's music scene in a good state.

AC: I've noticed during the quarantine that people seem to be more and more comfortable with their sexuality and sense of self. You've mentioned that the track tackles the discomfort that others can feel because of your sexuality. How did you come to terms with your personal identities and find confidence in that part of yourselves?

MP: I never really thought I was doing anything that grown adults would need to comment on. It seems that some people bring that 'school kid mentality' into adulthood. But at the end of the day, who cares? You do you. If someone has a problem with whatever it is about you, let them simmer in their own discontent. We all have a very honest set of friends that like each other because we connect... Not because we have a mutual hobby of being a dick head.

AC: How do you find inspiration for your music? Who and what are you inspired by?

MP: We've all put our two pence in on our sound through individual influences. Anything from shoegaze (My Bloody Valentine, DIIV, Slowdive) to punk (Sex Pistols, Black Flag) and 60's garage to 70's rock. More recent influencers are the likes of Yak, FIDLAR and Peace. 

As for subjects, it seems to be based around mental state and social commentary. Sometimes it comes from personal experiences, what we've read, or sometimes just people-watching. Cult films (The Warriors, Pulp Fiction, Clock Work Orange) are a big part of this band too!

AC: Delving into some pre-pandemic nostalgia real quick, what's your favourite memory from playing live/being on tour?

MP: Our most recent and last pre-pandemic memory was our tour with Temples in France in March. It got cut short after three shows, but we all loved it. It was the most fun we had, and we savoured every moment. Playing in Paris to 1,000 people was a highlight and definitely something that brought us closer together because we're cute like that. 

But all in all, just being able to rehearse when we want. Going to the pub, going away to random places together, and getting drunk in hot tubs or in the middle of a field. We miss each other, and I'm sure that's the case for most bands.

AC: Who are some local artists or creative friends who you think deserve more hype?

MP: Defcon Lawless. Unreal talent, fantastic lyricist and incredible music taste. We could talk to him for hours about music and life. Originally from America, but he's ours now; they can't have him back.

Also, our long-term friend and talented artist, James Digweed. He's done art for our last two singles and for our upcoming EP. A true weirdo, a visionary, and we truly love him. 

AC: What are you looking forward to this year? Any upcoming projects?

MP: We're looking forward to releasing our EP this year and having more than just singles out there. We're unsure of timing due to the pandemic, but we're making plans as we speak. We're crossing our fingers for before summer, but we also know that it might happen later than that. 

If the virus starts settling down here, it looks like autumn could be a pretty busy time with shows and rescheduled releases. Intense but exciting for us. An act at our level relies on live shows so much for engaging with new & existing fans. No better feeling. Can't wait to get on that stage again!

AC: Closing out here, is there anything you want to shout out or promote? 

MP: Be safe, be kind to each other, don't shit on each other's opinions and respect people's views even though they may be different from yours. Marmite is better than Vegemite, and if you disagree, then you are wrong.

Thanks for speaking with us, and we're over at @mysticpeachh on all socials. 

Watch Wanna Be My Daddy? below

Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media specialist, currently based in Montreal.

---

Related Articles

Bon Enfant Channels Jodorowsky and Psychedelia in New Single "Magie"

Bon Enfant by Eva-Maude TC

It seems that the longer we've been in isolation, the more we look to art and music as a source of optimism. Enter “Magie,” the latest music video from Bon Enfant directed by Ian Lagarde, and produced by Parce Que Films. For fans of Jodorowsky's The Holy Mountain, this track is for you.

The track is off their self-titled 2019 album via Duprince, and is reminiscent of 70s-style psychedelia. The video emulating David Bowie-esque aesthetics and sci-fi visions of the future. According to the band: "We really wanted our video to be a pure psychedelic and occult delirium with an overdose of colors and optical effects (…) we think Ian and the filming crew really nailed it."

Bon Enfant by Eva-Maude TC

“Magie” looks like what it will feel like to finally be back together again, dancing at shows and music festivals all night long. 

