Interzone’s "Transcendental Cuisine" Marks an Exciting Comeback in the Electronic Scene

via Interzone

Translations of interviews in this article were done by its author.

The Transcending Experience of "Transcendental Cuisine"

After entering through a door located near the lively intersection of St. Laurent and St. Joseph, the participants descended a few short steps before arriving at the basement venue of La Sotterenea. They were greeted at the door for tickets in a small hallway lined with two doors that made up the space: the chill room on the right and the noise room on the left.

The April 29th show, titled "Transcendental Cuisine," was Interzone's first show back since the start of the pandemic – and it was remarkable. The show, which began at 8PM and finished at 3AM, featured six local artist sets ranging from live noise to techno and electro DJ sets. Throughout the night, you could go between listening to Kore, Wormhole of Doubt, Stan K, Nixtrove, Myfanwy, Neo Edo, and Matthew Raymond, and spending time in the chill room across the hallway where a bar, pool table, comfy sofas, warm light, and a merch table could be found.

The show hosted somewhere between 100-120 attendees, and both rooms were filled throughout the night. I spoke with several of the participants, organizers, and artists at the event to hear their thoughts on both the show itself and the broader collective. 

Playing for Interzone

I spoke with Jessy Myfanwy, who played her first-ever official DJ set at the Interzone show. As she explained, she had often played with her friends, but this was her first time having a curated set.

Jessy became involved in the electronic music scene in Vancouver at 18, attending underground disco and tropical house shows. She then oriented herself towards more experimental, "hard and weird" genres five years ago. 

When I asked Jessy if she had any specific musical intentions in her mixing. She explained that she liked to play "Very chaotic mixes that still have some sort of accessibility to the general population."

"I really like playing electro remixes of bangers and a lot of industrial music. [I'm] getting a bit more into techno now. I've always been really into industrial music and industrial kinds of techno. I want to experiment with genres like opera… I'm really into contemporary opera."

Jessy loved her experience playing her first show at Interzone. "They did such an excellent job organizing it," she explained. "I love when there's a mix of live sets and DJing.

[It was] my first time being to Sotterenea since before the pandemic, and I forgot how much I loved the space. Having a chill room is really important, outside of the music, because it gives space. You can be involved in different layers of participation which I really like." 

Along with the space's disposition, Jessy was happy with the turnout, which she described as a "mixed crowd" of participants coming from different scenes.

Who is Interzone – What is Interzone?

With no fixed origin, Interzone emerged out of inspirations tracing back to the European industrial scene and Tunisian upbringings. I got the chance to speak with Ghazi Bena, one of the co-creators of the collective, who described the collective – active since 2018 – as being a product of the kind of musical and artistic drives he and co-creator Habib Bardi experienced prior to their arrival in Montreal. 

Interzone also grew out of a desire to break out of the increasingly commodified rave and electronic music scene of Europe, explained Ghazi. The European electronic scene had, at that point, reached a kind of "saturation," a nearly "unreachability in which you could no longer do anything innocent and pure," he said. "It was like a structure already made, too deep-seated, too commodified."

Upon arriving in Montreal, Ghazi and Habib grew to appreciate the "kinds of territories which weren't devoured by the 'business' side we now see in the scene."

Fluid, in movement, spontaneous, explosive, absolute chaos – Interzone seeks to embody a space in which artistic expression may emerge without being submitted to the rigidity of capitalism. The very structure – or perhaps, lack thereof – of the collective illustrates its philosophical underpinnings. 

One of Interzone's significant motives is, as described by Ghazi, a kind of "effective urgency," an urgency to "organize, to create that kind of space, that space of existence." He wanted to clarify that this motive did not stem merely from the organizers. "The core of the artistic drive does not come from us; it comes from the artists' performances [who] are doing incredible things. It's the people who attend and who have a particular interest in music and performance in general…it is those who make art and music live."

The organizers were pleased with the event, agreeing that it was their most successful one. "The party was a great pleasure, [to get to] see this energy which emanates from the people and the artists…to see that people are still excited, still here." 

Ghazi noted the fun they had organizing and experiencing the event, which is crucial to what they seek to create. Although they maintain some level of artistic exigency, they seek to minimize the 'seriousness' of their collective. "There is some form of seriousness to have, but at the same time…[we aim to] not transform the serious aspect into something hermeneutic and opaque which does not accept difference.

We had so much fun…it is something which makes us live, not materially speaking…but in an existential sense."

Playing with Interzone

I also spoke with Willliam Humphrey, who describes himself as "a filmmaker and an editor" who likes "helping out wherever needed." 

William attended the event and has been involved with Interzone for several years. He described the fluid structure of Interzone: "There's this ability for everyone to take a small role or even just be present." For William, the event reinvigorated a sense of excitement regarding the artistic scene after two years of pandemic-ridden slumber.

With the impressive number of new collectives emerging into the scene, I asked William what he thought made Interzone unique. "I think what makes each one unique is their sensibility," he explained, "They're willing to take risks and incorporate local musicians with international musicians."

One example he cited was an event they organized in 2019 when they invited the England-based Giant Swan to play at a loft rave. William explained that the collective thought to themselves, "Giant Swan has never played in Montreal. Let's book them. Let's get them from the U.K. to Montreal and have them play a show with a ton of great local acts."

"It's not an easy one to do," he continued. "Financially, it's hell. But it's the exhibitions and events that they host that are so worth it."

William is equally excited for what's to come – parties, shows, and events all summer in the hot Montreal weather. As these things come back to life, I wanted to know what William would like to see change or happen in the electronic scene. "More windows [and] air circulation," he noted. "But I think more than anything, utilizing the outdoors as a space to hold events, whether it be on the mountain or in the bushes or maybe off the islands."

Photo by Eva Miette Giard

Interzone, the Scene, and What's to Come

As pandemic restrictions diminish and the Montreal artistic and electronic music scene comes back buzzing, there is a new horizon of possibilities to create new kinds of spaces, movements, and collectives. Interzone is coming back strong: alongside this past show, the collective officially launched their label in March, and with it released three tapes by Habib, Stan K, and a live set of Lier Lier. 

"Other than the shows that allow these brilliant people to express themselves on stage, this label has been the crystallization aspect of those expressions."

For Ghazi, it is essential for the collective to not project too much into the future. By seeking to create new existential territories of artistic expression, he explained, the spontaneity which comes with not over-projecting is vital to maintain. 

That being said, there are projects in the works, and Interzone will have more events and artistic productions for those who missed the last event. They are looking to sustain the same energy from the last event. "It is an energy that should not end."

Ghazi expressed some worry about the increased competition and business model absorbed by the Montreal techno scene. The kinds of artistic spaces or sites of expression Interzone seeks to create, strive to exist "outside of the entire system of capitalist value in which we live," explained Ghazi. "Many movements around go against this vision of art and artistic expression. They are more in a business kind of mood…they put their intentions in there."

"We are just striving to do things as…innocent as possible, without wanting to walk on the feet of others, [or] on other collectives who are doing excellent work, [with] many people who are truly brilliant and do incredible work."

 "It is in the most uncontrollable chaos and the least tangibility possible, there are things which leave their frame, which leave our conceptions, our system of values, our ways to see things, and this is what drives us, that is the drive we are looking for."

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

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DISTORSION Returns with Meggie Lennon, Paul Jacobs, and Fleece (Théâtre Plaza)

Montreal's favourite psych fest, DISTORSION, returned this past weekend to Théâtre Plaza and featured a slew of visionary artists from the United States, England, and Quebec's alternative music scene.

We were able to catch the Friday night show highlighting local scene sweethearts Meggie Lennon, Paul Jacobs, and Fleece.

Meggie Lennon brought a soft influx of psychotropic haze, performing tracks from her debut record Sounds From Your Lips. She played alongside a full band in glamourous baby blue satin outfits and had the crowd swooning almost instantly. 

Paul Jacobs came next, high-energy as always, sharing songs from his much-celebrated album Pink Dogs on the Green Grass. The performance was accompanied by projections of his wonderfully strange hand-drawn animations.

Fleece was last to play, but certainly not least, beginning their performance by walking onstage to Kesha's "TiK ToK." The band performed a selection of silky and warm titles from their latest opus, Stunning & Atrocious, with gorgeous outfits and silly stage banter. 

The projections of the night were created and performed by Anthony Piazza. His performances featured experimentation with real-time audio-reactive visual effects, video feedback with live cameras, and triggered clips with layering alongside manually controlled effects.

