Author: Tabéa Benlakehal

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Music

Student and staff 2023 top music recap 

Graphics by Carleen Loney @shloneys / The Concordian

To close off 2023, students and staff share their music highlights from the past year. 

Every year, we are blessed with new music releases, visits from various artists hosting concerts and showcases in Montreal, and countless music-based events throughout the seasons. Last year was no exception. Concordia students and staff at The Concordian share the music they most interacted with in 2023 before we collectively jump towards the music 2024 has to offer. 

Aidan Matthews, a photography student in his last semester, got to spend two nights at the Bell Centre as part of the photo team for Drake’s It’s All A Blur Tour after getting the call the morning of the first show. “Watching Drake come down the steps to ‘Look What You’ve Done’ gave me goosebumps both times,” he says. 

Matthews had been listening to Drake since high school so it was a real full-circle moment and a key music memory of his year. Otherwise, 2023 was a year when he became bored with a lot of the music he was listening to. “I listened to less rap than in previous years,” Matthews adds. The Pinegrove Shuffle trend on TikTok pointed him to Pinegrove, who became one of his most listened-to bands in 2023. Matthews also listened to a lot more pop, folk and alternative with artists like Zach Bryan, Del Water Gap, Toro Y Moi, and Caroline Polachek.

Another photography student, Simaiya Shirley, primarily listened to indie and alternative-based artists. She wanted to release pent-up rage and leave room for love, which translated to the music she engaged with in 2023. Recent releases she gravitated toward include Billie Marten’s Drop Cherries, Feist’s Multitudes and This is Why by Paramore. These projects and others from past years have all become musical crutches for Shirley and are still artists that she consistently returns to for belonging and guidance.

Graduate student in Women, Gender and Sexuality studies Akira De Carlos comments on how “Loading” by James Blake was definitely their song of the past year. “James Blake is probably my favourite artist of all time and 2023 was very much a ‘damage in repair’ year for me, so ‘Loading’ felt very reflective of that,” they share. De Carlos rode their bike a lot to that song and it always hit, because it felt like a very transitional but powerful song and 2023 was just that kind of year for them. The graduate student has always loved James Blake for the emotion he evokes in them and this song was another good example of raw vulnerability which reflected De Carlos’ “in my healing” era of 2023. “I knew I was setting myself up for greatness but I wasn’t quite there yet and ‘Loading’ feels exactly that,” they add.

As for studio arts student Viva Egoyan-Rokeby, their most exciting new music moment of 2023 was seeing post-punk and noise rock band Model/Actriz live in Montreal last spring. That show was most definitely memorable for them and they are still looking forward to any future music project. Although Egoyan-Rokeby mostly listens to older music, 2023 was a year in which they branched out into listening to newer stuff from their favourite genres. “Some notable new-ish artists I discovered this year were Aurat, which is a Pakistani American darkwave/coldwave band, Second Still (more coldwave), and De Ambassade (even more coldwave, but Swedish this time),” they share. Last year was also a huge PJ Harvey year for them.

The Concordian’s video editor Jacqueline Lisbona’s favourite music moment of 2023 was the Morgan Wallen concert back in September. She’s a huge country music fan and it was one of the best concerts she’s ever been to. “I also loved ending off 2023 with Tate McRae’s Think Later album because it really helped me get through the last push of exam studying and I love her music so much,” Lisbona says. Her favourite tracks on the album include “stay done” and “grave.”

News editor Emma Megelas’ music highlight was the day Bad Bunny’s new album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, came out as a complete surprise to everyone. “It was the best day of my life and I had no idea what to expect,” Megelas says. That album resonated with her 2023 so much she got to discover new parts of herself, grow in new ways and just be present without any expectations of what would happen next and that album is the perfect description of her 2023. Megelas definitely sees herself bringing Bad Bunny over to 2024.
As for myself, I always seem to surpass the amount of music I listen to each year and find new music gems. I’m also immensely grateful to have been able to attend performances overseas in 2023 from some of my top listened-to artists like Yves Tumor and Kendrick Lamar on stage during NxWorries at Primavera Sound Festival, and incredible live shows in Montreal such as Yaeji and James Blake. New artists on my radar in 2023 included Swiss rapper Makala, and French composer and singer Chassol. My rotation in terms of favourite 2023 album releases were Sampha’s Lahai, Kelela’s Raven and The Rat Road by SBTRKT. I thoroughly am looking forward to all upcoming 2024 music moments.

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Interview Music

Concordia artist Vikki Gilmore discusses her album Mental Backroads and its launch in Montreal

Vikki Gilmore opening for Iggy Alberts at Cafe Campus in Montreal. Photo by JG Photography @jgphotomtl

A chat with Gilmore about her debut folk album and a preview of its celebration launch event planned for Dec. 10. 

Following the recent release of her debut album Mental Backroads on Oct. 20, child studies MA Concordia student and music artist Vikki Gilmore discusses the making of the project and gives insight on her upcoming album launch event on Dec. 10 at Le Ministère in Montreal. 

The local artist was born and raised in the city and has been involved with music since high school. Gilmore taught herself how to play acoustic guitar around the age of 16 so she could accompany her poetry with music. She’s gone from school talent shows to doing gigs around Montreal during her time at university. 