Check out “Magie” below

Catch the Bon Enfant at one of their upcoming (COVID-safe) shows.

04.09.2021 @ Vieux Couvent in Saint-Prime QC

04.10.2021 @ Café du Clocher in Alma QC

09.10.2021 @ Grand Théâtre in Quebec city (with Mon Doux Saigneur)

10.01.2021 + 10.02.2021 @ MTelus in Montreal (with Mon Doux Saigneur) 

Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media specialist, currently based in Montreal.

---

Related Articles

Yoo Doo Right Releases Title Track From Forthcoming Debut LP "Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose"

View fullsize

Yoo Doo Right by Stacy Lee

Montreal krautrock trio Yoo Doo Right have released the title track from their first full length Don’t Think You Can Escape Your Purpose, out on hometown label Mothland May 21st, 2021. This six-minute slow-burn propels the listener through a metamorphosis of sound; tethering between a surfy trip and an atmospheric, spaced-out drone, while remaining wholly contemplative from start to finish. The single hints at a refined stride for the group, presenting a masterful cocktail of soundscapes and experimentations that make it clear their debut LP will have a strong first impression. On the release, the band comments: "It’s about a person who is losing touch with reality. Who thinks he has a higher purpose, and is supposed to be an ambassador to a higher extraterrestrial race. It’s a looming atmospheric rhythm and crawl."

View fullsize

Yoo Doo Right by Stacy Lee

Alongside this anticipatory single, the band have also released an accompanying music video that is just as immersive as their otherworldly sound.

"In an attempt to achieve a higher purpose in life, the subject instead witnesses their own deteriorating mental posture. As a means of overcoming assumed existential risk (the hurdles of our great filter), the subject looks above and within believing that they alone have been chosen to solve the problems that our species faces. Images of Eva Szasz' 1968 short film Cosmic Zoom, produced by the National Film Board of Canada were cast over foliage to make for fitting imagery, complimenting the narrative."

- Justin Cober from Yoo Doo Right

Watch the video for “Don’t Think You Can Escape Your Purpose” below

---

DON'T THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE YOUR PURPOSE

Available in digital, LP & CD formats via Mothland on May 21, 2021

1. A Certain Sense Of Disenchantment
2. 1N914
3. Marché Des Vivants
4. The Moral Compass Of A Self-Driving Car
5. Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose
6. Join, Be Curst
7. Presto Presto, Bella's Dream
8. Black Moth

All songs written by Yoo Doo Right.

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 recorded by Guillaume Chiasson at Le Pantoum, Québec City. Tracks 4, 5 and 6 recorded by Sébastien Fournier at Hotel2Tango, Montréal. Mixed By Guillaume Chiasson. Mastered by Harris Newman at Greymarket Mastering, Montréal. Artwork by Louis-Alexandre Beauregard.

---

Yoo Doo Right

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music

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

---

Related Articles

Premiere: Magi Merlin Sets the Record Straight With New EP "Drug Music"

View fullsize

Drug Music cover by Laurent E. Malo

Magi Merlin has arrived with her highly anticipated sophomore EP Drug Music. Produced by her right-hand collaborator Funkywhat, Drug Music settles the dust around Magi Merlin’s reservations on themes of racial identity, love and personal growth, to which she comments: “I wrote the Drug Music EP as a way to process and reflect on some of my heavier emotions. It is some of my favourite writing and I think that it grew into a piece of work that successfully embodies feelings of affliction and confusion but ultimately acceptance.”

Throughout Drug Music, Magi Merlin owns her truth between entrancing beats and smokey basslines, while getting hot and heavy with lush vocal harmonies and a playful raspiness. We love nothing more than a sound that stands its ground while flirting with the listener to come a little closer; and such is the dance of Drug Music.

TDLR: This album is hot and if you don’t immediately listen to it after reading our review, it’s your loss. Thank you Magi Merlin for melting away the grey Winter slush, even just inside our shivering apartments — for this we are indebted to you.