Thank you to Distortion for the media pass, and to their partners, MOTHLAND, ANALOGUE ADDICTION, POP MONTRÉAL, BLUE SKIES TURN BLACK, FACTOR, and LA FONDATION SOCAN for the excellent curation and production.

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Enter Panther Modern: NFTs, Community-Building & Half-Life (Sextile / HEAT)

LA2022 cover by Panther Modern

Picture yourself in a dark room, lasers filtering through the smoke machines. The bass cuts through the noise of the crowd and you see a group of people you think you know dancing across the room. Your body is filled with warm static, and the sensory dream of dancing with strangers takes over.

This is the world of Panther Modern, the electronic project of Brady Keehn, an NFT-savvy artist from LA. You know we love community-oriented musicians who make us feel like we’re in a dark room dancing the night away, so we reached out. 

We spoke with Brady about the elusive world of NFTs, his creative career and how he’s been building virtual communities since the 90s. 

Press photo via Panther Modern by Nedda Afsari

Brady is a singer-songwriter in the band Sextile and Panther Modern, his solo project. He explains it as, “experimental in the way that [the project] tests the algorithms of Facebook and Instagram by creating virtual avatars to see how far I can push them. I make dance music, and in the same way, it’s an experiment to see what people will dance to.”

After touring and performing on a stage extensively with Sextile, Brady became frustrated with the power dynamics that exist between audiences and performers, which is partially what led to the creation of his online avatars, JA and JB. Wanting to break that barrier, Brady now only brings a sampler with him to live shows and immerses himself within the crowd so that everyone can sing and dance with him. “It’s way more fun than being on a stage by myself. It freaks me out, it makes me feel like a monkey on a stage saying, ‘Look at me dance!’ I don’t like that vibe, I’d rather be with everyone else.”

Artwork by Panther Modern

These avatars allow Brady to access alternate identities in the virtual world. JB, for example, doesn’t sing, but he might make techno music; while JA does sing and acts more like Brady. Both are trained with all of his movements using MOCAP (motion-capture) technology. According to Brady, it’s all an experiment, while trying to disrupt the status quo. (He’s also been doing some very cool MOCAP work with Reggie Watts -- check it out here.)

To consciously push the algorithm is refreshing, especially when we can easily feel so helpless; trying to appease the robot overlords so that our followers are actually able to see the content they signed up for.

On that note, Brady expands, “The more we appease the robot, the more eyes we get, all to hopefully sell vinyl or a t-shirt. It’s exhausting and unsustainable.” And so the question remains: How can I be myself on the Internet in a way that will work for the algorithm, and won’t burn me out?

Los Angeles 2020 Artwork by Panther Modern

Going back to Brady’s roots, he has always been searching for different ways to expand his reality and to find community via the World Wide Web. Growing up in the suburban farmlands of Virginia, Brady got his first taste of escapism via online chat rooms, and through a video game called Half-Life. Already a fan of sci-fi, Brady started designing his own levels and avatars in the game, gaining interest in 3D animation and world-building. However, Brady’s futuristic escapism was cut short when he was sent to military school, and then Catholic school, and worst of all… art school. (Just kidding, but not really) 

Despite these suffocating environments, Brady looked for alternative ways of being every step of the way. It was difficult for him to accept his reality, which he says made him a big futurist, and developed his appreciation of other people who question systems of value, commerce, and power. 

And so began our conversation around NFTs. We established that the world of crypto is dominated by tech bros and financial experts, who aren’t always willing to share their knowledge with anyone outside their Bitcoin and Ethereum-fuelled worlds. The hoarding of resources and information allows a select few to control this emerging digital space, a practice which Brady is adamantly working against. 

He believes that with any new tech sphere, it’s important for artists and marginalized peoples to get in early to be able to shape their future. Brady has been sharing resources on his Twitter, giving talks with other NFT-savvy artists, as well as his process of creating and minting his own NFTs. 

Drawing from his personal experience with labels, contracts, and their meager trickle-down of funding models, Brady knows firsthand that Spotify cheques are not paying anyone’s rent. This is why he decided to release his music independently with Panther Modern, selling each track individually as an NFT. 

While he’s only recently been selling his songs as NFTs, it’s already proven to be a more viable source of income, rather than waiting for Spotify streams to roll in. Along with his collaborator Cameron Michel, the two have been able to use their income from NFTs to lease a large warehouse space that will act as a home for upcoming Panther Modern, Sextile, and other projects, including an NFT dance-centric company called HEAT. 

When I ask Brady what exactly could be an NFT, he explains that any original work can be an NFT and that you don’t need to be a huge artist to start making them. 

“It doesn't even have to just be digital. For example, say you make a painting. Take a picture of that painting, and then turn that into an NFT. Then, when that NFT is purchased, you could send the painting to the buyer.” 

The NFT market is still largely experimental, and Brady has been working with HEAT to turn dance moves and other unique sets of motion data into NFTs with the help of his MOCAP technology. This could be one way that viral dance moves (on TikTok for example) could be attributed to the original creator, and could secure income for them when those dance moves are replicated by huge artists in their music videos. The examples that come to mind, of course, are the countless Black artists who created viral dances on TikTok, only to rarely receive the credit they deserve. The technology would also allow these dances to be licensed to major video games and uploaded to your avatar there, all while still paying the original creator.

Another NFT avenue could be video game music. According to Brady, video game companies often don’t want to pay for music licenses because it’s too expensive, so they end up making their music in-house, leaving musicians completely out of that market. So, how do musicians get in? One idea he had was to mint loops to video game companies. They would then be able to use the loop (a drum beat, for example) to create their own music, and then mint that music. That way, everyone’s getting paid, and everyone samples each other. 

Then comes the potentiality of buying digital land with Ethereum. Brady actually has his own digital venue that people can explore, and when you click on his merch or NFTs, it takes you directly to his Bandcamp or NFT platform to buy that work. Big brands like Nike have begun to create their own metaverses, while other artists like Skawennati have used the ability to buy digital land in games like Second Life to reclaim stolen land and tell Indigenous histories through that platform. 

Brady got into making NFTs shortly after he started making video flyers for his shows on Instagram. Understanding that the algorithm pushes short video content, Brady took his knowledge of 3D rendering and ran with it, teaching himself everything off of YouTube tutorials. He now uses tools such as OctaneRender, Blender, Marvelous Designer, Substance Painter, After Effects, and his MOCAP suit to bring his creations to life. 

If you’re looking for an entry point to the world of NFTs, he suggested checking out Zora, Rarible, and Foundation. Brady explained that a majority of the crypto-convos happen on Twitter and Discord. He also wanted to emphasize that although the space can be intimidating, the best way to get into NFTs is to start making them yourself, especially if you’re not seeing the representation that you want to see in those spaces. While tech bros unfortunately dominate the news cycle surrounding NFTs, it doesn’t mean that communities that prioritize artists and marginalized groups don’t exist.  

“Start following the people who are creating NFTs, educate yourself, get involved in the communities. Zora requires an invite via an artist (like Clubhouse), so it's not like OpenSea, which is like a whenever, wherever, Walmart of NFTs. It’s not curated at all, which makes it hard to find good work. Marketplaces like Zora and Foundation incentivize members via invites, which then builds the community around the platform. It also reduces the cash grab schemes from investors.” 

And so, in a strange digital cycle, Brady has once again returned to the online community-gathering and world building he thought he had left behind for military school in the 90s. 

If you’re not in the NFT world, you can support Panther Modern by buying one of his very limited-run vinyl, t-shirts, or posters. He has also just released LA2022, a remix EP of his 2019 release Los Angeles 2020, which is available on all streaming platforms.

Panther Modern

Website I Twitter I Instagram I Tiktok

Foundation I Spotify I Bandcamp

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

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Jane Inc., Rose Mercie and DR. GABBA – Also Cool's Playlist Refresh

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Jane Inc. by Shelby Fenlon

So it turns out, the sun does provide a lot of serotonin. All we needed to do was put on some headphones and take a lap around the neighborhood to some new tunes. This is the essence of our Playlist Refresh: a bi-weekly introduction to new music keeping us going.

