The soft-spoken, good-humored voice on the phone line clashed with what I had been listening to only moments before: Heavy drum beats, rolling bass, guitar riffs, and resonant Inuit throat singing. All of these feature on Nicolas Pirti-Duplessis otherwise known as Arctistic’s new album, Anirniq. Slightly over 40 minutes long,[Read More…]
Music
The Tribune’s definitive list of guilty pleasures
Perfect Match There are no two ways to say it: I love reality TV. I’ve watched the American and British Love Island editions and all three versions of the Selling franchise (Selling Sunset, Selling Tampa, Selling the OC). I’ve seen love in every form: Blind, on an island, or at[Read More…]
Wednesday Night Fever in the Quartier Latin
One night this semester, at a bar on St. Denis, I was watching the closing set of Growve, a jam session I regularly attend. Some professional musicians barged in at the last minute, ecstatic and hugging friends they had not seen in a while. They were there to hang out,[Read More…]
Don’t buy into the myth of selling out
The accusation of “selling out” cuts deep within independent music. “Indie” fans often pride themselves on the genre’s self-positioning against the mainstream music industry’s commercialism. Selling out is hence defined by an artist’s relationship to the profit motive. Artists perceived to court sales by pursuing a more popular sound, heavily[Read More…]
Where do I begin: Beyoncé
On Feb. 5, 2023, history was made at the 65th annual Grammy awards. However, one accomplishment in particular stole the show—legendary singer Beyoncé won her 32nd Grammy, earning her the title of artist with the most Grammy wins of all time. At present, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t[Read More…]
Artist Spotlight: Bibi Club shines in vibrant performance of their debut album
Bibi Club is a growing force amongst Quebec’s burgeoning alternative pop scene—a scene that has seen the likes of Men I Trust and TOPS achieve global acclaim. The Montreal dream-pop duo’s debut record, Le soleil et la mer, represents the most fully realized version of their sound, widening their sonic[Read More…]
‘La Flambeau’: The torchbearer of Montréal’s Black art scene
Content Warning: Mentions of sexual assault Are you looking for a way to celebrate Black History Month? Do you enjoy opera? How about living something that feels like a fever dream? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, look no further than Montreal’s very own production of La[Read More…]
Joesef’s ‘Permanent Damage’ delves into the messiness of breakups
On Jan. 13, Joesef released his debut album, Permanent Damage, a soulful and intimate ode to his chaotic romantic relationships. The ominous title describes the indelible mark that love and subsequent heartbreak can leave on a person. A honey-soaked voice and confessional, explorative lyrics characterize the Scottish singer-songwriter, who moved[Read More…]
Artist Spotlight: Silverstein and emo rock revival
Picture the summer of 2007: Posters of Linkin Park and Green Day plaster teenagers’ rooms, hair gel is used excessively to style straightened comb-overs, and MP3 players still exist. The emo wave rocked an entire generation and defined the scalps of Skrillex, early-career Cristiano Ronaldo, and so many more. Even[Read More…]
What we liked this fall reading break
As the second official Fall Reading Week comes to a close and McGill students are thrust back into the throes of midterm season, downtime can feel like a fleeting dream. For students who have time to read non-academic books or for those looking for a new study soundtrack, here are[Read More…]