New European Ensemble open the 12th edition of M / NM

by Vitta Morales

The Netherlands-based New European Ensemble kicked off this year’s 12th edition of the Montréal Nouvelles Musiques Festival. The opening concert titled “Dynamite Barrel” showcased the work of innovative contemporary composers whose pieces on the night would adhere to this year’s theme: the marriage of music and images.

Heading into this concert with little information, I assumed that this meant music that evokes imagery but that ultimately each listener was to be responsible for their own imaginations. As I would soon see, each of the featured composers would run with this theme slightly differently.

The pieces are set out to represent locations, sonic evolution, historical periods, or a mixture of the three. Sometimes this was done, as it routinely is when it comes to new chamber music, by pushing the limits of textures and timbre; meaning that they contained all the florid passages, extended techniques, mixed orchestration, and meterless moments you would expect. For those who found this fatiguing, the piece Cyan Saturn, inspired by Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, provided some nice contrast as it contained some compositional conventions of jazz fusion which made for something a bit different.

Regardless, most of the pieces of the night would couple their music with images projected onto a screen and essentially require the players of the New European Ensemble to “score” the images live. In one piece this meant recontextualizing old Looney Tunes scenes; on another occasion, a Bollywood film; and at the very end, a surf rock piece superimposed with Thai music set to shadow puppetry.

When the musical scoring lapsed into what I would consider dense, pointillistic, or meterless soundscapes, I was much more tolerant of any shrieks and squeals when I could see they were in accordance with what was happening on the screen. The brain is funny that way. At other moments I felt some dense soundscapes overstayed their welcome. I can wholly admit that contemporary chamber music asks important questions of established practices when it goes down this route; my gripe is that it always seems to be the same questions. And they’ve been asked for more than a few decades at this point. Overall I would say the New European Ensemble interpreted for us some very interesting music, but I wasn’t about to rush to the merch

photos: Marie-Ève Labadie

Classical / Modern Classical

OSM | Payare and Weilerstein: Passion for Two From Prokofiev to Ravel

by Alexandre Villemaire

On the eve of Valentine’s Day, February 12 and 13, the setting couldn’t have been more propitious for the pairing of Rafael Payare and Alisa Weilerstein on the Maison Symphonique stage.

If Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé can be deliberately associated with the idyll of love, both in its subject matter and in its music, Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony Concertante for Cello, with its eclecticism and biting, percussive sounds, could appear out of step with the program’s aesthetic. On the contrary, the works were highly complementary in terms of timbral language, dynamics and passionate playing.

Opening the evening, Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphonie concertante. Written between 1950 and 1952, this mature three-movement work by the Russian composer is a reworking of an earlier cello concerto that was roundly criticized. Prokofiev’s language is textured and composite, drawing on the full range of the cello’s sound, as well as orchestral and rhythmic sonorities and passages reminiscent of jazz. At the podium, Payare was as fiery as ever, but more restrained than usual in his gestures for this complex score, where the orchestral interventions are velocity-laden in terms of texture and technique. Payare’s direction was precise and the orchestra of great intensity.

The second and third movements (Allegro giusto and Andante con moto) particularly appealed to us, respectively for their virtuosity, their use of dynamic orchestral effects and their folk accent in the cadenza of the second movement, where Alisa Weilerstein demonstrates the full range of her technique and the possible interplay of her instrument with evocative ease. Even if what sounds false to the ear is in fact well calculated, written and conveyed with naturalness. The cello lines are as swift as the orchestral lines, blending with the different sections in a rich, inventive orchestration. On stage, Alisa Weilerstein transports us into a world of her own, where she doesn’t just play the music. She is the music. She embodies a character like an actress on a stage, where her facial expressions and gestures are as significant as the accompanying music. The audience gave her a standing ovation for several minutes.