Starting off with Jane Inc., who has just released her sophomore LP Faster Than I Can Take via Telephone Explosion Records. Entirely written and self-produced by the project’s brain Carlyn Bezic (Ice Cream, U.S. Girls), Faster Than I Can Take delights with experimental, multifaceted danceability. Embellished with “a Prince-like ability to shred harmonic guitar riffs over deep, danceable grooves, an eagerness to experiment with form, and lyricism that seamlessly links the personal and the political.” Faster Than I Can Take puts Bezic’s dynamism on full-display, with tracks like “Pummeled Into Sand” making room for a new tone of self-reflection from the artist. 

Ottawa/Hull: Don’t miss Jane Inc. with Akeem Oh and FIAMMA May 14th at Club SAW. 

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Jane Inc. via Telephone Explosion Records

Next is “Immaterial Girl” from Marci, the rogue pop project of Marta Cikojevic from Montreal’s beloved soft-rock outfit TOPS. “Immaterial Girl” boasts Marci’s signature syrupy sincerity, which we can’t wait to hear in full on her self-titled debut, out August 5th on Arbutus Records. 

“Immaterial Girl” arrives with an accompanying music video, directed by one of Marci’s star-studded personnel Chloé Soldevila (Anemone). Let loose in Marci’s 80s dream world and watch the video below! 

All the way from Paris is French-Mexican post-punk girl-band Rose Mercie with “Sweet Place”. The track is off their latest offering ¿ KIERES AGUA ?, co-released on Celluloid Lunch and French label Jelodanti Records. 

The creation of ¿ KIERES AGUA ? began in 2019 when the band drew tarot cards on a beach in southern France. Following the guidance of their reading, Rose Mercie took the plunge and traveled to Mexico, where they completed an immersive artist residency to compose their second album in La Casa Del Bosque. 

On ¿ KIERES AGUA ?, Rose Mercie shares:  

“As we composed the songs for our new album, the image of a young, contemporary, yet ageless woman was conjured; a woman who left, who disappeared, got lost and then found more than ever before. We imagine this record as the journey of this woman, whom we will sometimes try to find, to guess through the clues, who seems to have gone very far from home, who no longer knows where her place is, who is changing and who is evolving. We grow stronger with her, we run, we laugh and we dance and then we sit in the sun, we let our skin warm, we realize that we are totally in the present, and that around us there are only girls, sisters, our friends, and that no one can ever lock us up.”

In need of chonky electronic beats? DR. GABBA has got you covered. The mysterious space doctor has taken over TikTok with his funky piano tunes and recent single “MAGIC RIDER”, which follows his Planet Piano EP.

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DR. GABBA is an estranged doctor who invented groundbreaking devices in the new emerging school of MUSICAL MEDICINE. However, an argument about the future with fellow co-founder, HENRY J. KAIZER, led to the banishment of DR. GABBA from all future healthcare services in America.

In order to survive, DR. GABBA experimented on his own body and invented the ACID HEART, a musical medical device that keeps him alive using sonic frequencies. With this new invention and never-ending lifespan, DR. GABBA is now forced to spend the rest of his life creating music to fuel his ACID HEART and ultimately take on the whole KAIZER HEALTH CORPS.

After leaving Planet Piano, DR. GABBA and crew see a car floating around the moon known as the MAGIC RIDER. They decide to hop in and it takes them to the underground MOON CLUB for a night of dancing.  

Can’t get enough of this intergalactic music-maker? Check out his most recent track “GABBACOPTER”, released on Almost Good Dance Tapes Vol.2.

Almost Good Dance Tapes is a compilation album series created by a collection of producers and longtime friends with eclectic voices in the electronic music medium.  Ranging from techno, house, and breakcore to barely dance-able ambient and AGDT celebrates the homegrown nature of experimenting, creating, and sharing music with your friends and the world. Vol.2 is the second album in the series where the collective has really hit their stride. Expect basement-techno bangers, acid melters, light-hearted lo-fi, and much more!

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You can listen along to our playlist on Spotify, and stay tuned for the next round of new music!

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Convulse, Groove and Exercise Your Demons with Gus Englehorn’s "Dungeon Master" (Secret City Records)

Gus Englehorn. Photo courtesy of Ariane Moisan

What’s the secret to fashioning tunes that veer from traditional genres? Watch cult classics with your guitar in hand. Having reified reveries from the eclectic fusion of Britpop and film, Gus Englehorn’s Dungeon Master gives organized existence to Dadaism’s deliberate irrationality.  

The album is the second to come from post-art rocker Englehorn and Estée Preda—the project’s drummer and Englehorn’s life partner. Its first single, "The Gate", was released late last year, within which a first-person narration of Hitchcock’s Rebecca is brought to life. The tune’s mélange of gasps inaugurates an eye into the surrealist content that exists throughout the remainder of the album. 

Disguised in what could be a nursery rhyme, the duo’s latest single “Run Rabbit Run” brims with playful alliterations and arcane matters. After a cacophonous fury of first-person narratives, the track slows down, allowing Englehorn’s vibrato to take center stage. The track’s accompanying video parades an endearing compilation of the twosome’s home videos—have a watch and take a ride with them down to Texas!

Expect bright strumming patterns resemblant of Blur’s Britpop years, vocal theatricality, and manic, oblique lyrics in the album’s surplus of nine tracks. Disguised in the most avant-garde of metaphors, a constellation of themes are canvassed in Dungeon Master: the lunacy of songwriting, a fictitious night spent on the Sunset Strip, and parasitism. 

For fans of Oasis, Daniel Johnston, Beck, David Lynch, and a counter to traditional artistic values, Englehorn’s sophomore Dungeon Master is for your ears. Gyrate, shuffle your feet and get lost in an idiosyncratic farrago of eccentricities as freakish as a demon themself.

CJ Sommerfeld for Also Cool Mag: First off, thanks for your time today with Also Cool and congrats on the new album! I'm interested in this transition from a professional snowboarding career to that of music – had you been making music or songwriting during your snowboarding years? What forces were responsible for this change in careers?

Gus Englehorn: Thanks for having me! I had been writing songs for years and years, pretty much the whole time I was snowboarding. I really thought it out when I was very young. I imagined a day when I would be too old to snowboard professionally, and I thought to myself that that would be a very sad day. But I also thought that if I could learn how to write songs, I could do that thereafter until the day I died. So I took songwriting very seriously the whole time I was snowboarding, and I spent all my free time trying to master the craft.

Also Cool: A few of the tracks on Dungeon Master, notably “The Gate” and “Exercise your Demons”, were inspired by different cult classics. Is film the main space where you draw songwriting inspiration from?

Gus Englehorn: Film certainly is a huge inspiration to me. I often sit with a guitar and watch movies; I’ll pause to play some guitar, and watch a little more, and then pause, and then play a little more. I guess it’s the storytelling that intrigues me,  and the way that great movies can suck you into their universe and give you a new perspective to write from. 

AC: The strumming patterns, instrumental motifs and simple vocals heard throughout Dungeon Master reminisce those revered in the alt-rock subgenre, Britpop. Which artists and albums did you draw artistic merit from when putting together Dungeon Master? 

GE: I love Britpop, and people don’t usually see that influence in the songs. But I love Blur AND Oasis! Especially Oasis. Some other big influences for the album were Roy Orbison, The Germs, The Pixies, Daniel Johnston, Beck, The Meat Puppets, Nirvana, Ennio Morricone, The Butthole Surfers and the song structures on Sgt Pepper’s.

AC: “Ups and Downs” puts forth a narration of the human condition. Can you tell us more about how this one came about, specifically what ‘evidence’ signifies in the verse: “Evidence is on the ground / evidence is all around / evidence is on the dot / evidence--it’s all we got”?

GE: I wanted the music to recreate the experience of writing songs: the burnouts along with the productive periods of mania right before you burn out, and the intoxicating triumphs and soul-crushing defeats. You’ll think a song is done and then the next day you will throw it away and start all over again. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, to say the least. The evidence is just all the little objects that go along with songwriting that are usually strewn about the place when I find myself writing – picks, empty tea cups, crumpled-up T-shirts, journals, books, cables.  These exist as the evidence that you’ve been working, but if you aren't getting anything done, then that's all there is…jJust the evidence. That’s one thing that is the hardest about writing songs, is that you aren’t guaranteed to get anywhere even if you work everyday for a year straight. But when something comes together, there’s nothing quite like it! 

AC: I would love to hear more about “Sunset Strip”. Is this tune a portrayal of a tripping and falling event you experienced, or is this West Hollywood mention a metaphor?

