photo by Elyse Krivel



listen

Toronto duo Manticore in involved in the exploration of song on the cusp of improvisation, of utterances verging on language. The duo’s rather commonplace instrumentation (you guessed it: guitar and voice) may offer a certain familiarity, but its conventional frame still manages to accommodate experimentation. Rather than singing recognizable lyrics, Zoë Alexis Abrams strings together euphonious syllables, pitches, and sounds. These evocative phrases remain untethered to any discernible lexicon or idiom, while embodying a spectrum of emotions.
Manticore @ bandcamp

James Beardmore is an English experimental electronic musician and producer based out of Toronto. He records and performs solo as Cares, and also plays in Gates, Cetacea and Isles Day. James mixes composition and improvisation, primarily playing synthesizers, samplers and a theremin. James is active in Toronto’s music communities, playing everything from noise shows in basements to outdoor festivals.
Cares @ bandcamp

Xuan Ye is a Toronto-based artist and performer whose work spans and synthesizes music, performing, and visual arts between which the boundaries are ever-blurring. Xuan is techne agnostic in sculpting performances as her definition of (sonic/somatic) experiences morphs to suit multifarious situations and concepts. Many forms are employed as varied as sound improvisation, live art, and beyond. Apart from stage appearances, she also composes music and write songs for recording, installation, and film. Her works have been performed and exhibited in North America, Europe, and China.
Xuan Ye @ mechanical forest sound

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