The musician has been writing songs for years and said that finally coming out with an album is “a lifelong dream and it means the world to me.” Gilmore’s intention was to tell life stories that others can connect with, namely discussing family, friends, love, nostalgia, grief and mental health. 

Mental Backroads is meant to take the listener on a metaphorical and literal road trip through their mind. Its songs weave a story with stories from her personal experience that she hopes are relatable to others. The main message is about being patient with yourself during any new journey one embarks on. 

Gilmore describes her music as Indie-folk soup for the soul that could be mistaken for the soundtrack of Gilmore Girls. Her sound ranges from twangy folk to alternative pop/rock and is great for fans of Phoebe Bridgers, Daughter, boygenius, Lizzy McAlpine and Joni Mitchell. The artist also takes care in connecting what she’s learned from her background in psychology to her lyrics. The classes and her involvement and interest in the subject have deeply influenced how she conveys her emotions and ideas. She’s able to relate them efficiently through words with ease and connection via her knowledge of psychology.

Gilmore said the creation of her debut indie-folk album has been the most exhilarating and difficult part of her music career. “Releasing it independently has taken a lot of dedication, spending most of my nights planning promo, filming music videos with friends, doing my own PR, planning finances, and more,” she said. 

Having to write, record, plan a release, plan the promo, and then plan live shows was the same process as previous EP releases, but she said that completing an eight-song album involved difficult mental aspects and financial commitment. The scale this time was completely different. Gilmore also never creates music with profit in mind and therefore always writes from the heart. Most of the songs on this album took between 20 minutes and an hour of writing, while the album’s production process took months, “but the writing just flows,” she said. 

Vikki Gilmore shared that her writing process is therapeutic. The Montreal singer doesn’t adopt any particular habit while writing but notes that it helps her process difficult emotions, which is a habit she’s developed over the years. Notably, the song “Pieces in the Black” came from a time when she was navigating a deep sadness and wanted to write something she could listen back to in the future.

For this project, Gilmore collaborated with a few Canadian-based producers. Her longtime collaborator Mathieu LeGuerrier mixed and produced the majority of the songs. Jacob Liutkus produced “If I Wrote You”, and “Stranded” was produced by Gert Taberner. “It was really cool to work with a variety of producers and you can probably hear hints of each of their production styles in the different songs,” she said. 

Gilmore brainstormed the idea of a road trip and postcard aesthetic to match the theme of the music. Tyler Piechota designed it to depict vintage scenic postcards in Colorado, “which has become one of my favourite places in the world,” Gilmore shared. The physical design of the vinyl version is a postcard with a guide map as the insert. “The visuals are cohesive and match perfectly with the sound to support painting a picture of travelling through life and the experiences and growth that come with exploring ourselves and the world,” she said. 

Gilmore hopes that this project is a warm hug to whoever needs it. Like a lullaby from the moon when you can’t sleep at night, plagued with fears of abandonment, wondering about the people you lost touch with, thinking of the people that have passed on, and reflecting on life with kindness for the previous versions of yourself. Gilmore especially learned about resilience and self-love during the creation of Mental Backroads. “In an era of streaming and social media, it can be hard comparing yourself to others,” she added.  


The album launch on Dec. 10 at Le Ministère promises to be beautiful, with twinkling lights, a guitarist and a drummer to support Gilmore on stage. It will be her first live show since the pandemic and she is beyond eager to connect with other music fans during the evening. There will be performances of songs from Mental Backroads with some older songs and possibly some surprise ones. The night will start with Callahan and the Woodpile performing a solo acoustic act to set the stage for an indie-folk cozy night out. If you’re looking for an excuse to discover some new music, get dressed up, and have a night out on the town, stop by!

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: PinkPantheress — Heaven knows

Album cover of "Heaven Knows" by PinkPantheress. Courtesy of Apple Music.

The Londoner breakout star releases her debut album on Nov. 10.

Victoria Beverly Walker, who uses PinkPantheress as her stage name, is probably the prime example of TikTok propelling up-and-coming artists to fame. With a runtime of 34 minutes and counting 13 tracks, the 22-year-old singer shows the world she isn’t strictly the source of viral TikTok sounds anymore. 

Indeed, PinkPantheress initially crafted songs in her bedroom and posted them online. After one of her videos got half a million likes on TikTok, she decided to release a snippet of her song “Just A Waste.” This action resulted in a quick spread of the audio track all over the app in 2020. Months later, her songs “Pain” and “Break It Off” also became viral, only enhancing her presence and clear grasp of the younger generation on TikTok. 

Since her first time on stage in late 2021 for a short and sweet London venue visit, PinkPantheress has now accumulated a series of live gigs ranging from festivals to a couple of solo shows. However, fans of the artist had expressed disappointment towards her songs being too short to be performed live and her setlist not being extensive at all. 

With Heaven knows, her catalogue broadened. Joined with song features from Rema, Central Cee, Kelela and Ice Spice, the artist also collaborated with producers like Mura Masa, Oscar Scheller (Charli XCX, Rina Sawayama) and Greg Kurstin (Gorillaz, Adele, Foo Fighters). 