Listen to Drug Music below

Magi Merlin

Instagram I Facebook I Spotify

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

---

Related Articles

Premiere: punctï Makes a Case For Colouring Inside the Lines With "Surprise"

View fullsize

punctï is the most intriguing practice of musical constraints since Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies (or at least we think so). Turning the concept of limitation on its head, multifaceted experimental artist Laura Bardsley (and her alternating cast of one-off collaborators) strive(s) to embrace a “less is more” mindset by creating an album once a month following the same set of guidelines: composition, recording and overdubbing are done in the first, single session, and; post-production is done in another session, who’s duration is roughly the same length as the first. By cultivating a conceptual environment that aims to stretch the possibilities of performance and improvisation, Bardsley captures the “noise, meditation and inner turmoil” at the core of “Yes-Wave.” At the same time, Bardsley explains that “[the] project is all about reclaiming that childhood joy and wonder, without all the learned insecurity.”

Today, punctï premieres her 48th release, Surprise. In 15 tracks that graze the minute mark, punctï paces, yo-yos and chips away at the question she asks herself time and time again: “How do you feel today?” We had the chance to catch up with Bardsley on tinkering solo with her sampler, the restlessness of late-capitalism, and why Tiffany Haddish is “nobody’s bitch” to celebrate the four years of punctï. Check out our full interview below.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hi Laura! Thank you so much for chatting with Also Cool. Before we get into the specifics of your latest album Surprise, let's talk about the punctï project. What inspired you to pursue such an ambitious endeavor? In what ways has working within the punctï framework impacted your artistic process, as a musician or as a performance artist?

Laura Bardsley: punctï started 4 years ago on a rather dejected Valentine's Day evening. I had a four track app on my phone and decided to make at least four tracks with the app in one night. After releasing my first album, I realized that it would be super fun to continue making albums in very short time-frames, especially if I collaborated with other artists. [The constraints of punctï] allow my collaborators and I to flex our music muscles every month, and I’ve learned enough about producing, mixing and mastering that I’ve realized there is so much more to learn.

I learned that Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner's relationship was built on a set of rules, just like punctï. It's really illuminated the endless possibilities of what is possible under a specific framework. For performing, I channel a disillusioned office worker, and it's a blast because: a) I've never worked in an office, so it's an acting challenge, and; b) It's a meld of performance art, music, choreography and comedy; sincerely the most fun I can have in one performance.

Also Cool: On that note, you've spoken to how your work channels and critiques feelings of restlessness and inadequacy within the constraints of late-capitalism. How has your perception of, and relationship with, these concepts changed and impacted the spirit of punctï with the dawn of COVID-19 and working-from-home?

LB: My perception of these concepts has only been cemented by the onset of COVID-19, but with more hope for change and growth than ever before. We're at a point where the whole world is experiencing this restlessness and these feelings of inadequacy. Somehow in our shared anxieties, there is a general understanding that this system is worn out and in need of replacement.

I've been doing remote sessions with my collaborators for most of the pandemic, and it definitely is more of a challenge to get into a creative, open and non-insecure mindset. Thankfully, we have the internet and all its gifts… Although I do truly prefer working with people IRL, and will cherish those sessions when they come back.

AC: Something I noticed when studying the punctï project as a whole is that all your collaborative albums reflect different levels of spontaneity. Can you speak to this notion of "Yes-Wave" that you and your collaborators embrace, and how you embody its mindset throughout your production process?

LB: I attribute the spontaneity to the time constraints and spirit of the project: each album is a record of my collaborators and I are at in that moment of our lives. What is grinding our gears right now? What makes us giggle? What makes us nostalgic?

One of my rules for punctï is that if you really like what you're playing, really feeling it, then change it. Make it better, make it different and challenge yourself to explore it. I used to worship No-Wave music, but at a point the rejection of musicality got old to me — I don't want to reject it, I wanna embrace it. I wanna say Yes to The Wave washing over me.