GE: To be perfectly honest, most of the songs are just plucked out of my imagination and don’t have a whole lot to do with myself – or anything else from reality, for that matter. This is one of those songs that I just dreamed up out of nowhere, seemingly. It tells the story of somebody's terrible night spent on the Sunset Strip: being kicked out of parties, bloody noses, falling downstairs, social anxiety, and almost being hit by a bus. I had never even been to the Sunset Strip when I wrote it.

AC: A reverbed and roomy guitar breaks into heavy percussions in the track that wraps up Dungeon Master –  “The Flea”. The tune’s dramatic qualities provide a fitting outro to the album. I can’t help but interpret this one as a quarantine track, which makes me wonder if it is directed towards society; most notably in the line “I’ve been your flea for years”. Who is the ‘you’ in this tune’s direct address?

GE: While it was written during quarantine like the rest of the album, “The Flea” tells the tale of a parasitic romantic relationship. I wrote it about all the years Estée (my wife who plays drums in the band) supported me while I was transitioning from snowboarding into learning how to write songs, so I’m the flea. Stylistically, we were inspired by Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” and “In Heaven” from Eraserhead by Peter Ivers and David Lynch. There is something that keeps me mashing up early rock and roll riffs with subversive little stories time and time again! Lots of fun to be had doing that, for some reason. 

AC: Thanks for your words and time, Gus! Aside from your upcoming album drop, do you have any other creative endeavours coming our way?

GE: I remain entirely obsessed with songwriting for the moment, and I’m hoping I can finish a third album before too long.

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Dungeon Master

Releases April 29th, 2022 via Secret City Records

1. The Gate

2. Ups and Downs

3. Exercise Your Demons

4. Sunset Strip

5. Oh Well Unwell

6. Tarantula

7. Lips

8. Run Rabbit Run

9. Terrible Horse

10. The Flea

Produced by Gus Englehorn and Estée Preda

All songs written and composed by Gus Englehorn

Recorded and mixed by Alex Ouzilleau

Mastering by Marc Thériault at Le Lab Mastering

All tracks recorded at Le Magnétophone in Québec City, QC in 2020

Published by Secret City Publishing

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Gus Englehorn

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

YouTube | Apple Music | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website

CJ Sommerfeld (she/her) is a Vancouver-based freelance writer with a particular interest in the convergence of language, art and society. When she is not writing, you can find her experimenting with harmonic minor progressions on her keyboard.

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Tame Werewolf Releases Italo Disco Inspired Track "5th Wave"

Blast off into the synth-wave world of Tame Werewolf, the electronic artist from Tehran, Iran blending J-Pop and Italo Disco.

Tame Werewolf's discography evokes 80s anime late-night aesthetics, the upbeat melodies of early Nintendo soundtracks, and granular sounds of old-school-style arcade games. He creates a unique retro electronic sound by incorporating space-synth, Italo-Disco, City Pop, vaporwave and Eurobeat influences.

Formed in 2018 by Keivan Hosseini, Tame Werewolf has since released two albums, and now his latest single, "5th Wave." Being raised as an only child, Keivan picked the keyboard as his best friend and began his exploration of music with early Persian pop, Jean-Michel Jarre, Giorgio Moroder and Koto.

He later took inspiration from Yellow Magic Orchestra and the 16-bit-age of Yuzo Koshiro, as well as the indie electro-pop of the 2010s, like M83, Hot Chip and Crystal Castles. The video game influences came in 2017 while playing “Streets of Rage,” sparking a deep dive into 80s inspired genres, eventually leading him to the Synth Wave world.

Tame Werewolf makes easy fans of those familiar with Tatsuro Yamashita, Khruangbin, and those chill-wave compilations on YouTube. We recommend starting with "Phasermania," "Lost in Lush Heavens," and "5th Wave."

Tame Werewolf

Instagram I Bandcamp

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

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

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Mitch Davis by Richmond Lam

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Poster by Amery Sandford

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

Mitch Davis

Instagram | Twitter | Bandcamp

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

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Magi Merlin, Milk Jennings, La Sécurité and Scarlet Rae - Also Cool's Playlist Refresh

Magi Merlin via Bonsound

Do you feel like a new chapter of your life has begun, but you don't quite have the soundtrack for it yet? Look no further than Also Cool's Playlist Refresh, a bi-weekly quickie roundup of all the new music we're listening to right now.

Starting off strong with Magi Merlin's fiery new track, "Pissed Black Girl" (released on Bonsound). The cathartic dance anthem follows "Free Grillz" and channels years of pent-up frustration, transforming the anger of dealing with fake progressives into something ecstatic and life-affirming. Magi subverts the tired trope of the 'angry Black woman' through her lyrics as a means to empower herself.

Stay tuned for her upcoming EP Gone Girl, which draws inspiration from 90s house, drum and bass, Motown and acid-flecked hip hop.

Next up, franco art-punk outfit La Sécurité join our friends at Mothland and have shared their first single, "Suspens." Their music is equal parts jumpy beats, efficient minimal hooks and scratchy melodic spouts ran through a ubiquitous insomniac filter; the result of excessive exposure to La Grande Métropole's neon lights.

La Sécurité via Mothland

"Suspens" is accompanied by an official music video filmed all in one shot with handheld camera work. Éliane (a contemporary dancer, singer and musician) expresses her desire through movement to step out in the dizzy and electric nightlife. Watch the video below.

Speaking of nightlife, Milk Jennings has released his third single, "Downtown" (produced by Sam Cohen). It's a classic romantic indie rock love song about sweeping your partner off their feet and dancing the night away — a cliche that Jennings portrays through a different lens.

Downtown by Milk Jennings

In Jennings’ own words:

"I wanted to be cliche with the romance here because in truth, the song is coming from the lens of someone feeling depressed and distant in their relationship, and longing for those sweet and simple moments of romance and intimacy - but not having the energy, or will to make them happen. "Downtown" is a fantasy land - a place far from reality, where you can dance the night away with your partner. The last words in the chorus are - "Lately I've been lost in my mind / So meet me Downtown tonight." It's romantic, sad, apologetic, and hopeful all in one."

Milk Jennings' full-length album Sleep Talker is out June 3rd via Telefono (Digital), ORG Music (Physical), and Modern Sky (China).

Last but not least, we have Scarlet Rae's "Built to Spill," named after the 90s indie post-modern rock group. Scarlet's take on the iconic name follows the languid, shoegaze sound set in place by her previous singles "Seems Like Forever" and "Incandescent Wonderland".

Scarlet Rae by Jason Renaud

The single is accompanied by a music video that brings her sombre lyrics to life, shot on the streets of New York City by Kristen Jan Wong and Jeremy Reynoso. Lofi handheld camera work follows Scarlet through the subway and bars of the city while droning guitar and heavy drums balance delicate vocals. "But I'm built to spill, falling on my knees like a little girl / whisper in my ear how much I'm not real, woke up in the basement think I'm happier here."

"Built to Spill" is off Scarlet's upcoming album, set to release sometime this year.

That's it for this first edition of Also Cool's Playlist Refresh. You can listen along to our playlist on Spotify, and stay tuned for the next round of new tunes.

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

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NO WAVES Revive Garage Rock at Bar L'Escogriffe (Jess X, Piss for Pumpkin, TVOD - Blue Skies Turn Black)

As we thaw out from our wintery pandemic slump, we're trying to remember how to have social lives while also asking ourselves, "Who the hell are all these people at the show who I've never seen before??" 

Pre-pandemic, it was easy to find "the scene" if you tried hard enough (and went to events consistently). But that natural flow of new faces was completely interrupted, and now many are left wondering where the scene is, and how to get invited. 

My FYP on Tiktok often features 19-year-olds asking how to get invited to Montreal's underground raves and DIY rock shows, and last summer NO WAVES answered that call. They threw a wildly successful outdoor show, which was heavily documented and shared all over social media. After that show, I heard from a younger neighbourhood friend that they would be the next cool band in town. Promoters supported the claim that they brought a crazy energetic crowd, so I knew I had to see them the next time they played.

NO WAVES played at Bar L'Escogriffe on Thursday, April 14th with Blue Skies Turn Black, and the lineup could easily have fit into any 2015 surfer punk garage rock-inspired playlist. Jess X embodies a punk Cherry Glazerr energy (the Haxel Princess era specifically), while Piss for Pumpkin was described to me as 'Bikini Kill but more metal.'

