Tinfoil on the Windows, Hartzine (FR)

Si on pouvait labelliser les genres comme on labellise certains de nos breuvages favoris, pour sûr l’indie rap canadien mériterait une Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée tant il nous apparaît depuis l’éblouissant Vertex de Buck 65 singulièrement différent de ce que nous catégorisons de coutume sous le terme “hip-hop”. En effet au pays des caribous, l’idéal-type du b-boy est à mille lieux de l’iconographie hiératique du bad boys Angelinos. Aussi, de ce côté-ci des Grands Lacs, dans la province du Saskatchewan, là où l’ennui des prairies sans fin remplace celle des quartiers sans horizon, le rappeur est souvent blanc, peut avoir comme modèle Johnny Cash, porter des chemises en laine en plus d’être à carreaux, détester le Moët, les blunts, les putes au fessier aussi rebondi que les suspensions d’un Monster Truck en action et leur préférer le whisky sans âge, la clope sans filtre et les femmes sans seins ; écouter le Wu-Tang les pieds vissés dans la boue, une canne à pêche dans une main, un livre de Burroughs dans l’autre ; sentir la paille humide plutôt que le bitume froid et croire encore que sa musique à une âme.

Continue reading “Tinfoil on the Windows, Hartzine (FR)”

soso – Tinfoil on the Windows (France)

soso - Tinfoil on the Windows (inside cover)
This special release of Tinfoil on the Windows is on the brilliant French label, KÜTU FOLK RECORDS. There is new cover art, made with care and attention to detail – each album is designed by the artist hand finished on a sewing machine!

Weaving compelling personal narratives with his sparse, beautiful production style, the Saskatchewan-based artist, soso has become a fixture of the avant-garde hip hop/art rap movement. In an ongoing effort to privilege experimentation and risk, soso adopted a collaborative approach for his latest production. Enlisting the talents of his friend, tour-mate and indie-rock darling, Maybe Smith, Tinfoil on the Windows is the most musically ambitious and creative soso release to date.

soso delivers fragile vocal melodies and close, confessional lyrics over an assemblage of field recordings, electronic bleeps, programmed drums and sprawling instrumentation evocative of My Bloody Valentine and Do Make Say Think. Additional contributions from Maki and Scott Da Ros add punch to the lovely melodic soundscapes. Tinfoil on the Windows challenges typical genre conventions and soso treads this unfamiliar ground with crafty song writing and integrity.

Tinfoil on the Windows, Foutraque (FR)

Joli coup pour le label Kütu Folk Records avec la sortie en France de l’album du Canadien Soso, Tinfoil On The Windows… Ce disque onirique, élégiaque et planant est une rencontre réussie entre un hip hop las et mélancolique, des guitares post rock aériennes et une pop échevelée ; on pourrait évoquer à son sujet un mélange vraiment bien foutu et particulièrement saisissant entre les univers du labelConstellation et des artistes Why ?, Neil Young, Buck 65, Arcade Fire et Beirut, ce qui n’est quand même pas rien !

Continue reading “Tinfoil on the Windows, Foutraque (FR)”

Works on Paper

Works on Paper is a term used by museums to classify a range of artifacts produced on paper. Taking playful liberty with the designation, this exhibition presents work from the Mendel Art Gallery Permanent Collection that reconsiders the medium and explores its material and conceptual potential. This alternate take on the thematic exhibition showcases the cheeky and inquisitive spirit of artists working in the past half century and offers insight into the business of collecting, sorting, and classifying objects for preservation and display.

Continue reading “Works on Paper”

Mind the Gap

Celebrating, with resounding exuberance, the wealth of talent amongst the diverse population of emerging artists in Saskatchewan, Mind the Gap! displays contemporary visual art by 30 artists. Comprehensive and ambitious in scope, the exhibition offers insight into the trends, innovations, energy and interests evident in the artwork of our contemporary artists who have mapped our province geographically, cerebrally and artistically.