Two previously released tracks include the tracks “Mosquito,” and “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” feat. Ice Spice gained huge popularity and got her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. These previews from the album and the rest of the tracklist stay in this very PinkPantheress sound that has grown and developed while keeping her original musical DNA alive. 

Her unique sonic aroma is rooted in the genres of Pop, Jungle, Jersey Club and UK garage in a bubbly Y2K tone mixed with ‘00s R&B. PinkPantheress’s soft voice adds a sweet flair as the cherry on top. 

Notably, the music video for “Nice to meet you” feat. Central Cee is straight out of a 2006 video clip with its bubbly graphics and choreographies. PinkPantheress’ confidence when it comes to her concrete style is consistent all throughout, from the songs’ productions and visuals associated with Heaven knows.

The British singer communicates storylines of love, heartbreak and infatuation throughout this anticipated debut album. Some of my highlights from the album are the witty hook from Rema on the opening track “Another life,” the catchy and warm production of “Mosquito,” as well as Kelela and PinkPantheress singing the lyrics “I almost fell in love, but I couldn’t tell you” subsequently after the other on “Bury me.” 

Heaven knows is a solid and tender collection of what people know and love about PinkPantheress. It also throws away the preconceived notion that PinkPantheress is only a viral TikTok sound maker. As her audience, we get to experience, both sonically and visually, how she is blossoming. The success she built in appropriating her sound that made her popular on social media is now fully owned wholeheartedly in a cohesive manner. 

Score: 7.5/10

Trial Track: Mosquito

Categories
Music

How early is too early to get festival passes?

Daniel Caesar perfoming at Osheaga in 2017. Courtesy photo by Kirubel Mheari.

Students express their views on summer music festival tickets already on sale. 

When exiting a music festival on its very last day, attendees can usually see a banner declaring the scheduled dates for the next edition of the festival. Not only that, but it only takes two to three months after the end of a music festival before the announcement of the following year happens. 

Montreal’s Osheaga, arguably the biggest and most popular music festival in Quebec, has been running an “exclusive” presale for its 2024 summer dates since early November. Green Day is the first and only headliner announced up to now. The 3-day passes are released almost one year in advance along with some “premium offers,” according to promotional emails, to welcome festival fans in getting ahold of them sooner. 

Some students at Concordia share their personal approaches regarding music festival passes being released recently for next summer. Mirra Lazarus, a psychology student, believes “it’s a bit of a manipulative, but expected, marketing scheme to get people to ensure they meet their sales quota.” 

According to Lazarus, acquiring those weekend passes provides a feeling of security and means that people have a stable event to look forward to. However, she adds that it is unfortunate if you don’t like the lineup since you have to stick with it or resell it in the end. Overall, Lazarus added that she would never buy festival passes a year in advance not knowing what the lineup is, even if they also make the passes cheaper in advance to get to that sales quota.

For communications and sociology student Adèle Décary-Chen, purchasing a festival pass way ahead of time includes more inconvenience than benefits. “It kind of limits me in my future plans, especially in the summer,” she said. Indeed, settling on very specific dates in the city that far in advance can reduce flexibility and get in the middle of any travel plans or short-notice situations that may come up. Chen said she would only show up to a music festival if she knew artists on the lineup to make it worth her money. Although this is common behaviour, there is always the possibility of tickets selling out by the time the lineup is released. More often than not, there aren’t any more passes. “That’s what happened for the Festival d’Été du Québec last summer for me,” she said.  

On one hand, securing festival passes in advance can be a way to confirm one’s attendance without the stress of worrying about potential sold-out dates. Moreover, folks tend to sometimes travel across the province, the country or even overseas to attend a music festival. Purchasing passes way ahead of time then helps plan for those special travels. 
On the other hand, the initial price of passes can even significantly drop closer to the dates if it’s not already sold out. People on social media might be reselling or a friend of a friend might be getting rid of their ticket last minute therefore making it cheaper, to increase the chance of selling it. Not buying months prior might then result in saving a couple of bucks. The reassurance of knowing the entire lineup of featured artists can also be a crucial factor in the decision, before dropping hundreds of dollars on passes.

After discussing with students, there isn’t exactly a better time to get ahold of passes. The decision caters and depends on how individuals prefer to organize their visits to festivals, whether they are located here or outside the country. It’s an undeniable matter of tolerance for the unpredictable and elements like the scheduled weekend, lineup, pricing, availability, and assembling your festival attendees group all play an important role. One thing is for sure, music festivals are settings people will always want to be a part of and Osheaga passes are now available for the taking.

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Music

Album covers–how much do they really matter?

'What Have You Learned' and 'Stage Fright' EP covers. Courtesy images by Roxanne Izzo and LilMid.

Concordia students and artists talk about their favourite album covers.   

When we envision the sound of a particular album, one of the first things we might think of is its visuals. This can take the shape of a music video from a loved track, or a themed photoshoot from the album rollout. In most cases, the vivid image we might have of an album comes from its cover. 

The square shape that forms an album cover is often open-ended when it comes to its artistic perception. Be it a simple portrait or an intricate painting, a meticulous collage or a straightforward photograph, music artwork holds a necessary relationship with the sound of the music project itself. 