TVOD (Television Overdose) brought a pure punk energy, hanging from the ceiling, spraying water all over the crowd, and getting them hyped for the headliners. Everyone at the show (who looked like they had just stepped out of my queer alt TikTok algorithm) loved it, encouraging each other to mosh, eagerly looking around for their friends to join them in the pit.

NO WAVES DIY show last summer - via their Facebook page by CB43MEDIA

I was pleasantly surprised that NO WAVES began their set with a zero-tolerance for harassment speech, telling creeps to gtfo and anyone who felt unsafe to tell the band or someone nearby what was happening so that they could help. Their sound is easily comparable to Surf Curse's "Buds," Vundabar's "Gawk" era, The Garden's "The Life and Times of a Paperclip," and of course (perhaps the band's namesake) FIDLAR's "No Waves." It felt like the 2015 Burger Records universe of music that I grew up with but without the reputation of SA and harassment that the label and their artists attained. 

NO WAVES had charming stage banter, introducing one song as "a real song that we wrote when we were 15," another as "a song I always say I won't show my friends and then I do," and their cover of Surf Curse's "Freaks" as "that song you've probably heard on TikTok," which made me feel old but also warmed my heart.

After the show, the drummer Sam shared with me that he was so happy that people were having a great time and emphasized that it's essential for the bands on stage to make sure their audience is as safe as possible. 

I also caught a sweet moment of a girl interviewing one of the band member's dads about the show and other attendees. She said she was making a documentary about the band, even though they didn't know how she was yet.

Uma, a long-time friend of the band and local Montrealer, had this to say about the night, "I feel like I've grown up with NO WAVES, so watching them go from playing in their parent's basements to a show like this is wild. They get better and better each time. Being able to grow up with access to this scene is life-changing. It's really beautiful out here, the crowd, the people, the music, all of it."

If anything, the show gave me hope for the up-and-coming Montreal DIY scene. It's inspiring to see people excited to be at a show, especially in what seems to be a more accepting and safe environment. 

You can catch NO WAVES' tour kick-off at Turbo Haüs in Montreal with Bummer Camp and Last Waltzon on April 22nd.

NO WAVES DIY show last summer - via their Facebook page by CB43MEDIA

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

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Wet Leg's Self-Titled Debut is Satisfyingly Silly (Domino)

Wet Leg. Photo courtesy of Hollie Fernando

As with a vast majority of things in my life, I discovered Wet Leg, a UK post-punk duo, while scrolling through TikTok. It has indisputably been a long winter and a long couple of years, and I was searching for something that could provide a little excitement in my life – a pick me up, if you will.

After just one listen, I was immediately enamoured by the effortlessly-cool sardonicism of their debut single “Chaise Longue”. The track offers their witty perspective on graduating with a degree: “I went to school / and I got the big D”. Having graduated a couple of years ago, I realised I too had gone to school and got the big D. Ha. With the song on repeat, I got out of bed and danced all day long.

Amongst the idleness of the pandemic, the duo of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers have seen an exponential rise to popularity. Having joined the roster at Domino Records in November 2020, the group released “Chaise Longue” in June 2021, and have soared to new heights amongst the Britpop scene ever since. Released on April 8, Wet Leg’s debut self-titled album is available to stream or purchase on CD, LP, or baby-pink cassette.

The 12-song record comes in with punchy post-punk sounds, and sonically fluctuating and repetitive vocals. It all starts with “Being in Love'', a song that compares the whirlwind feeling of loving someone to being punched in the gut, the inability to sleep at night, and self-medicating with another drink. Setting the tone for the album, this song immediately catches your attention. 

The first few songs are upbeat, hard-hitting and extremely catchy. They cause you to sing along on your first listen, with the lyrics remaining rampant in your head for the rest of the day. There is a range from heavier post-punk songs to more mellow indie Britpop songs sprinkled throughout the album. I was reminded of the mid to late 2010s indie era (think Alvvays) with some of the instrumentation and melodies in songs such as “I Don’t Wanna Go Out” and “Loving You”. 

The entire album keeps you engaged with catchy and repetitive choruses, alternating tempos, charmingly-cartoonish vocals and playful lyrics. The lyrics are riddled with raw British cynicism, sexual innuendos, pop culture references, and dry wit. Emanating across this record is the duo’s appetite for French disco and sheer curiosity throughout its production. There is an effortless energy about the songwriting, with a stylistically-silly element throughout the album. And yes, there is even a little bit of screaming. Excuse me, what? 

I must admit that I am a big fan of a guttural feminine scream. It fills a gap in the post-punk and especially the Britpop scenes, while giving permission to female lyricists and their listeners to engage in a feeling that is often only excusable for cis men. Imagine my delight upon the revelation of the duo’s longest and loudest scream on “Ur Mum”, a release both chilling and relieving to hear. Perhaps such a release is one we all secretly need — we can all have a guttural scream, as a treat.

Wet Leg. Photo courtesy of Hollie Fernando

Across this album, I am reminded that there is something so raw about the way that female songwriters narrate their experiences. There’s a poignant honesty to it, with the beautifully-heartbreaking way of storytelling that lyricists like Phoebe Bridgers, Mitski and Snail Mail weave into their music. It makes your heart ache and swell when you listen to their songs, making you feel heard for the seemingly-specific life experiences and thoughts that you’ve had. On Wet Leg, the duo works this magic with a very sarcastic, dry and honest feminine voice: “I just need a bubble bath / to take me on a higher path”.   

The album finishes with “Too Late Now”, a song that has a slow build and switches tempo completely halfway through. Listening to this song felt somewhat similar to a panic attack, and I mean that in the best way possible. It features a slow beginning that abruptly shifts into frantic speaking—not dissimilar to overthinking—before a loud chaotic finish complete with distorted feedback. This track marks the perfect finish to the album, and knowing that Wet Leg began releasing music in a time without live shows, it certainly gives us a taste of how this band will perform. The album feels complete.

Wet Leg has given us a coming-of-age—or, rather, coming into adulthood—album that is deeply engaging to someone in their twenties. The album represents that feeling of being unsure of yourself and navigating the world without the slightest idea of what’s going on. That being said, with this album having been produced during the pandemic, it feels simultaneously personal in a remarkably collective sense — exposing Teasdale and Chambers’ truths, which are not unlike our own, as we all attempt to ease slowly out of this past chapter of history.

Altogether, Wet Leg provides a sense of rebirth, a liberatory thawing alongside the melting snow. It captures the energy of waking up after a raging sickness and the chaos that ensues. It’s frantic with fluctuating energy, layered with silliness, and cathartic in its completion. This album will certainly be at the top of my playlists in the months to come; I highly recommend sitting in the sun, listening to this album and defrosting. It’s chaise longue season, baby.

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Wet Leg

Released April 8th, 2022 via Domino Recording Company

1. Being In Love

2. Chaise Longue

3. Angelica

4. I Don't Wanna Go Out

5. Wet Dream

6. Convincing

7. Loving You

8. Ur Mum

9. Oh No

10. Piece Of Shit

11. Supermarket

12. Too Late Now

Vocals, guitar, and writing by Rhian Teasdale

Guitar, vocals, and writing by Hester Chambers

Bass and writing by Michael Champion

Drums and additional vocals by Henry Holmes

Synths and programming by Dan Carey

Synths and programming by Jon McMullen

Production by Dan Carey

Production and engineering by Jon McMullen

Production, engineering, and writing by Joshua Omead Mobaraki

Engineering by Alexis Smith

Mixing by Alan Moulder

Mastering by Matt Coulton

Photography by Julian Hanson

Graphic design by Matthew Cooper

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Wet Leg

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

YouTube | Apple Music | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | Website

Maia Allan-Riley is based out of Ottawa and works in social media. Dabbling in various creative endeavours, she spends her spare time doing photography and videography, journaling, drawing, and making jewellery.

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Yves Tumor Embodies Rock and Roll Energy at Club Soda

I knew that the Yves Tumor show at Club Soda would be a good one based on the conversations I heard while standing in line waiting to get in.

People were overjoyed to be running into each other for the first time in three years, and everyone was dressed in a way that made me feel like I was in the right place. Most notably, two friends were showing each other their bags of crystals, excitedly explaining each one in relation to the other person's astrological sign.

Yves Tumor by Jordan Hemingway

The show was one of Yves’ 47 international tour dates for 2022, and certainly did not disappoint. From the lighting to the generous amount of smoke from the fog machine and even the immaculate styling, Yves Tumor and his band embodied a classic rock and roll energy. There was crowd surfing, fans trying to rip the bass away from the band, and lyrics being screamed back for nearly every song.

