Montreal’s experimental/prog rock band Atsuko Chiba are seamless genre-blenders, challenging listeners and making new fans who also gravitate towards The Mars Volta, Mogwai, Steve Reich, Talking Heads, Parliament/Funkadelic, and Brian Eno to name a few artists the band digs. The band has announced their new album Water, It Feels Like It’s Growing, due out Jan 20th, 2023 via Montreal’s highly regarded heavy/psych rock indie label Mothland, who also work with Yoo Doo Right, CDSM, Grim Streaker, Elizabete Balčus, Meggie Lennon, Hot Garbage, and more. The band specializes in hypnotic tracks, that explore a sonic innerspace with the listener. Check out the lead track “Seeds” right now, here at Ghost Cult.
The song is out today: https://open.spotify.com/album/6kM1rrXR2PBUcMldp1qTwu?si=d0A0EflrSG-qgfyeusWQDQ
On the album, the band shares: “We wanted the record to take the listener on a journey, each song being a moment. Because of that, we were less focused on traditional song structures… Instead, we gravitated towards creating musical experiences with a trajectory, equally comfortable with repeating an idea for 5 minutes as we were reacting to a past moment by forcing a sudden change. We were far more concerned with the evolution of a single part, rather than thinking of our songs as sections, parts or modules that needed to fit a certain mold or structure. Songs could simply be their own musical worlds.
“We were also influenced by musical genres that tend to be more repetitive such as electronic or drone music. We discussed topics such as drones, ragas, hypnotic rhythms, minimalism, spatial awareness, musicality through overall patience, trying a less-is-more approach, etcetera. This led to us five playing as an ensemble rather than as musicians with defined roles; we were all responsible for pushing forward the main idea.”
With the album announcement, the genre-bending group share lead single, “Seeds.” A psychedelic slow-burner at an impressive 7 minutes and 45 seconds long, “Seeds” places listeners deep into the heart of Atsuko Chiba’s sonic universe, where lush synth pads seep into the cracks of heavily distorted harmonies, swirling guitar riffs, and larger-than-life, booming percussion. Vast, expansive, and completely immersive, “Seeds” is an unforgettable opener to the sprawling epic that is Water, It Feels Like It’s Growing.
On their new single, Atsuko Chiba shares: “‘Seeds’ explores the themes of division and alienation through language and class. How we weaponize language against each other. These borders we build through lack of commutation. How generations of people never had the chance to alter their story because education and opportunity were either taken away or limited.”
WATER, IT FEELS LIKE IT’S GROWING – TRACKLISTING
- Sunbath
- So Much For
- Shook (I’m Often)
- Seeds
- Link
- Water, It Feels Like It’s Growing
Tour Dates
2022-10-13 Toronto, ON Velvet Underground
2022-10-14 Ottawa, ON Club SAW
2022-10-15 Montreal, QC Bar le Ritz
Bio:
Montreal’s Atsuko Chiba fearlessly crosses genre-defining borders with a cohesive and hypnotic blend of progressive rock, psychedelic rock, post-rock, and krautrock. Acts such as: The Mars Volta, Mogwai, Steve Reich, Talking Heads, Parliament/Funkadelic, and Brian Eno are a few of the influences which the band weave together in their rich sonic tapestry.
Following two early releases that showcase improvised sessions, the collective recorded a first full-length, entitled Jinn in 2013. The artist then followed with the adventurous and energetic: Figure And Ground (March ‘16); and the electrifyingly, groove-heavy: The Memory Empire (December ‘16). In 2019, Atsuko Chiba presented a fresh and unique album with Trace — a second full-length, released on April 12th via then-new Montreal-based label, Mothland.
Over the years, Atsuko Chiba promoted their music with many tours spanning Canada, the U.S., and Europe, sharing the stage with …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Big Business, 65daysofstatic, Caspian, Duchess Says, King Buffalo, Indian Handcrafts and If These Trees Could Talk, among others. They have also taken part in a number of festivals, namely: Festival d’été de Québec, M for Montreal, Lawnya Vawnya, FME and Taverne Tour.
More recently, the band was back at it with a breathtaking live session, commissioned by Audiotree Worldwide. The experimental rock orchestra is currently putting the last touch on a third full-length to be recorded later in the year, which should please fans of METZ, Liars and Beak>. In the meantime, they offered Quick Infant Guilt, a double single on August 20th via Mothland.