For instance, Childish Gambino’s album 3.15.20 (2020) is seen either as a solid white-filled square or a blank cover. Either way, this minimalist and nonchalant approach doesn’t necessarily lessen the quality and weight of the project that was released unannounced. One could argue that it lets the listener create their own colours by not being influenced beforehand by any imagery.

Yasmine is a first-year student in communications studies and she relishes in The Angel You Don’t Know by Amaarae (2020). She finds the cover to be very weird—cool illustrations like big eyes and written bodies featuring flashy colours. To her, it looks like an invitation for a magnetic sonic experience that’s so captivating that she added the album to her library even before listening to it. “[The] super sick illustrations speak for the song themselves so you can just look at the cover and connect those two,” Yasmine said. 

As for Simone, a student in photography, Marvin Gaye’s I Want You (1976) cover holds a special place in their heart. “It makes me want to dance and lean against the one I love,” they said. Indeed, the figures in the painting seem deeply in motion, present, and engulfed in the music. The songs on Gaye’s album directly affect the movement of the body and whenever Simone listens to it, she can imagine herself among others, “loving and yearning.” For Simone, dim lighting, a cigarette and a drink on a table close by is the perfect fit for her album.

Windswept Adan by Ichiko Aoba (2020) is Sylvia’s pick. A first-year scenography student in the theatre department, she finds the cover to be reflective of the album’s instrumentals and organic sounds. “[The cover seems] very freeing and feminine to me, which I also really love and resonate with,” Sylvia explained. In her eyes, the sparkly and magical cover perfectly summarizes the world of the album, enhancing its dreamy sound with such a hazy filter. 

Lindsay, a first-year communications student, appreciates Lorde’s Solar Power album sleeve (2021). She especially noted its interesting fish eye lens. “I love how she’s [Lorde] posed and takes up the whole frame with her legs,” Lindsay said. She also pointed out the colour palette of the cover and how it offers “a happy mood which corresponds with some of the upbeat songs in the album.”

Musicians at Concordia also had some words to say in regard to their own single and album covers. Minh Tu, under the stage alias LilMid, dabbles in a bit of everything artistic like videography and sewing and has been producing music since the age of 14.

The artist released his homemade project Stage Fright in early 2023 with the intention to tell a vulnerable story by figuratively putting himself on a “stage.” This EP’s artwork complements the messages of his songs that tell of the time Minh Tu performed in front of an audience for the first time.  For the Stage Fright cover, LilMid took a blank piece of paper, drew the emotions he felt during the making of the album, cut them up, and scanned the final product for a mixed media look. He hopes to inspire people to also come out of their shells and hop on a similar figurative stage. 

For Roxanne Izzo, a singer and a second-year communications student, the visuals are probably the part she loves the most about putting out music. “Even if I have yet to release a full body of work, I always strive to attach a visual concept for each of my single covers,” she said. The vision behind her recent single “What Have You Learned?” out since October 20th was to take a super glossy, airbrushed-looking image of herself and distress it so that it looks like a disintegrated poster on a wall. Despite thinking that not every single album has to be well-versed in its visual aesthetics to be thematically or musically evocative, the singer believes that album art as a whole is important because it’s all part of the physical body of work. 

All and all, an album cover is the natural half of the pairing that is the main visual and the music itself. It is so powerful that even noticing an intriguing album cover in a record shop while casually browsing can lead to someone discovering a gem of an album.

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Music

What does your favourite music merch item mean to you?

Courtesy of DJ Quik, Liz, Kaytraminé and Stefano.

Students at Concordia share clothing pieces featuring their cherished artist merch and tangible music.

How meaningful really is a t-shirt with your favourite artist printed on it hanging in your closet? Whether purchased from a random vintage store or official website, your favourite artist has most probably sold tangible items under their name. 

The concept of merch in the music industry is for one, an obvious promotional aspect. Limited edition drops can be found on artists’ official websites to promote their newest musical release. 

Another popular way for people to get their hands on some goods is by attending a concert and purchasing directly at the merch tables there. Fan-made products sold online are also widely accessible and used among fans. Even acquiring the setlist of a show at the end of it definitely counts as meaningful (and free!) merch. 

Merch articles can take various shapes, from t-shirts and hoodies to hats, keychains, pins, bags and so much more. Collecting vinyls and CDs is also an option—and this way of interacting with the music of a loved artist can make it more personal. 

You can tell so much about someone even without exchanging a word just by noticing a merch product on them. And it may be a great way to spark up a conversation!

The Concordian spoke with some of the students on campus about their favourite merch from a musical artist and what it means to them. 

Alfred, a human relations student at Concordia shared how important it was to him to acquire a staple piece after seeing Kaytraminé over the summer. He got a t-shirt from the duo to commemorate his “favourite time of the year.” Liz, another student in human relations and organization development, talked about her vintage Ice Cube shirt, which gave her nostalgia for watching movies and listening to the rapper growing up. She simply had to buy it when she saw it in a store, she added. 

Studying creative writing, Wu-Tang Clan is at the core of Kreeashon’s dear merch item that she acquired from her brother. It features the artist’s first album and is the reason why Kreeashon got into hip-hop in the first place. As for Yasmine in Communication Studies, her friend got her a Dominic Fike t-shirt from a live show they attended a couple of years ago. For her, it acts as a reminder of the moments they shared together at the show. 