You can catch Yves Tumor on tour by checking out tickets here and watch the 90s MTV-inspired promotional video below. Special thanks to Carter from Biz 3 for the press pass.

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

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Isabella Lovestory, Magi Merlin, and Mitch Davis Reignite Montreal's Music Scene (POP Montreal / Bar Le Ritz)

via Isabella Lovestory on Twitter

If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that Montreal is coming back to life. The streets may still be full of half-defrosted garbage, but the music scene is in full swing. I was feeling pretty discouraged about going out (as I'm sure many of us are), but the POP Montreal show at Bar Le Ritz last night reminded me why I love this city and seriously gave me hope for what's to come.

Mitch Davis by Richmond Lam

The show began with Mitch Davis, who brought a smooth and jazzy energy to the stage, having just returned from playing SXSW. By the end of their set, the venue was almost full, with friends slowly recognizing each other and reuniting after a long winter. (It's really hard to see who anyone is in the dark when everyone's wearing a mask — I had more than one "OMG, HI! I didn't know you were here!" moment.)

Magi Merlin by Feng Jiang

Magi Merlin was up next, having also just returned from playing in the States. From the beginning of her set, it was clear that something had shifted since the last time I saw her play. Magi has stepped into herself as an artist, bringing fiery confidence and maturity to her performance. Alongside her songs from her last release, "Drug Music," she shared some new music that embodies a heated punk-rock energy. Magi's band heightened this energy, amplifying her ability to transform her anger about racism, sexism, and fake friends into a mesmerizing performance.

Isabella Lovestory was the night's headliner and brought the pulse of the room to another level. It was my first time seeing her live, and it's safe to say that I'm obsessed. As a Mexican-Canadian, I've found the complete lack of any Spanish music genres and Latinx people in the music scene completely unacceptable, which is why I was excited to see Isabella gaining so much support. Her music intersects pop and reggaeton, making for a high-intensity performance. It's perfectly bitchy, and a great addition to any perreo playlist. If you're into La Goony Chonga, Ivy Queen, or La Materialista, you'll love Isabella Lovestory.

I was standing outside with some friends after the show, and someone said that this is the kind of show we'll look back on in five years with disbelief that all of these artists were on one bill for $13. I look forward to a Montreal music scene as diverse, high-energy, and community-oriented as this show was, and I expect nothing less from the promoters booking right now. The talent is here, and I think we've all had enough of all-white guy lineups.

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

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Crystal Eyes Release Soaring Indie Track "Don't Turn Around" (Bobo Integral Records)

Crystal Eyes. Photo courtesy of the band

Perfect for the pastel wistfulness of spring’s earliest days, Calgary-based psych-rockers Crystal Eyes offer you one simple message – “Don’t Turn Around”. This single marks the second to be released from the band’s upcoming album The Sweetness Restored, out on April 22 via Bobo Integral Records.

Gravelly and nostalgic, “Don’t Turn Around” soars with intensity, toying with notions of surrender overtop of a textural indie haze. The track warmly complements the guiding narrative of leading single “Wishes”, guaranteeing a sense of longing for what’s to come.

In the days following “Don’t Turn Around”’s release, vocalist and guitarist Erin Jenkins sat down with Also Cool to deconstruct her plethora of personal touches to the creative process, along with the stacked lineup of Canadian musicians who helped to craft its sonic depth.

Rebecca Judd for Also Cool Mag: This single packs a heavy thematic punch, and the upcoming record promises to as well – described as a "feel-good self-help record for the age of existential dread". Tell us more about the darker themes to "Don't Turn Around", and which external forces inspired this direction from Crystal Eyes.

Erin Jenkins of Crystal Eyes: My songwriting mostly comes from a subconscious place – so I guess this is inspired by whatever anxieties are secretly lurking down there *laughs*. I don't really set out to write songs about anything specific; I try to stay open to the possibility of what the song could be, and then analyze what it means later.

The songs on this record are equally inspired by external influences – the people I'm playing with, music I'm listening to, or music I've loved, aesthetics I'm trying to interpret as a melody or a rhythm. It's a very collaborative process that everyone contributes to. When I listen to “Don't Turn Around”, I think it's definitely about memories, the weight of years added up, how we measure our worth by what we build and the years by what they take. There is pain in caring too much, but there is beauty too.

Also Cool: "Don't Turn Around" marches forward with grungy vocals and a steady beat, harkening back to the indie rock grit of the 2000s. Which artists and projects influenced the makings of this single?

Crystal Eyes: To be honest, I wasn't necessarily thinking about early 2000s music when we were working on this, but I totally hear it now that it's been pointed out. It makes a lot of sense because I love music from that era – I grew up on it!

For “Don't Turn Around”, I was mostly thinking about stuff like Echo and the Bunnymen, The Chameleons and New Order – post-punk rock that is super pop, but still really organic-feeling.

Crystal Eyes. Photo courtesy of Walter E. Neuman

AC: Contrasting the depths of this track is the music video, featuring breezy vintage footage of parasailors on a beach. How did you put this video together? Was there any intentionality in choosing this footage to complement the sound?

CE: This is some old family footage I discovered one Christmas. I love home movies. I thought the footage really reflected the music, it just felt right. There's kind of a vulnerability in the video and a sense of it being a memory that seemed to work.

I took a stab at a first edit of the video, and then Joleen (Crystal Eyes’ synth player) came in and really sharpened it up and tightened the narrative because we really didn't have much footage to work with!

AC: This record marks your latest release since "Radical Softness" in 2019. How has the band evolved since then, and what more is to be expected from The Sweetness Restored?

CE: I'd say the band has evolved a lot since then, because I've collaborated with so many different people over the years. The recording process for The Sweetness Restored was really amazing. We went to Montreal and recorded at Breakglass Studios – this was shortly before the pandemic.

My friend Andrew Woods produced and engineered the record, and his spirit and vision brought everything together. There was just such an air of creativity and generosity – and silliness. Andrew got the idea to add a string quartet (we were thinking big), so he brought in Eve Parker Finley and Zou Zou Robidoux to add string arrangements to a number of the songs.

Basia Bulat was also a big part of the process, lending her wisdom – especially for the vocals. She sat in the studio while I was recording vocals and would run in between takes to shout suggestions – “try it like this!”. Monty Munroe played bass and just killed it, and is, like, the hardest working person ever. We also got to use some amazing instruments like a Therevox and a Hammond C3 with Leslie Speakers.

Past Crystal Eyes member Kenny Murdoch played drums, and current members Jordan Tettensor played lead guitar and Joleen Toner on synth. There's even a choir on one track (Hermitess and her Witch Choir on “No Heaven”). Mark Lawson mixed the record. We threw him probably 1,000 tracks to work with, and he was somehow able to wrangle it into a cohesive, really beautiful sound.

The album covers a lot of ground - genres, moods, etc., but I think it flows really well together. It's definitely something where I hope people can listen to the album as a whole.

AC: Thanks for your time – we're super excited for The Sweetness Restored to be released in all its glory! Aside from dropping this record, what else is in store for Crystal Eyes for the rest of the year?

CE: We have a couple upcoming festival shows at Big Winter Classic in Calgary and Winterruption in Edmonton. We're looking forward to playing a lot more shows and getting back to touring.

We're also writing a lot of new songs, and I anticipate we'll be starting plans to record more again soon. It's been a weird time to be a band, I'm just trying to be patient with myself and everyone else and do the things we want to do, not things we feel like we have to do. No need to force the universe.

Stream “Don’t Turn Around” below!

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Crystal Eyes

Website | Instagram | Bandcamp

Facebook | Spotify | Apple Music

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.

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Premiere: dybbuk Brings Early 2000s Club Culture to Life with Debut Album on Causal Chain

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Unruhe cover art by Bruno Lauzon Tanzi in collaboration with Sora Park

Causal Chain, the electronic music label run by syncopated groove and hypnotic bassline master, laced (Saudade, audio bambino), is back with a deep and heavy debut release from dybbuk.

Based in Bruges, Belgium, dybbuk is a DJ and producer schooled in the traditions of bass music and club culture. Infused with elements of ambient, dubstep and techno, his soundscapes paint a nostalgic picture of the early 2000s and its diverse electronic music scene. His love for old school sci-fi and video games is reflected in his productions. dybbuk’s music is a unique realm filled with deep bass, spacious pads and hard hitting percussions.