Continue reading “Mind the Gap”

all they found was water at the bottom of the sea, Mic (GR)

Αν απαντάτε γρήγορα και αυθόρμητα πού είναι το Saskatoon και ποιός ευαίσθητος hip hoper κατάγεται από εκεί, είστε θεοί, έχετε σίγουρα στα χέρια σας, ζεστή, την καινούρια κυκλοφορία του καναδού Soso, από την πρωτεύουσα της επαρχίας Saskatchewan (προφέρεται με δυσκολία) και η ανάγνωση του κειμένου αυτού περισσεύει. Οι υπόλοιποι περάστε στις πιο κάτω γραμμές παρακαλώ.

Continue reading “all they found was water at the bottom of the sea, Mic (GR)”

Crossing the Pond

Crossing the pond (artist emergings, there and here) is an artist-initiated international screening series featuring video works by emerging artists from Canada, England and Belgium. Organized by Canadian artist, Troy Gronsdahl and his English co-conspirator, Matt Giraudeau, Crossing the pond is a collection of six short videos presented in the spirit of curiosity and collaboration.

Continue reading “Crossing the Pond”

soso & DJ Kutdown – all they found was water at the bottom of the sea

The new instrumental album produced by soso and DJ Kutdown is slated for release on Hue Records, Japan. Blending their very different but complementary production styles — soso providing the melody arrangements and Kutdown providing the drum sequences — All They Found was Water at the Bottom of the Sea was created in the spirit of collaboration and friendship. The album retains the character that defined much of their earlier work and reflects their ongoing appreciation for beautiful samples and drums that smack.

soso & DJ Kutdown – all they found was water at the bottom of the sea
CD
HUIP-1043 2009
BUY on iTunes

TRACK LISTING

01. all ties cast off
02. hand over fist
03. like old folks like rain
04. under the yoke
05. knots and lumps
06. for anything I know
07. and all good things

soso – Choke You With a Rag

soso teams up with Swiss upstart label, mism, to release a split 7inch. Over another inspired Maki production, soso channels the ghosts of never will be. “Choke You With a Fucking Rag” is a clenched jaw expression of disgust, disillusionment and frustration. Listening to this record will give you an ulcer. The flip side features French supergroup and my good friends, Motionless. Limited to 300 copies, this 7 inch features artwork by Toak.

soso – Choke You With a Rag
7 inch
mism02 2009
OUT OF PRINT

Tinfoil on the Windows, Sparkplugg (US)

Soso is better than alright; in fact I’d say it’s great. Ambient, pretty, and undulating, the music washes over you like a giant reverb-laden sedative cocktail. In contrast, Tinfoil On the Windows is lyrically blunt and anguished. The vocals are a mixture of singing and talking, at times reminiscent of that “Wear Sunscreen” song from the nineties — but done right (only minimally cheesy). Soso is not afraid to tackle those high notes, however creakily… but this is the type of music where you want a little creak. A little reality. The album is diverse, and the mood changes from fevered to lazily meandering and back again. I like when you can tell that a musical project is someone’s “baby;” their pride and joy. And I think this is one of those projects.

Tinfoil on the Windows, Pop News (FR)

Cet album, ce devait être le plus ambitieux de soso. Sorti chez Endemik, label plus exposé et mieux distribué que le sien, enregistré avec la guitare et le son rock de son ami Maybe Smith, “Tinfoil on the Windows” visait sans doute à donner une nouvelle dimension au rappeur et producteur le plus singulier du Saskatchewan. Et de fait, l’affaire s’annonçait plutôt bien. A mesure qu’approchait la date de sortie de l’album, on a vu soso mentionné là où il ne l’avait jamais été (c’est-à-dire, ou peu s’en faut, n’importe où en dehors du présent site). C’est pourtant le même personnage que sur les très bons “Birthday Songs” et “Tenth Street & Clarence” qui se retrouve ici. Le rap de soso se traduit toujours par ce spoken word introspectif et ces quelques poussées de chant aigu et étranglé. Il y a toujours cette histoire d’amour névrosé et noyé dans l’alcool, ces mêmes évocations d’une vie paumée dans le grand nord lugubre des prairies canadiennes, ces mêmes aphorismes à vous démoraliser un régiment (“the absence of pain is often mistaken for happiness”) déclamés avec sècheresse et justesse. Il y a même ces petits détails issus de la vie courante dont soso a toujours était friand, comme ces cris d’oiseau qui ouvrent le disque ou les grincements qui accompagnent le piano de “Floorboards On”.