Kikah commented on a CD she holds dear and close to her heart. Using her DJ Quik CD lets her immerse into the world of hip-hop “in its purest form,” and, coming from New York, it is also a way for her to reminisce about the earlier style of the genre. 

Whether it’s an item that you can wear outside or display and use in your personal space, music merch can hold a special place in the heart and bring you a sense of connection and nostalgia to your treasured artists.

Categories
Music

Honourable music mentions from October

Courtesy of Apple Music.

The Music Editors of The Concordian share their top picks from the past month’s releases.

Tabéa’s Picks:

Blasé – Pourquoi Blasé?

Trial Track: “Number One”

Based in Paris, France, artist Blasé released his debut EP Pourquoi Blasé? on Oct. 13. Running for 12 minutes, this first EP features two tracks in French and the second half in English. As put on the singer’s Bandcamp profile, his project merges New York disco, British rock, French chanson, hip-hop and indie pop. One of my favourite moments on the 4 track EP is the tune “Number One.” The snappy guitar riffs and warm-sounding bass are the perfect background for Blasé’s voice and lyrics to pop. The catchy melodies accompany Blasé’s realization that he only seeks a certain person and that they’re his number one—and one’s enough. It’s lighthearted and playful while also being very sincere through Blasé’s tone. 

L’Rain – I Killed Your Dog

Trial Track: “New Year’s UnResolution”

On Oct. 13, the Brooklyn native Taja Cheek, under the name L’Rain, presented her third album I Killed Your Dog to the world. The “anti-break-up” record contains pensive and attentive moments. The final track “New Year’s UnResolution” comes off as a mellow but steady and smooth song tackling messages of getting used to no longer being in love. The singer’s lush vocals close the track by repeating, “Will you forget me along the way?” in both a hopeful and despairing tone, accompanied by a rhythmic but dreamy instrumental with faint reverb vocals. L’Rain ends on a vulnerable note but stays rooted in reality and acceptance in order to move on. 

Stefano’s Picks:

Ken Carson – A Great Chaos

Trial Track: “Fighting My Demons”

Released on Oct. 13, Ken Carson’s sophomore album A Great Chaos is his most consistent and exciting project to date. Many tracks on the record are coated with layers of sugary-sweet video-game synths, which give it a melodious and animated vibe. The bass-heavy sound of the rage rap style is equally present, making for an offering of electrifying tracks that are moshpit-ready. This is especially the case with “Fighting My Demons,” which kicks off with an electrifying beat drop and continues to sprinkle additional layers of synths all throughout the track. The song has already blown up on TikTok and is destined to be explosive in a live setting—especially when Carson joins Playboi Carti on the Antagonist Tour later this month.

Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist – VOIR DIRE

Trial Track: “Sirius Blac”
Veteran producer The Alchemist and rapper Earl Sweatshirt released their collaborative album VOIR DIRE at the beginning of the month, on Oct. 6. Sweatshirt comes through with his usual nonchalant and mellow delivery, combining witty wordplay with poignant, introspective affirmations. Alchemist provides a handful of smooth, slow-tempo instrumentals using string, keyboard, and guitar samples. The soundscape is equal parts soothing and entrancing, which perfectly complements Sweatshirt’s contemplative rapping style. “Sirius Blac” is an especially sunny and slow track with bright xylophone notes, whose cadence Sweatshirt matches with the swing of his delivery. On VOIR DIRE, Sweatshirt and The Alchemist craft a concise project that is smooth and hypnotic all throughout.

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Sampha — Lahai

Courtesy of Apple Music.

The South London artist Sampha is back after six years, with his stunning new album Lahai.

Released on Oct. 20, Lahai is not only Sampha Lahai Sisay’s newest album but also his grandfather’s name, his own middle name and his next musical chapter. Following his debut album Process which won the 2017 Mercury Prize, this new album communicates themes rooted in his life in adulthood. When sharing the news about Lahai with the world through an Instagram post, the musician displayed various keywords from the album’s message as hints: “Fever Dreams. Continuums. Dancing. Generations. Syncopation. Bridges. Grief. Motherlands. Love. Spirit. Fear. Flesh. Flight.” Indeed, the 41-minute runtime covers each of these feelings, thoughts and life positions with intention. 

Lahai follows Sampha’s glimpses of self-awareness, snapshots of memories and realizations he’s been experiencing being a father, brother, friend and son. Throughout the 14 featured tracks, the singer reestablishes himself and beautifully expresses his personal stance in the world. A strong sense of communication and connection leads this album, whether a song tackles the past, present, future, or all of the above. 

The very first track, “Stereo Colour Cloud (Shaman’s Dream),” introduces piano on its own, almost like trickling water in a playful way. The creatively produced track programmed acoustic instruments via MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and notably contains lyrics about missing someone while time flies. “Spirit 2.0” is up next, influenced by West African folk music called Wassoulou. Sampha repeats how waves, light, love, spirit, faith, friends and time will “catch you,” chanting a reminder we are never truly alone. The third song, “Dancing Circles,” explores conversing with someone he hadn’t seen in a long time and is layered over this addicting metronomic style piano and experimental rhythm. “Suspended” comes up next with gratefulness at its core, especially with the earnest line “I’ve been lifted by her love.” 