Rhythmic fragments slither and dance among shimmering textures and disembodied voices, altering restlessly. dybbuk’s debut EP on Causal Chain, Unruhe, presents five introspective cuts with enormous club potential.

LITHE
Effortless shifting between bouncy club and half-time elegance before returning to an ambient origin.

UNRUHE
Intricate basslines are housed within a tense spectral atmosphere true to its name.

ROGUE SOULS
Hard, morphing bass tones accompany a floating melody through an industrial soundscape.

CO-OP
Decayed percussion and dubbed out pads swirl in subdued harmony.

CHOOSE LIFE
Gated vocals emerge above unique percussive forms.

Unruhe releases on March 18, 2022.

Listen to a preview of Unruhe below:

Music by dybbuk
Mastered by SIM
Cover art by Bruno Lauzon Tanzi in collaboration with Sora Park
Words by Holden Carroll

dybbuk

Instagram | Bandcamp | Soundcloud

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Morning Silk Talks NYC's Indie Pop Scene, "Skin," and Starting Their Own Studio

Lately, we've been spending our free time daydreaming about summer and curating soundtracks for our forthcoming main character moments. NYC-based alt indie-pop group Morning Silk fit the bill perfectly, with soft vocals and upbeat synthy instrumentals. 

Morning Silk's sound evokes the 2017-era indie pop/rock scene à la Clairo, Rex Orange County, & Her's. We chatted with the band about their experience with the scene in NYC, musical inspiration, and how they went from architecture school to indie pop.

Malaika for Also Cool: Hi! Nice to e-meet you. I'm curious what led you to music while in school for architecture. Do you think anything you learned in school affected your taste in music and aesthetics?

Frank Corr for Morning Silk: Hi! I never had much recording equipment growing up, but I was listening to a lot of bands that used DIY recording methods. Those bands helped me finish school, but then I thought, why can't I do what they did? So I began collecting some small recording gear with internship money I made. 

I was around a lot of painters, and used to be in painting myself. We were always tightly intertwined with listening to new music or just going to gallery shows/events where there was already some sort of music scene. A lot of punk bands played in Providence, so we were drawn to the idea of playing live and performing before we even had anything recorded.

Also Cool: What has your experience been like with the music scene in NYC? It seems like things have started to (slowly) open up again, and I'm interested to hear what you're looking forward to. 

Morning Silk: We are pretty new to the New York scene. I feel like I didn't really connect with a lot of music here or musicians until recently. Matt was saying that there are so many sub-scenes going on that you discover through playing shows here and whatnot. I recently started producing for a few artists, and now I finally feel like I've found my place in the city. We are finishing up our first record, so we are so hyped to play it for people! We just started playing shows with our friends and some of the artists I produce for, so we have created a little place for ourselves.

AC: How did you start your own studio? What was that process like, and what inspired it?

MS: Rob, Matt, and I would use this place called "The Tap Room" in Providence to rehearse/write and record. It wasn't really a studio at all, so we would have to lug Rob's drums from our apartment and set them up and break them down every single rehearsal. It was really exhausting, so we always dreamed of a place where we could leave things set up so we could record whatever we had on our minds right away. 

I started collecting some higher-end gear with a friend who was already in New York and just stored it with them. We would go to New York on weekends and record at a little practice space in Dan Bro. As Matt was saying, we eventually got tired of that, and Rob had found a new space. It was like a living room with a kitchen, but we could see a control room where the sink was, so we decided to try to make this the dream studio. 

We didn't have a lot of experience recording, but I was trained as an Architect, and Rob was an excellent builder, so we figured we would just figure it out as we go. Eventually, we partnered up with an audio engineer and made the space what it is today! It's very special, and we are so lucky we can record in our own self-funded/built space.  

AC: You've quoted MGMT as musical inspiration, but I'm curious if there are any local artists or friends who have helped inspire/influence your music as well.

MS: Matt was saying ever since we all started recording music, we mainly just listen to each other's demos now. Hearing what Rob and Matt are making is one of the most surprising and interesting things to hear. 

Same thing with our friends doing other things, like I am always inspired by whatever Sur Back is doing production-wise or what Richie Quake or Middle Part are working on. We are always working on each other's music now too. I guess that is a really nice way to learn/inspire each other. If I'm working a lot with a particular artist, it might bleed a little bit into the songwriting. For instance, my friend Michael is really into French House, so I might pick up a few jumping bass lines from that style here and there. 

Also, our friends Anna and Kristos are always putting us onto new things happening. In the end, I always run my ideas by Caroline (Sur Back) just to make sure I'm not making something completely insane or silly, haha. I am probably leaving out a lot of other people, but those are just some artists and producers, to name a few that we have been around as of lately.

AC: What can we look forward to from Morning Silk in 2022?

MS: I've been doing a lot of production for other people lately, so I am really looking forward to finishing and releasing our self-titled debut album. I've already started writing and recording the next album, so we plan to put out more than a few projects this year! Working on other people's projects has taught me to move faster and be more open to collaboration. We hope to make an EP this year between the two records I started recording, which will be a whole different vibe.  

Watch “Skin” by Morning Silk below

Morning Silk

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

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Milk Jennings Shares Sombre New Track "Raincoat" Feat. Sam Cohen, Announces Debut Album (Telefono, ORG Music, Modern Sky)

Raincoat cover art via Milk Jennings

The gloomy feeling of stepping outside into freezing rain, hurrying home from the metro because the coat you brought isn't warm enough... These are the emotions summoned by Milk Jennings' (member of Chinese American Bear) latest single, "Raincoat," featuring Sam Cohen.

This is the second single from Seattle-based artist Milk Jennings, who worked with producer Sam Cohen on the release. It's a sombre yet dynamic and bold effort from Jennings, touching on the darker side of life. The song is loosely about self-paranoia and empowerment, and it gets under your skin. It features crisp, soulful instrumentals and backup vocals by Cohen and flute by acclaimed flutist/saxophonist Cochemea Gastelum (Beck, St. Vincent, David Byrne).

Still from Raincoat

"Raincoat" is laced with melancholy using lyrics that Jennings attests are still shrouded in mystery to himself - making each listen uniquely engaging as the wobbly wisps of narrative continue to morph and change.

Jennings is also announcing his debut album titled 'Sleep Talker', out June 3rd via Telefono (Digital), ORG Music (Physical), and Modern Sky (China). Pre-orders for vinyl will be available here.

Watch "Raincoat" featuring Sam Cohen below

Milk Jennings

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

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Von Shares Spicy Feminist Pop Track "Tiny Boy"

Photo Credit: Photo by Adam Burack @phlegmtop, Edit by Serena Rubin @ipadadult

Today we're celebrating all of the shes theys and gays. It's technically international women's day, but we want to extend it to all of our nonbinary & gender-fluid friends as well. (In case you don't know, this project is run by a core team of all femme and nonbinary also cools, and is very queer and very proud.)

We thought it would be appropriate to share "Tiny Boy," a spicy feminist bop by Von that recently went viral on TikTok. Von is a musician, co-founder, and host of BLOODY MARY KOs & KINK, the first underground NYC fetish party to merge live boxing with talents from sex workers, femme creatives, DJs and performers. Oh, and she's also the first artist to use her own orgasm wave patterns in pop music.

Photos by Ava Rikki @avarikki 

Inspired by the political agendas of Peaches to Pussy Riot, Von dedicates her time to making art that dismantles stereotypes about sex work, sexist agendas in entertainment and aversion to sex-positive dialogues. She places pulsing percussion and sawtooth baselines under glittery synth riffs and genre-bending vocal treatments to make music that defines sexual confidence as what you always wished your misogynistic aunt read it as: powerful.

With artists like Pussy Riot, UNIIQU3, Pauli Cakes, DJ_Dave (who we interviewed a while ago - read it here) & more on the bills, Von and BLOODY MARY KOs & KINK are shaking up the industry. In 2020 Von music directed the first NYFW show to ever feature Pornhub stars on the runway & is on a mission to make art that dismantles shaming stereotypes.

To all the non-cis males of the world, we celebrate you and encourage you to dance out your frustrations to "Tiny Boy." Watch it below.

Von

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

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Maryze Shares Queer Nightclub Inspired New Single "Experiments" from Debut Album

Still from “Experiments”

We could all do with a little queer club fantasy right about now. We're dreaming of that first night back on the dance floor, colourful lights and smoke machines flickering between you and that cute person across the room... If you're feeling what we're feeling, Maryze's latest "Experiments" is the perfect 2000s-pop-inspired track to get you in the mood.