Continue reading “Tinfoil on the Windows, Pop News (FR)”

Tinfoil on the Windows, Norman Records (UK)

Lastly from me before I go out and clatter someone for stealing my (empty) wallet this aft (no joke, a friend got stabbed last night in a mugging too. All go round these parts….) is soso’s latest ‘Tinfoil on the Windows’. This is occasionally more along the lines of Buck 65 with intelligent & poignant lyrical flows over shimmering steel guitar & intermittent big, crashing drums that recall Flaming Lips. One section throws meandering post-rock shapes like Godspeed grimacing at that bloopy android fridge dumped by Grandaddy in 2001. Another is Daniel Johnson-esque rush of regretful “sozzle & strum”. There’s a sparsity & bleakness here that really affects you. The songs are quietly arresting, interspersed with some tender minimalism & experimentalism. I’d say staple these many references together and if yr tits are leaking milk at the prospect then yr obviously ready to embrace Troy Gronsdahl’s melancholy world!

Tinfoil on the Windows, Fake For Real (FR)

Cet album, ce devait être le plus ambitieux de soso. Sorti chez Endemik, label plus exposé et mieux distribué que le sien, enregistré avec la guitare et le son rock de son ami Maybe Smith, Tinfoil on the Windows visait sans doute à donner une nouvelle dimension au rappeur et producteur le plus singulier du Saskatchewan. Et de fait, l’affaire s’annonçait plutôt bien. A mesure qu’approchait la date de sortie de l’album, on a vu soso mentionné là où il ne l’avait jamais été (c’est-à-dire, ou peu s’en faut, n’importe où en dehors du présent site). C’est pourtant le même personnage que sur les très bons Birthday Songs et Tenth Street & Clarence qui se retrouve ici. Le rap de soso se traduit toujours par ce spoken word introspectif et ces quelques poussées de chant aigu et étranglé. Il y a toujours cette histoire d’amour névrosé et noyé dans l’alcool, ces mêmes évocations d’une vie paumée dans le grand nord lugubre des prairies canadiennes, ces mêmes aphorismes à vous démoraliser un régiment (“the absence of pain is often mistaken for happiness”) déclamés avec sècheresse et justesse. Il y a même ces petits détails issus de la vie courante dont soso a toujours était friand, comme ces cris d’oiseau qui ouvrent le disque ou les grincements qui accompagnent le piano de “Floorboards On”.

Continue reading “Tinfoil on the Windows, Fake For Real (FR)”

Tinfoil on the Windows, 3 Bar Fire (UK)

‘Tinfoil on The Windows’ will be, for a lot of readers, the first time you’ve heard of a musician/poet/public addresser who goes by the name of, Soso. But one can rest assured that this Canadian is fully aware that “that local hero shit is wack”.

Falling somewhere between country, alt rock and the softly spoken word Soso manages to encapsulate thoughts we’ve all run through hundreds of times before in that sludgy mush we’ve got inside our respective skull pieces. His home truths and intriguing thought processes melt willfully into your ears and being left with shuddering ear lobes, perky arm hairs and cold elbows has never felt so damn good.

Continue reading “Tinfoil on the Windows, 3 Bar Fire (UK)”

soso – Tinfoil on the Windows (Japan)

soso - Tinfoil on the Windows
Weaving compelling personal narratives with his sparse, beautiful production style, the Saskatchewan-based artist, soso has become a fixture of the avant-garde hip hop/art rap movement.

In an ongoing effort to privilege experimentation and risk, soso adopted a collaborative approach for his latest production. Enlisting the talents of his friend, tour-mate and indie-rock darling, Maybe Smith, Tinfoil on the Windows is the most musically ambitious and creative soso release to date.

soso delivers fragile vocal melodies and close, confessional lyrics over an assemblage of field recordings, electronic bleeps, programmed drums and sprawling instrumentation evocative of My Bloody Valentine and Do Make Say Think. Additional contributions from Maki and Scott Da Ros add punch to the lovely melodic soundscapes. Tinfoil on the Windows challenges typical genre conventions and soso treads this unfamiliar ground with crafty song writing and integrity.