With “Satellite Business”, Sampha looks back on all of “the love and the care and the words [he] was given” and thinks to himself that there are “maybe no beginnings, maybe no bridges” when going through life events. This short introspective track is followed by “Jonathan L. Seagull,” lyrics about the dynamic between the people he’s met along the way and dealing “with loss and grief in separate ways.” This recognition is notably expressed with a passage of the song that repeats how seasons come, cry, grow and die. 

This cycle of maturation smoothly transitions into the narrative of “Inclination Compass (Tenderness).” The minimalistic piano, whistles, synths and background vocals accompany Sampha singing about the importance of implementing empathy, tenderness and fondness in times of hardship. “Only” is a more energetic follow-up with a message recognizing that you can be the one to help yourself, not necessarily other people. The previous short but sweet interlude “Time Piece” goes into “Can’t Go Back,” all about using time efficiently. It’s also one of my favourite moments of the album because of its gorgeous piano ending. 

“Evidence” and “What if You Hypnotise Me?” are the last moments of the album. They sonically compliment each other with charming and vulnerable lyrics, especially with the delightful string transition “Wave Therapy” between them. The album ends on “Rose Tint,” rounding up Sampha’s need for grounding by indicating “I needed nature, I needed scope.” 

Sampha’s tone conveys such softness and warmth while playing with different rhythms within his voice calibre. The production merges different sounds that are consistently crisp and minimalistic, which I really appreciate. Piano is definitely a prominent element throughout Lahai, also engaging with R&B, funk, jungle, grime and minimal classical music. They all seamlessly blend together and let Sampha’s lyrics breathe for our focus simultaneously. Lahai’s collection full of growth and distance is beyond refreshing to the ear and the heart. Sampha reminds us to look within ourselves and take the time to reminisce in a constructive way this fall. 

Score: 9.5/10

Trial Track: Jonathan L. Seagull

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Music

The Dark Side of the Moon in a dome

The Society of Arts and Technology's dome featuring various space themes during The Dark Side of the Moon immersive experience. Courtesy photo by Myriam Menard.

Pink Floyd’s 1973 album was made into an immersive experience in Montreal.

The 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon was prominently highlighted, to say the least. Montrealers had the chance to experience a grand audiovisual experience in the Society for Arts and Technology’s (SAT) Satosphère, which is one of only 100 domes and planetariums in the whole world presenting it. The company Hubblo, a local initiative that aims “to address the explosive worldwide production of immersive and interactive experiences,” was also in charge of putting the project together. The projection took place most evenings, welcoming the first wave of audiences since August and soon on Oct. 27. 

With its 18 meters in diameter, 13 meters in height, eight video projectors and 157 speakers, the SAT’s dome exclusive show was indeed mesmerizing. As stated on the event’s page, the band warmly welcomes the concept of “juxtapos[ing] the album’s musical framework with striking images of space.” The goal was to accompany each track of the 43-minute-long album with a futuristic visual component and as “a nod to Pink Floyd’s retro visual iconography.” 

Not only did the show make me hear the album as if it was the first time but it was indeed planned to remaster the album in surround sound for this 360-degree environment. The SAT in Montreal also describes the aim to offer “an unparalleled 360-degree experience to plunge into the heart of Pink Floyd’s sonic and visual universe,” especially after the dome closed its doors for several months due to renovation and equipment installation. Statera Experience shares that “NSC Creative studio handled the visual production of the show, working closely with Aubrey Powell, a longtime Pink Floyd creative accomplice at Hipgnosis.”

Since the seats in the Satosphère dome are unnumbered, the first thing to do was to choose a spot among the many bean bag chairs. When it started, the lights dimmed to bring focus on the first projection approaching on the dome ceiling while the intro track “Speak to Me” echoed. A futuristic pyramid in space got bigger and bigger only to introduce the many other visual elements that constituted a cohesive and refreshing sight. Staggering images of the solar system were at the core of the show, from the moon—hinting at its inclusion in the album title—to the different planets and much more. Distinct themes of each song were exploited such as elements of money and consumerism with the track “Money” playing. Each sight presented a temporal and spatial experience, adding depth to the lyrics and sounds used in the production of the album.

The colour theme of the projections was both dark and space-themed with pops of vivid colour to immerse the viewer. The rainbow from the album cover was thus used to provide enhanced visual stimulation. As for the audio quality and experience, it was overall balanced and synced perfectly with what was portrayed on the ceiling.  

My personal outtake was definitely how smooth the transitions between each projection played out. The shifts between songs merged smoothly and creatively with the graphic theme of the following track on the album. I especially loved some of the cohesive elements that kept coming back throughout the show, such as a visual of an astronaut with Earth mirrored on the helmet. The imagery was striking due to its crisp quality and lying down while seeing our planet through someone else’s eyes was dazzling in the best way. A Thursday evening during the fall break was definitely a good moment to be a little existential while being sonically embraced throughout a stimulating experience and celebration.