For those unfamiliar, Maryze (she/they) is our local alt-pop queen, finding fans among those of Caroline Polachek, Charli XCX, Britney Spears, or Nelly Furtado. Inspired by her Celtic roots, years of studying jazz, and a healthy obsession with emo as a teenager, Maryze's music transcends genre while still providing one hook after the other.

Photo by Taylor Priede

"Experiments" is a dark and sexy 2000s club banger produced by Jeshway and inspired by Timbaland beats and ominous but fun tracks like Nelly Furtado's “Maneater”. Thematically, it focuses on sexuality, taboos, and shame, exploring vulnerability in intimacy and how sometimes letting go of control allows us to truly be in control. Dancey and grindable, "Experiments" shows Maryze's playful side, featuring breathy R&B vocals and spoken studio session snippets à la Britney Spears. The release has also become popular on TikTok, inspiring a glam transition trend. Check it out here!

The equally iconic and sexy music video lands us in a mysterious, sensual and surreal universe, oscillating between intimate close-ups and dramatic wide shots, soft blur and sharp focus. Maryze joins forces with another local legend, Ariana Molly, to create a beautiful queer nightclub-inspired alternate reality. It's a nod to the early 2000s, where pop icons were unapologetically sexy and powerful, with the feeling of strength and sensual divinity oozing from its pores. The sound and visuals for "Experiments" are a clear step up and beautiful evolution of Maryze's creative career, ushering us into the alt queen's new era.

"Experiments" is from Maryze's upcoming debut album 8, which is available for pre-order now. Keep an eye out for more witchy releases coming very soon!

Watch "Experiments" below

Maryze

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

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OUT TODAY: We Are Time Celebrates Anniversary with Sophomore Release "Chandra Mixtape Vol. 2"

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Collage cover art by Marin Blanc
Band photos by Kate Young and Heather Rappard

Artist-focused initiative and independent label We Are Time is marking its anniversary with its sophomore release Chandra Mixtape Vol. 2. The brainchild of New York’s mutant disco trailblazer Chandra Oppenheim, and everyone’s favourite Vancouver-based musician and journalist Jesse Locke, We Are Time spotlights the magic of intergenerational collaboration in contemporary music. With this new compilation, We Are Time aptly celebrates its birthday on Bandcamp Friday with a nine-track goldmine of teamwork, remixes and rarities from its roster.

The digital sampler and limited-edition cassette brings together the project’s extended family for a signature melange of eclectic sounds and experimentations. Beginning with the swelling glow of MISZCZYK and Marker Starling’s “The Leaves” and culminating in the glacial vibrations of “Not Exactly Right” from Oppenheim’s trip-hop act GNDN, Chandra Mixtape Vol. 2 unites artists across a spectrum of genres to present a boundless listening experience.

Listen to We Are Time’s Chandra Mixtape Vol. 2 below!

We Are Time

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Carl Schilde Channels Lost California Sound on EUROPOP (Fun In The Church)

Carl Schilde. Photo courtesy of Colin Medley

For each of us, life seems to lead to experiences unexpected; it can shift us from one location or another, however much that may or may not be “part of the plan”. EUROPOP, the debut solo project from Toronto-based, Berlin-born Carl Schilde, is a subversion of the cumulative expectation of “making it” as we’ve been conditioned to think. Rather than focusing on the prospect and ruminating on what could’ve been, its tone seems to bask in the fantasy poolside in the Laurel Canyon heat, already at terms with what is.

The album was recorded following a relocation to Los Angeles, California, which eventually culminated in what Schilde describes as a “disappointing experience”. It’s also a love letter to the lost records and projects of the 70s, such as overlooked post-Pet Sounds projects by The Beach Boys and the sounds of country and folk demos.

“I had a bit of a music burnout and moved to Toronto to be with my wife. I took a year to work at a brewery and not focus on music, just to have that distance,” says Schilde. “I was feeling out of time and out of place myself, so I projected that into the music by sounding like some demo from ’78 that never got heard.”

Carl Schilde. Photo courtesy of Colin Medley

EUROPOP’s mood is dream-like, woozy and thick with atmosphere, featuring deep baritone vocals by Schilde recorded in their Toronto basement. In tone and sound, the record could be compared to contemporary artists such as the late Leonard Cohen, or sonically similar to Timber Timbre’s 2014 release Hot Dreams, which was also reminiscent of heyday 60s/70s Hollywood and the spaghetti Western soundtracks of the time by Italian composers. 

The album kicks off with “Top 40”, the lead single from the album. Croons from a steel lap guitar wax and wane against a constellation of synthesizer notes in the background mix. Schilde’s lyrics seem to speak to an unnamed friend, ruminating on success and its ethereal nature:“We heard your record did well in Germany / And what’s worked there must surely work here / Let’s see if it melts in the California heat / Like a candy in a wrapper / or an apple out of reach” .

‘“It’s definitely about disappointment and dealing with that in an ironic way,” says Schilde. “It’s an elevated version of myself and it makes fun of that ego, of wanting to be successful.”

During our interview, Schilde and I discussed his curiosity for “pop music trickery”, referencing the later releases by Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, as well as Italian soft rock records. The album’s second track, curiously titled “John Stamos”, is a deep-cut Beach Boys reference, as the Full House actor is actually a current touring member of the reformed Beach Boys.  “I’m a big Beach Boys and 70s music fan. Their sound fascinates me; [it’s] rooted in 50s doo-wop harmonies.”

EUROPOP is Schilde’s first time singing lead on a project and producing their own vocals. They remark the greatest challenge they had during the recording process was adapting their production style to fit their own vocal range. 

“The process of recording was very intertwined with the writing. You find your zone where a limited voice [range] does work and try to capture spontaneous moments. Everything I have [in my home studio] is set up for spontaneous workflow.”

Carl Schilde. Photo courtesy of Colin Medley

Schilde is the primary producer of the record, with some assistance from bandmates on backing instruments, and supporting vocals from Schilde’s partner that harmonize with his own. 

“Roadworn'' is a great example of Schilde’s ability to layer sounds and stack textures: phased filtered guitar tones harmonize through a cloud of static and feedback. See also “Landline” parts one and two; the latter is an instrumental highlight of the album, featuring well-stacked vocals like one long exhalation that relieves the weight from your shoulders. 

“Even two-part harmonies, like Simon and Garfunkel, there’s definitely a magic there,” says Schilde, “I think it can change meaning to the lyrics if there’s another harmony.”

The album does eventually reach cruising altitude in the latter half by the track “Phase”, which brings some welcome grand piano chords and more aggressive drums into the mix before eventually dissipating before the ephemeral ballad track, “The Master Tape”.

Schilde is well aware of the irony of the album’s title, considering the project grew from an experience in and was produced in North America. “It's definitely an ironic title. People talk about how ‘Europop is euro-trash’ … as if to say it's not real music. The record doesn’t sound like a Eurodance record [from the 70s].

Schilde also remarked how audiences and communities perceive musically differently in Europe compared to North Americans. “There’s a different sensibility,” says Schilde. “Living in North America now, I realized the only kind of music I can make is Europop, in a way. 

“I’ll always be myself […] even if it doesn’t sound like that.”

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EUROPOP

Released on February 4th, 2022 via Fun In The Church

1. Top 40

2. John Stamos

3. Roadworn

4. Soft Dads

5. Landline Pt. I

6. Landline Pt. II

7. Phase

8. The Master Tape

9. Blue Rinse

10. Credits

All tracks written, arranged and produced by Carl Schilde

Vocals, guitars, pianos, synthesizers, bass, percussion & drum machines by Carl Schilde

Additional vocals by Laura Gladwell

Drums by James Yates

Recorded and mixed by Carl Schilde at home in Toronto, Canada

Drums recorded by James Yates at Majetone HQ in Newhaven, UK

Mastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters in Los Angeles, USA

Vinyl cut by Sidney Claire Meyer at Emil Berliner Studios in Berlin, Germany

Artwork design by Sebastian Schäfer

Illustrations by Judith Holzer

Super 8 footage by Carl Schilde

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Carl Schilde

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Gabriel Lunn is a writer, multimedia journalist, and pop music enthusiast based out of Victoria, BC. When he isn’t trying to decipher the human condition, he can usually be found going for long runs or collecting vinyl records he really doesn’t need.

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