Canada has certainly been a hotbed of activity this century, with a series of prominent minimal synth and post-punk bands forming. Perhaps it’s the icy weather, or maybe the more romantic European vibe spread across much of the French Canadian province. Either way, we’re grateful for the scene, through and through. With that in mind, we’re honored to feature the debut video from Palissade, a coldwave-inspired band hailing from Quebec City.
The video, created by Nicolas Ouellet and Jonathan Gagné and starring Noémie F. Savoie, sees our protagonist in a state of duress, wrapped in a blanket and stumbling through a forest. Waiting for her is the band, shrouded in back amongst metal ruins. In a flash, she suddenly appears in a cabin, fully dressed, but still in crisis, gorging on food that’s dripping with blod. Whether she is brought here by the trio or merely through her imagination is not certain – but the video concludes with her body, lying serenely on a bed of moss, cold and lifeless. Whichever way you interpret it, we’re reminded of the chilling “Little Match Girl” tale by Hans Christian Anderson, by way of modern horror classics such as The Witch and Hereditary.
As for the music, we’re pleased to hear some of our favorite Touching Pop-inspired sounds, including pummeling uptempo drum machine rhythms, deep bass grooves, catchy synth hooks, shimmering guitar interplay, and the coldest, yet most melodic vocals this corner of the hemisphere. We’re reminded of some of the best Lively Art bands, including Little Nemo and Asylum Party. The track is plucked from the band’s eponymous album, due out on February 28th digitally (and shortly after on vinyl). Check below for the full album artwork, track list, and pre-order details, and be sure to catch the band live in hometown Quebec City for their album release party with Automelodi.
Palissade- Palissade
1. Peur de toi
2. Jusqu’à la mort
3. L’hiver
4. Ce néant
5. M’éloigner
6. Je ne peux oublier
7. Lanterne
8. Trop tard
Preorder via Bandcamp