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Concert Reviews Music

James Blake thrills L’Olympia

James Blake performing live in Montreal on October 10 at L'Olympia. Photo by Tabéa Benlakehal / The Concordian

Montreal welcomed James Blake with open arms at a striking concert on Oct. 10.

English musician James Blake wears many hats, notably being a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer and DJ. His last visit to Montreal dates back to 2019, when he performed at L’Olympia on Saint-Catherine. Back at this very venue four years later, James Blake came to town following the release of his sixth studio album Playing Robots Into Heaven out on Sept. 8. 

The return to electronic roots follows up on his 2021 album Friends That Break Your Heart which did not receive a live show in Montreal. Long time fans and admirers of Blake’s music journey were ecstatic to finally see him in the flesh, this time to experience “a little bit of everything,” as Blake himself put it. The tour started off in Europe in mid-September and will end a month from now in Los Angeles, California where Blake is currently based. 

From his emergence in the dubstep scene in South London, James Blake has since contributed to countless artists’ projects as well as collaborating with many others from different realms of the music world. The list includes Beyoncé, Rosalía, André 3000, Metro Boomin, Kendrick Lamar, Mount Kimbie and Bon Iver, just to name a few. Blake is renowned to be a chameleon of his own calibre, and comparing him to anyone would be unfair. 

After an hour’s wait in the front row, the unannounced opener of the evening walked onto the stage. For about half an hour, electronic producer Rob McAndrews under the alias Airhead—Blake’s childhood friend who has worked alongside him for many years—offered the audience some electro-ambient tunes from his recent project Lightness full of varied tempos, reverb and bass with catchy guitar riffs. 

After Airhead had left the stage, the very last track of Blake’s brand new album resonated in the entire theatre, announcing his composed arrival on stage with a smile and waving hands. His station was to the right of the stage, with a keyboard and synths at his disposal. Opener Airhead was back for a second shift, this time handling the modular synth and guitar on the far left, which left the centre space for the drummer. 

The soothing and experimental instrumental track transitioned to “I Want You To Know,” a track with an equal amount of gorgeous harmonies and synths with experimental electronic touches. Some of the prominent bass in most tracks also pierced right through my body, making the whole room appear to be vibrating. 

The singer pleasantly surprised everyone by playing “Godspeed” by Frank Ocean, which he wrote, as well as doing an acapella and piano version of “Say What You Will” right after fans asked for it to be performed. Songs from his new album continued, but key tracks such as “Love Me In Whatever Way,” “Can’t Believe The Way We Flow,” “Retrograde,” and “Limit to Your Love” from past albums were also part of the setlist. The gifted artist concluded his concert with an experimental high-tempo remix to finish the night on a high.

James Blake’s singing was controlled throughout the entire show, conveying lyrics full of introspection and pensive vulnerability while he simultaneously played the keys. Effects ranged from soft and delayed vocals to more powerful and raw singing. Opposed to the so-called “sad boy” title that some people have given him, Blake confidently shares melancholy and heartache messages without being “afraid of being seen as weak or soft,” as he expressed in a 2018 tweet. To this day—and all over his stage presence at L’Olympia—Blake is in tune with himself and proudly exchanges his catalog with the crowd. 

One of the key takeaways from the concert, which made it extra special for me, was the decision to not incorporate any computer in the live performance despite it being a heavily electronic set. As for stage lighting, the simple but effective use of light bulbs around the perimeter of the theatre’s structure created this tinted barrier of light play between the crowd and the artists on stage. The audience, and me included, vividly cheered and eagerly clapped in between each track. Blake commented on the passionate response saying that he and the band were more than happy to be back in Montreal. 

“We got off stage and we all said to each other this is just the best gig we’ve done in ages,” James Blake expressed to the audience when returning from the encore intermission.

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Concert Reviews Festival Review Music

Sophie Ogilvie with Bodywash at Tiny Fest 2023

Sophie Ogilvie and Bodywash on the Casa Del Popolo stage at Tiny Fest 2023. Photo by Tabéa Benlakehal / The Concordian

Montreal musician and Concordia student hits the stage at Tiny Fest’s third edition.

Even with summer behind us, musical festivities in Montreal are far from taking a break. Tiny Fest, a local music festival featuring bands and artists, presented its third edition on Oct. 6–7. It was hosted and produced by Worst Dad Ever, an event organization that puts together independent shows, tours and gigs for touring bands. Among the same venues from last year, La Sala Rossa and La Sotterenea, the small but cherished venue Casa Del Popolo got added to the mix this year. 

I had the chance to attend the festival on its last day. Montreal singer and songwriter Sophie Ogilvie was the last act on the Saturday evening’s lineup. Bodywash—a local band with airy vocals and atmospheric sounds—played their respective show on the previous day and happened to be the backing band for Ogilvie’s gig. Concordia was also definitely in the house owing to the facts that Sophie Ogilvie herself is a current MA student, Bodywash’s Rosie Long Decter is a recent graduate and Concordia’s radio station CJLO 1690 AM was on the event sponsor list.

