Recommended music: 'Demain Est Une Autre Nuit' by Essaie Pas

Coming on like a cross between 80s New Romantic group Visage and industrial electronic band Factory Floor, Canada's Essai Pas are the latest act to find a comfortable home amongst the brilliance of DFA Records label. Hailing from Montreal in Quebec, the duo mix mininal synth and electro sounds with breathy French vocals. Amongst this there's a filmic atmosphere, a Lynchian noir touch, which somehow feels just right amongt the basslines. Mixing Sheffield in the early 80s, Berlin in the early 90s and New York in the early 2000's , the tracks here can make you feel like you're in the middle of the dancefloor and walking the 3 a.m. icy streets home at the same time.

Is this the start of a new Canadian scene? Maybe not, but for now it'll fit right into your world, wherever you are.

Recommended music: 'Impossible Spaces' by Sandro Perri

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, 'Impossible Spaces' is the second solo album under his own name from Sandro Perri. A former member of Great Lake Swimmers, Perri has more recently released music under the Polmo Polpo alias, but has now returned to his birthright having pretty much established his own genre - electrojazzfolk. The album is a huge amalgam of musical styles, but with great tunes and melodies being the order of the day throughout.

'Changes' opens with some very familiar Pink Floyd-esque 2 note bass before becoming a slighter off-kilter song which morphs into a Steely Dan instrumental at the end. 'Love and Light' (watch the video below) has a Latin rhythm with Perri's voice taking centre stage to great effect. Next 'How Will I?' brings a flute to the party on another track that at 8 minutes long, is like 2 songs in one, whereas 'Futureactive Kid' is one song split into 2 parts for the next 2 tracks.

The album comes towards a close with the epic 10 and a half minute 'Wolfman', a beautiful acoustic ballad with some 70s style electric guitar that is so good you don't realise that 10 minutes have passed while you listen to it. Then the title tracks finishes things off with some more acoustic guitar and either a trumpet or tuba solo while the birds sing to send you on your way.

Overall this is a really great album, whatever genre you manage to pigeonhole it into.


sandro perri · love and light from Pedro Maia on Vimeo.