POPULATION II • À la Ô Terre • 2020

The first album by Montreal psychedelic explorers Population II sounds like transmissions from various locales in outer space, the trio recording and transmitting the drifting nothingness of endless expanses punctuated by the impact of comets, the blinding flash of exploding stars, and the beauty of distant galaxies. Singing drummer Pierre-Luc Gratton, guitarist/organist Tristan Lacombe, and bassist Sébastien Provençal are well versed in all forms of psychedelia, and it wouldn’t be surprising to find out they had impressive collections of jazz and prog records at home too. 

 

Crown Larks - Blood Dancer - 2015

crownlarks.com

Crown Larks - "Chapels" - Music Video from Emily Esperanza on Vimeo.

“… exists at the intersection of the free rock, avant-garde jazz, and outre improvisation scenes which have long been a hallmark of the city’s music culture. “Blood Mirage” is the first taste of their upcoming debut Blood Dancer. A lumbering, slow-burn intro is worth the wait as Crown Larks launch into an unexpectedly tight groove, smearing healthy dollops of saxophone over an energetic percussion attack that reframes the preceding skronk as a storm-before-the-calm palate cleanser. in an admirable display of patience they have waited until now to unleash their debut long-player. The authentic chemistry that results from hours upon hours of gigging is heard throughout Blood Dancer.” - AdHoc 

“…a coed unit of electro-jazz shapeshifters with a penchant for blending the schizophrenic and radical musical movements its hometown is notorious for producing.” – The Village Voice 

“… an avant-garde melting pot that depicts what happens when musicians on the same wavelength fuse mind, energy, and talents together as a unified communal-like force. ‘Overgrown’ is not your parent’s side b singular jam band track, but Crown Larks’ experimentation in creating plant and tree like textures that grow before your ears and eyes upon listening. Jack’s voice guides you through the evergreen tall grass, wild grown hedges, the thick of the woods until the Larks transform the entire soundscape into a jungle of amplified orations. Guitars grind against the droning meditation, as synths make circles like a dizzying swarm of birds, buzzards, and scuzzed out fuzz that blares and beats like scuffed up trainers stomping on a yoga mat. In under eight minutes you will have felt as if an entire natural habitat bloomed before you.” - Impose

The Left Outsides - The Shape Of Things To Come - 2015

“Woozily narcotic of tempo and bathed in reverb, minor chord-heavy songs…glide by in a melancholy swoon....there's a bewitching aura of moonlight dappled languor.” Mojo (****)

 “Packed with atmospheric, gentle psychedelic folk…this is a delicate and sublime mix of swooning melodies and haunting, intelligent arrangements.” Shindig! (****)

“It’s dark yet playful; 'quintessentially English' yet worldly and well- travelled as if part acid folk with hints of portentous balladry and filmic imagery as viewed through a gypsy campfire and all thoroughly delightful.” Terrascope (album of the month)

Dave Kerzner - New World - 2014

Dave Kerzner, formerly of "Sound of Contact", has a variety of Progressive Rock projects that utilize the sounds of his company Sonic Reality. Besides music as a solo artist Dave has created “Sonic Elements”, a fantasy band that features iconic guests like Steve Hackett (Genesis), Keith Emerson (ELP), Billy Sherwood (Yes), Francis Dunnery (It Bites), with SR drums from Neil Peart, Nick Mason...

Dave Kerzner is a songwriter, producer, keyboardist and vocalist from Miami, Florida. Over the years, Dave has worked with many artists and producers ranging from Kevin Gilbert to Keith Emerson, Steve Hackett, Steven Wilson, Crowded House, Genesis and more. He is known in the “Prog World” as a founding member of the award-winning band “Sound of Contact”. He is also the CEO/founder of the popular sound development company “Sonic Reality” that creates music software products used world-wide by top artists in the music industry. Dave’s work with Sonic Reality includes co-productions with legendary artists and producers such as Alan Parsons, Ken Scott, Neil Peart, Nick Mason and more. After many years working behind the secnes with other artists, Dave decided it was time to take center stage as lead vocalist and put out his debut Progressive Rock album “New World”.

Everything's Alright Forever Vol. 1 - 2013

Exhale's first year anniversary compilation includes fourteen bands from seven different collectives from around eastern Canada. It acts as a statement of what we've had a pleasure of being a part of in the past year as well as a look into what the future holds. 

Collective labels involved in the project: 

OPTICAL SOUNDS- www.opticalsounds.com 

ROTTEN FOLK- www.rottenfolk.com 

OUT OF SOUND- www.outofsoundrecords.ca 

PERDU- secretsound.ca 

WOLFSHIRT- wolfshirtrecords.com 

PONCHO RECORDS- ponchorecords.bandcamp.com 

BRUISED TONGUE- bruisedtongue.com