AC: You've tapered off from partnering with another artist to create Surprise entirely solo. What caused this shift and what influences did you bring into the work?

LB: I've produced the occasional solo punctï album, and since this month marks the project’s four year anniversary, I decided to do it alone. As for constraints, I only used my Sampler PO-33 KO, voice, and bass on one track. I was inspired by Tierra Whack's Whack World, where she made 15 one minute songs. Obviously I'm no Tierra Whack, and some of my tracks are over one minute long, but I really enjoyed making Surprise. At points I wanted to make more sample-based tunes, which I pepper into the record. There's bitter stuff, like "Previous Her,” nostalgia for recess on "Snow Worlds,” sex in "Eyes,” and of course, the anxiety of the pandemic in "Like A Lazy Aristocrat.” Oh, and a song about Tiffany Haddish, cause she's the best.

AC: I feel like with any work, there is always some "lessons learned" sentiment that lingers after it's fully realized. If this idea rings true to you, what has been the main take-away from Surprise?

LB: I think because I make an album per month, it's usually not really until later, looking and listening back that I get some kind of a "lessons learned" feeling. The main takeaway from this album is one I keep having to remind myself of: Why try? Why the fuck not.

AC: To close off, do you plan to continue the punctï monthly releases? Do you have any other projects or collaborations you'd like to plug?

LB: I'm pretty sure I'm gonna keep doing punctï until I die. I did the math and at age 69, I'll be producing album #420.

I do more accessible music under Blue Odeur. My newest single "Foam Born" is out on all platforms and on YouTube with a snazzy video.

Listen to Surprise below!

punctï

Spotify | Bandcamp | Youtube

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Laura Bardsley

Website

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

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

---

Related Articles

Zac Taylor Masters Smooth and Soulful Storytelling on "Stay In The Night"

Zac Taylor by Mae Krell

We got the chance to speak with New Zealand musician Zac Taylor about his love of storytelling, his creative process, and the importance of collaboration within musical scapes. His new single, "Stay In The Night," oozes an 80s-pop vibe. His smooth and soulful vocals glide over the track with ease, providing a unique listening experience. His natural storytelling abilities take us on a dreamy and melodic journey, from a different place and time between his move from New Zealand to Australia. 

Formerly a member of the pop-group Titanium, Taylor has since left the band to start his solo project. Since 2016, Taylor has spent his time reflecting and writing to debut this release that combines a mix of pop, soul and R&B.

Taylor describes working on "Stay In The Night" as "[...] nostalgic, in the sense of missing a moment I once lived. Being able to draw on a past relationship helped creatively speed up the whole process, as I already knew what I wanted to say. It all happened very naturally.” In his songwriting process, Taylor states that "[...it] inspires me to be better and reminds me of what I have overcome and achieved. There are some days when I can't get anything out and things just seem like they're going nowhere; nothing's working... But then somehow, something clicks and a light goes off and things start to flow." Check out our full conversation with Zac Taylor below. 

Sierra Kaylen for Also Cool: Hi Zac! Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today. Congrats on your new solo project and single "Stay In The Night." Do you mind touching on how storytelling has impacted your music?

Zac Taylor: Thank you and it's my pleasure to speak with you guys! I've always loved telling stories since I was a kid. You could say I've always been a little overdramatic, but I guess it works in my favour when it comes to telling a story. Being able to put my life into songs is amazing and it's incredibly therapeutic. Telling stories has helped me get out of some pretty dark places over the years. As I continue to write, I'll keep working through this game of life. 

Also Cool: When creating your single, "Stay In The Night," what emotions were you experiencing? How did they impact your creative process? 

Zac Taylor: I was feeling nostalgic, in the sense of missing a moment I once lived. Being able to draw on a past relationship helped creatively speed up the whole process as I already knew what I wanted to say. It all happened very naturally.

Zac Taylor by Mae Krell

AC: You worked beside two close friends when creating your single. Can you elaborate on how collaboration in this industry is important? 