Buy on iTunes

Tinfoil on the Windows, Gaffa (DK)

Han er en pudseløjerlig fætter som få, canadiske Troy Gronsdahl, der opererer under aliaset Soso, og som siden midthalvfemserne har været én af de helt centrale aktører på scenen for avantgardistisk hiphop indhyllet i lige dele electronica- og indierock. Programmerede trommer danner bunden og lægger skuldre til elektronisk fremelsket knitren, akustiske og elektriske guitarspor samt ikke mindst Sosos indfølt fortællende rap, der er et enormt aktiv i sig selv. Pladen åbnes modigt af et ikke mindre end ti minutter langt nummer,Rubber Rings, som med sine dvælende stemningsbilleder er en fin indikator for resten af albummet, der oftest hviler velafbalanceret i sig selv. Indimellem er musikken smuk og meditativ som på de fabelagtige Your Mom Is In The Next Room og den bjergtagende finale For A Girl On A Faraway Hill. Andre gange bliver den slet og ret for tålmodighedskrævende, som når Soso kompromisløst trækker tingene i frustrerende langdrag på All The Useless Things These Hands Have Done og Floorboards And. Yderst interessant dog.

Japanese Tour

In 2007, soso and Maybe Smith embarked on a Japanese tour in support of the album, Tinfoil on the Windows, on Hue Records.


soso with Maybe Smith
September 8, 2007 at O-nest, Tokyo

Royal Red

Royal Red — pretty much the best gallery ever — was founded by Troy Gronsdahl in 2004 and officially christened on November 4th, 2005. It was a unique little spot nestled in and amongst the city’s commercial galleries, Artist Run Centres and lovely, well funded Public institutions. No artist fees were ever paid but the parties were really fun. The gallery shared space with Phonographique, a boutique record shop, which closed in 2007.

Continue reading “Royal Red”

soso – Bachelors’ Drinking Club

soso – Bachelors’ Drinking Club

Bachelors’ Drinking Club is CHR’s first foray into the realm of video. Documenting his 2006 tour of the same name, this DVD features live performance footage from soso and Maybe Smith as well as performances by fellow indie-rap cohorts like Epic, Bleubird, Gruf the Druid, Grubbs, Nestor Wynrush, Pip Skid and Thesis Sahib. Also features an insightful conversation with soso and the music video for Hungover for Three Days Straight (Don’t Matter). Limited to 100 copies. Running time 58 Min.

soso Bachelors’ Drinking Club from Troy Gronsdahl on Vimeo.

soso – Bachelors’ Drinking Club
DVD
CHR013-LE 2007
OUT OF PRINT

TRACK LISTING

01. Conversation with soso
02. Bachelors Drinking Club road music
03. soso & Maybe Smith – Returning to an Empty House
04. soso & Maybe Smith – Finding Out About a Big Pile of Stones
05. soso & Maybe Smith – Hungover for Three Days Straight (Don’t Matter)
06. soso & Maybe Smith – Sweet Euphemisms
07. Epic – Another Left Wing Peace Song
08. Epic – Dave Steib
09. Gruf – Process Assimilate
10. Gruf – Fillossaphee
11. Pip Skid – Bastid’s Verse
12. Pip Skid – Elbow Grease
13. Nestor Wynrush –
14. Bleubird – Pilgrim of St. Zotique
15. Grubbs – War Drum
16. Thesis Sahib – What Kind of a Rap Photography Show is This?
17. Thesis Sahib – Inside Voices
18. Thesis Sahib – Theo Sasquatch
19. Thesis Sahib – Mud Pies
20. Maybe Smith Thanks the Drake Hotel (in its empty glory)
21. Hungover for Three Days Straight (Don’t Matter) music video

Birthday Songs, Pop News (FR)

L’an dernier, il y a eu un petit frémissement critique autour de soso. “Tenth Street & Clarence”, son dernier album, a recueilli les suffrages favorables de gens extérieurs au petit cercle des fans habituels de Clothes Horse Records. Et comme il faut toujours battre le fer tant qu’il est chaud, les Japonais du label Hue ont trouvé le moment adéquat pour rééditer ces jours-ci un “Birthday Songs” vieux de quatre ans, le meilleur album à ce jour du Canadien. Fidèles à leur irréprochable politique de sortie, ils ne le proposent pas tel quel, mais sous un nouveau packaging, avec note explicative en japonais et paroles dans les deux langues. L’intéressé lui-même s’est joint à l’effort. Il est responsable de ce chien sur fond blanc qui remplace le gâteau d’anniversaire qui ornait la pochette précédente. Et il a revu, corrigé et ajouté certains titres.