Before the final and main act of the night, I was able to catch a glimpse of the set from Toronto’s Westelaken. The “post-country” band set the mood for the rest of the evening, notably with their poignant and raw vocal delivery from frontman Jordan Seccareccia accompanied with sweet piano chords and handled rhythm with the drumset. Most of the songs were from their album I am Steaming Mushrooms released early this year. 

As for Sophie Ogilvie, her recent project Coming Up, Crocus was at the core of the live performance. Labelled as an indie rock artist on streaming services, Ogilvie has effectively merged jazz, R&B, and 90s alternative into her debut EP. Fellow friends of Ogilvie in the band Bodywash accompanied her with background vocals, bass, guitar and keys. Chris Steward from the band also worked on Coming Up, Crocus and as Sophie Ogilvie puts it, the album is “a labour of the two of us mostly.” 

Throughout the set, the singer promoted the delicate EP which, as stated in her Bandcamp bio, “chronicles how one season passes into the next and how a relationship resolves itself into something gone.” The single “Milk Glass” highlights exactly that, notably with my favourite lyrics—“And I don’t want to need anything I take from you, but I do.” The catchy harmonies of “I do” repeating only enhance the vulnerable message. 

The concept of change in motion is a prominent theme in the EP as well. The set went from featuring acoustic tracks like “New Friend,” putting forward Ogilvie’s soft vocals and guitar skills, to the most energetic track “Lash” which the Montreal artist asked the audience to dance to. 

Despite the unfortunate rain that weekend, attendees were definitely still present in showing their support for the young artists. Many fellow students, acquaintances, and friends of the starring musicians came together for the close of the tiny but mighty festival. 

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Music

Staff Picks: Study Music Preferences

Graphic by Keven Vaillancourt @kindaokev / The Concordian

Learn how The Concordian’s team enjoys music during midterm season.

It is no secret that music can boost motivation and increase energy while also proving soothing and stress-relieving. Here is how some of our staff choose to listen to music with schedules packed with midterm deadlines. Whether you are simply curious of disparities between music listening habits in high stress or seek new focus and concentration music to add to your playlists, look no further! 

Emma, News Editor: “I usually like an upbeat tune playing on my record player. If I listen to slow songs or classical music, I won’t be able to concentrate. When I’m studying, I’ll play Bad Bunny’s albums, “The Queen is Dead” by The Smiths and some of their singles. My record player has a bluetooth setting, so I’ll connect my phone to it and play Bad Bunny or I’ll go through my vinyls and play The Smiths. It’s such great motivation music and I feel like I can get through my homework and anything by going all out with what I’m listening to. I also have ADD and sometimes it’s hard to stay focused all the time, but for me, upbeat music keeps me motivated to get things done.”

James, Creative Director: “I have always listened to Homework by Daft Punk when I want to get in the groove of an essay or big project! The fact that it says “HOMEWORK” on the album cover serves as a reminder to stay focused every time I look at my phone and I find the repetitive but energetic energy of the music to be a great way to keep me on track. The sound is a little abrasive, so I don’t fall into the trap of getting too comfortable and getting distracted and it also doesn’t have too many words so my brain can focus on the words I’m trying to write!”

Matthew, Assistant News Editor: “I like listening to jazz while I study and do things. It fits the atmosphere very well especially since the weather is getting colder. Chet Baker is my go-to, otherwise I mostly exclusively play instrumentals. Another favorite is the artist Sewerslvt, who is retired now but she has a wide array of electronic music. It ranges from really hyper to slow and melancholic. For me, this music is mainly for writing while jazz is for studying!”

Stefano, Assistant Music Editor: “When it comes to studying, I either opt for specific albums and playlists or no music at all. Benny the Butcher’s Tana Talk 3 (2018) has always been a go-to for me due to its simplicity. The album is mostly boom-bap beats with a minimalist, nocturnal, and airy sound. Alfredo by Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist is another example: at only 10 tracks and 35 minutes, it creates an entrancing, moody atmosphere—thanks to a combination of jazzy, soulful instrumentals and grittier boom-bap inspired ones. This explains why I also listen to The Alchemist’s instrumentals to study: the genres in these instrumentals are soothing, relaxing, and even hypnotic when looped into a full beat. The cohesive mood and setting created in these projects also makes them optimal for full listens since the slow-tempo and groovy qualities are calming, which allows me to focus. I use headphones very often, although sometimes I tend to let my vinyl collection just spin in the background. Plus, getting up to change the records helps put little breaks in between my studying, creating intervals (which is often recommended by professors & professionals).”


Mackenzie, Copy Editor: “Normally, if I’m in a noisy and busy environment, I’ll prefer to put on music in my AirPods with noise cancellation. Music is always better than the buzzing of activity for my concentration. I’ll choose either a lo-fi comfort playlist or my Autumn Vibes playlist, which currently consists mainly of indie folk songs. However, the music I pick for studying always has to be very familiar to me to avoid me getting irritated by unknown sounds and lyrics. If I’m home and it’s relatively silent, I usually stick to the silence. I feel that adding music in this situation only makes it harder to focus and I spend more time choosing music than actually working. If I do decide to put on music in a quiet place, I prefer instrumental lo-fi playlists that I’ve precurated. I used to always have music playing when I studied in high school or cégep, but university made me a bit more tired and overstimulated, hence the newfound pickiness.”

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