ZT: I think collaboration is a big part of creating something special. You're able to bounce ideas around and come up with something that you probably would never have done by yourself as everyone draws from different perspectives and influences.

AC: What are some of your favourite memories from recording the song? Do you get nostalgic when you hear it? 

ZT: It was a special weekend for me. Creating what would go on to be my first single as a solo artist. We went out to the countryside to get away from all the noise so we could be free to just create without any distractions. We were in full flow mode which is the best place to be when writing.

AC: I see you're originally from New Zealand and now in Melbourne. Have these two places impacted you creatively?

ZT: Yes! I am a proud Kiwi and although I miss my country, Melbourne has become a home away from home. A city filled with creatives, what's not to love. Everybody is hustling and so supportive of each other. I can't wait to work with more creatives here and get some new collaborations going.

Zac Taylor by Mae Krell

AC: If you could collaborate with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

ZT: That is an extremely hard question. There are so many people I would love to work with. Musically I would love to collaborate with Poo Bear. I think he and I could create some magic together.

AC: How has songwriting impacted your life? What are some struggles you face when writing songs?

ZT: Songwriting continues to inspire me to be better and reminds me of what I have overcome and achieved. There are some days when I can't get anything out and things just seem like they're going nowhere; nothing's working... But then somehow, something clicks and a light goes off and things start to flow. It's a never-ending battle but if you just keep going and stay in the fight, eventually you will win.

AC: What do you think the future of music will look like? Are you excited about it? 

ZT: Music is changing daily so I think naturally my music and sound will evolve, but for now I'm looking forward to sharing the rest of this project with you all. I have another three tracks to follow "Stay In The Night" they all tell a story and connect up.

Zac Taylor by Mae Krell

AC: I just finished watching your music video for "Stay In The Night" and the cinematography is beautiful. How did you come up with the concept for it? 

ZT: Taine Noble! He's insanely talented and super fun to work with. We wanted to create a simple concept. Something picturesque, almost like a collection of photos. I think we nailed it.

AC: How can we best support you and your future endeavours? Do you have any advice to give to creatives who are just starting?

ZT: Come be a part of the journey, follow me on socials, and keep streaming my tunes. 

It takes one moment, one person to change your life so spread the word. 

My advice to creatives starting is to stay humble, be grateful and surround yourself with people who genuinely care about you. I've been through it all, some might even call me Harry Potter the snake whisperer from all the snakes I've met in this industry. There's a lot of noise that can distract you and veer you off the path you're on. So having those key people around you will keep you focused, consistent and passionate. 

Zac Taylor

Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | Youtube

---

Related Articles

Braids Team-Up with DJ Python to Release "Young Buck" Remixed

View fullsize

Montreal outfit Braids offer a midweek energy boost with the re-release of their bittersweet track “Young Buck,” remixed by NYC’s renowned DJ Python. Hailing from their anticipated comeback album Shadow Offering, “Young Buck” was originally praised for it’s fervorous danceability; enhanced by lead singer Raphaelle Standell-Preston’s blazing performance. In the hands of DJ Python, “Young Buck” is no less commanding and reminisces breathless dancefloors and locking eyes with a handsome stranger. For these Calgary-turned-Montreal art-rockers, we give this pulsing sonic-makeover a 10/10.

View fullsize

Braids by Mélissa Gamache

On the remix, Braids commented:

“Upon receiving DJ Python’s remix of our track ‘Young Buck,’ my pining for the dance floor kicked in. I pulled my car over to an empty parking lot and turned the volume up as far as it could go. Alone beside the concrete barriers of a now desolate shopping mall, I was reminded of bodies beside bodies, of a night that you never want to end, of sweat, of joy. For a moment I was transported from my new and uncomfortable reality: distanced, living through a pandemic, to memories streaming behind my closed eyes, of a life lived prior, and one that will be lived again. This track offers the fuel needed to keep going, the energy needed to stay hopeful. When I close my eyes and dance to it in my living room, I am at the club and the club is with me.”