Continue reading “Birthday Songs, Pop News (FR)”

soso – birthday songs (Japan)

soso – birthday songs (Japan)

In 2002, soso released this collection of well crafted songs, marking his progression as both a lyricist and beat smith. Characterized by beautiful, haunting beats and poignant lyrics, Birthday Songs asserted itself as one the finest productions of the year. In 2006, soso teamed up with Hue Records to release a revamped version of Birthday Songs for Japanese release! Featuring two additional songs, re-worked vocals and new artwork.

 

Buy on iTunes

Birthday Songs, Hue (JP)

hue下半期最初のリリースとなるのは、sosoのファーストアルバム
「Birthday Songs」のリイシュー。2002年の発売だが、再プレス
されることなく近年は長らく廃盤となっていた。そもそも、この
アルバムとの邂逅によって俺とsinは本格的にこちらの道へと足を
向けることとなったもので、思い入れもひとしおな一枚である。
だが、同時に最近この手の音を聴き始めた人たちがこのアルバムを
入手できないことを遺憾に思っていた次第で(このアルバムの
レビューを書いた2002年のことを今でも鮮明に思い出すが、あれから
4年も経過したのだ! そりゃ、またワールドカップやってるわけだ)

Continue reading “Birthday Songs, Hue (JP)”

soso – tenth street and clarence (Germany)

soso – tenth street and clarence

Informed by culture and place, soso spins narratives that interweave family and social histories with landscape and weather. His third self-produced release, tenth street and clarence is a beautiful, poetic effort. This limited edition LP released by the German imprint Subversiv features new full colour artwork.

 

Stagnation and Woe, Hip Hop Core (FR)

“Injuries are something to be enjoyed”. Pas de doute: Recyclone est de retour. Presque une décennie après ses débuts discographiques au sein d’une scène d’Halifax alors bourgeonnante, l’auteur de Dead World trouve enfin une occasion de trouver la reconnaissance qu’il mérite, grâce à son association avec soso. L’an passé déjà, en rééditant les deux premiers EP’s de Recyclone sous la forme d’un Corroding The Dead World indispensable, soso avait tenu à rappeler le rôle majeur de Jon Hutt dans l’apparition d’une voix canadienne sans réel équivalent au pays de l’oncle Sam… Une voix hors du temps et des modes, qui n’a cessé de nourrir l’éthique irréprochable de CHR depuis sa création.

Continue reading “Stagnation and Woe, Hip Hop Core (FR)”

Stagnation and Woe, Exclaim! (CAN)

After the recent re-release of his first two albums as the single CD Corroding the Dead World on Clotheshorse Records, Halifax, NS-based Recyclone returns with his fourth album, Stagnation and Woe — a collaboration with CHR in-house producer and label-head soso. The melodically dark and depressing beats are the perfect accompaniment to Recyclone’s Doom Soon theories and nihilistic lyrics, made even more suitable to his anti-rapper style with clunky, clanking mechanical samples mixed into the backdrop.

Continue reading “Stagnation and Woe, Exclaim! (CAN)”

Recyclone & soso – Stagnation and Woe

Recyclone & soso – Stagnation and Woe

soso has applied a clanking mechanical edge to his lovely melody driven beats to compliment Recyclone’s barrage of dark revelations. The mad man is in fine form, spitting delightful, nihilistic lyrics addressing social ills and environmental sickness. The album is a tight, cohesive work culminating with the gritty eight minute call-to-arms featuring fellow Halifax mc’s Squig, DP, Wall Flower, Adam Hartling & EMC. This is an enhanced cd featuring the video for “Gearbox Therapy.”

Recyclone & soso – Stagnation and Woe
CD
CHR011 2006

TRACK LISTING

01. Gearbox Therapy
02. The Earltown Hermit
03. Episodes of Constant Torture
04. Trash Culture
05. Body Parts
06. Ghosts
07. The Introduction feat. Squig, DP, Wall Flower, Adam Hartling & EMC (Second Front)
08. Gearbox Therapy Bonus Video

soso – The Goose Hunter pt 1 & 2

soso – The Goose Hunter pt 1 & 2
soso – The Goose Hunter pt 1 & 2

For the first single from tenth street and clarence, soso extended his capable reach into the realm of instrumental hip hop music. The sound of migrating geese create the backdrop for this evocative two-part piece characterized by beautiful melodies, haunting vocal bits and smart drum compositions. For the limited edition 7″ soso enlisted the talents of visual artist Tamara Bond. Each piece is numbered and signed by soso.

soso – The Goose Hunter pt 1 & 2
Limited edition 7″
CHR006 2005

TRACK LISTING

01 The Goose Hunter pt 1
02 The Goose Hunter pt 2

Birthday Songs, Ugsmag (CAN)

This is a difficult album to review. I was introduced to Soso with the Sour Suite EP and was incredibly surprised at the quality of an album coming from a relatively unknown MC from a relatively unknown city, at least for its hip hop community, Saskatoon. It’s been two and a half years since I wrote a review for Sour Suite, and after a great deal of procrastination I finally am sitting down to write a review for Birthday Songs. So, what’s changed in the meantime? Everything, and nothing.

Continue reading “Birthday Songs, Ugsmag (CAN)”

Birthday Songs, Hip Hop Section (FR)

Les anniversaires sont loin d’être gais chez le canadien Soso, à en juger par les chansons particulièrement déprimées “entonnées” sur son dernier EP, Birthday Songs. Ce constat n’étonnera en rien ceux qui ont eu l’occasion d’écouter Sour Suite, un premier essai que le rappeur, DJ et producteur du Saskatchewan avait sorti en 2000. Les quelques plages de ce nouveau disque y répandent en effet les mêmes sons squelettiques et dépouillés, la même ambiance sobre et dépressive.

Continue reading “Birthday Songs, Hip Hop Section (FR)”

sour suite, HHI (US)

Most Canadian hip hop artists I’ve been exposed to thus far have shared one common attribute: originality. The work of Sebutones, The Goods, Josh Martinez, and the Peanuts & Corn collective could hardly be labeled as anything but creative. Hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Soso also shares this trait with his countrymen. Soso’s Sour Suite EP is highly original, as well as exceedingly sincere.

Continue reading “sour suite, HHI (US)”

sour suite, Hip Hop Section (FR)

Et un canadien, un de plus. Et même si celui ne sort pas de la scène d’Halifax, son approche, elle, ressemble dangereusement à celle des Sebutones (Buck 65 et Sixtoo) ou autres The Goods (Kunga219 et Gordski). Soso, lui arrive directement de Saskatoon, dans le Saskatchewan, une province pas spécialement connue pour sa scène hip hop. Pour la bonne raison, sans doute, que Sour Suite, comme les œuvres des artistes mentionnés plus tôt, ne correspond pas trop à l’imagerie rap. Pourtant, tous les éléments habituels au genre s’y retrouvent : le type en question rappe sur des beats lourds, heurtés et insistants, agrémentés de samples et de quelques scratches discrets, qu’il produit également. Mais le tout, et cela fait la différence, avec une précision et un dépouillement relativement rares, et une mélancolie plus qu’annoncée par le titre du EP.

Continue reading “sour suite, Hip Hop Section (FR)”

soso – sour suite

soso – sour suite

Clothes Horse Records inaugural release. A conceptual six track ep, soso marries rich production with tales of infinite woe. This vinyl offering includes six songs as well as two instrumentals. All beats, cuts and vocals by soso, with contributions from Epic and John Smith.

soso – sour suite
Vinyl EP
CHR001 2000
OUT OF PRINT

TRACK LISTING

A01 untitled (paralysis)
A02 drink f. John Smith
A03 blessed f. Epic
A04 drink instrumental
B01 dust
B02 loss
B03 swan song
B04 loss instrumental