Stream “Young Buck” remixed by DJ Python below

Braids

Instagram | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify

DJ Python

Instagram | Bandcamp

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

---

Related Articles

Magi Merlin's New Track "Mock Meat" is Realer Than You'll Ever Be

Mock Meat cover art via Magi Merlin, by Laurent E. Malo

A little spooky, a little bit sultry, Magi Merlin's "Mock Meat" (prod. Funky What) draws you in with textured sounds and silky vocals. The track is less of a departure from her last single, "Walking to the Dep," and more of an evolution point for Magi Merlin as an artist.

I caught up with Magi about "Mock Meat" and got to dive a little deeper into the song's meaning and her preference for vegan protein alternatives.

While we were chatting about her new track, she explained that it was not only evocative of the heavy wintery energy we've all been feeling but of a failed friendship as well. She shared that the song was her way of processing the hurt it caused while still knowing that she had made the right choice by setting these boundaries.

Via Magi Merlin

We empathized with each other about the process of realizing that a friend may not have the best intentions for you and the sadness of realizing that it's time to let them go for your own good. We're taught to break up with a partner when the relationship goes sour, but when it comes to ending friendships, especially creative ones, things get a little more complicated.

While the song may be evocative of the cold, heavy feelings we're all going through, it's a beacon of promise for the undoubtedly excellent album to come. As Magi Merlin continues to grow as an artist, it's no doubt that her creative career will blossom with her. She's one of our top artists to watch this year, and that's not a compliment we hand out freely.

Oh, and in case you were curious, Magi Merlin has confirmed that Beyond Meat Sausages are her #1 type of mock meat. "I could eat those literally every day, no exaggeration. They have a legit sausage texture and flavour. UNBEATABLE." @ Beyond Meat, we're open to sponsorships.

Listen to Mock Meat below and keep an eye out for Magi Merlin's upcoming EP Drug Music, to be released March 5.

Magi Merlin

Instagram I Facebook I Spotify

---

Related Articles

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

View fullsize

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DECOUPLR

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Bandcamp | Spotify | Soundcloud | YouTube

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

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

---

Related Articles

Alex Nicol Debuts Reality-Bending Video for "Mirage"

Still from Mirage via Alex Nicol

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

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

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

Check out the video and read our interview below.

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

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

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

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

Still from Mirage via Alex Nicol

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

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

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

Still from Mirage via Alex Nicol

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

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

Big Shot statement:
We have created a situation.

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

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

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

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

So please, take your seat. Enjoy. 

Still from Mirage via Alex Nicol

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

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

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

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

Alex Nicol by Stacy Lee

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

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

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

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

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

Alex Nicol: Eve Parker Finley - Chrysalia

Cotillon - Cruiser

Nick Schofield - Glass Gallery

Thanya Iyer - Kind

Dana Gavanski - Yesterday Is Gone

Jonathan Personne - Disparitions

Hua Li - Yellow Crane

Beaver Sheppard - Downtown

Anna Burch - If You’re Dreaming

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

Corridor - Junior

Eve Adams - Metal Bird

Helena Deland - Someone New

Thomas Molander - The Walk

Susil Sharma - Keep the Dream Alive

Xiu Xiu - A Bottle of Rum

Eric Gingras - Enfant Magique 

Deca Joins - Bird and Reflections

Penny Diving - Big Inhale

Vanille - Soleil '96

Eliza Niemi - Glass

Sheenah Ko- Nowhere In Time

Whitney K - Maryland

TEKE::TEKE - Meikyu

Cut Worms - Nobody Lives Here Anymore

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

Alex Nicol: Working on / releasing a new album! 

Alex Nicol

Spotify I YouTube I Instagram

---

Related Articles

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

View fullsize

Rachel Leblanc / Vanille by Dominic Berthiaume

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

View fullsize

Rachel Leblanc / Vanille by Dominic Berthiaume

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vanille (She/Her)

Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Bio

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

---

Related Articles