The second part, dedicated to the music of the ballet Daphnis et Chloé, plunged us into a dreamlike, colorful world. Here, Payare becomes a painter before a blank canvas which he paints with precision. Even if we’re dealing with repertoire that’s all too familiar, it’s always a delight to see the dynamics and colors imagined by Ravel unfold. The arrangement of the choir, which was installed higher than usual due to the recording, was also interesting. It’s a nice touch, too, to have the rows of choristers enter successively during the introduction, to simulate the effect of voices arriving from afar and gaining in power. A minor criticism: the processional effect would have had even greater impact if this entrance had been sung without a score! For the rest, the choir’s interventions were excellent, delivered with fine control of nuances and dynamics. In the orchestra, Rafael Payare danced across the stage, instilling vigor and character into the various orchestral forces, both in the more diaphanous moments and in the thunderous, brassy passages reminiscent of the language of George Gershwin. The astonishingly complementary and passionate interpretation of the evening’s two works richly deserved the thunderous applause of a packed Maison symphonique, and gave the orchestra great material for their forthcoming album releases, which we look forward to discovering.

Photo Credit: Antoine Saito

Jazz

ONJ | Tirolien with Strings Brings Down the House

by Vitta Morales

I will waste no time in saying that Malika Tirolien with the ONJ was among the best concerts I’ve been assigned. It is only February, but I suspect it will go down as one of my favorite shows of the year. And the reason why it boils down to this: Tirolien and company treated us to fantastic performances of solidly crafted songs that were then elevated by great arranging from Jean-Nicolas Trottier.

Tirolien, armed with a rhythm section, three backup singers, a string orchestra, and horns, performed songs from her 2021 album Higher, in addition to a few other selections from a separate project called Gemini Crab. Already, the songs from Higher in their original form are groovy, synth heavy, and high energy. (Due in part, no doubt, to it being co-produced by Michael League of Snarky Puppy). In an interview with Tirolien, our colleague Varun Swarup quite astutely wondered how much more grandiose these songs could get. This would be answered immediately. These arrangements, and in particular their use of strings, equated to a lightness and floating quality in the more gentle moments of the music, but they were equally up to the task of adding a satisfying density and dissonance when required. As concerns the horns, they provided some heft and weight, making the groovier moments even more so. In the words of Tirolien herself, Jean-Nicolas “found a way to elevate the music without losing its core identity.”

Musically, the show and compositions had a bit of everything. Quintuplet grooves, 12/8 shuffle, synth lead solos, a saxophone battle, politically fueled rap, belted high notes, creative tempo changes, a shredding guitar solo, and even some light choreography were all seen before the night was over. And, most importantly, it all worked. It really worked. Going over my notes, I looked to see if there were any fair criticisms that were worth mentioning. In the end, I decided that including any nitpicks would feel a bit forced. And this is because my takeaway from the evening wasn’t “Wow, what a great show; but it would have been nice to clean up elements X, Y, and Z.” Rather, my takeaway was, “Wow, what an exceptional show from all involved.”

Electronic

IGLOOFEST | Continuation and End with Four Tet

by Léa Dieghi

After four weeks of music, thousands of dancers dragging their feet on the Jacques-Cartier Quay, and a program featuring electronic music in all its diversity, this Saturday sees the culmination of the Montreal season of Igloofest 2025. And what better way to close this incredible winter festival season than with Four Tet? Here’s a look back at an emotional evening. (At least, it was for me!)

SAPORO: Priori, Avalon Emerson and Fourtet

While most of the artists featured on the main stage this season were more in the electro-tech-house vein, this evening was a real opportunity to bring techno back to the fore.

For fans of techno music, many of whom criticized this year’s program as “not techno enough”, this was THE evening not to be missed.

We start with Priori (real name Francis Latreille), the OG of underground techno music in Quebec. Regulars will have seen his name on the billboards of Montreal’s somewhat more underground raves, alongside some of the biggest names in Canadian and international music. With his slightly more unstructured style, captivating textures and increased use of synthesizers, his set was the perfect opening for Avalon Emerson, who quickly turned up the heat – and the BPMs – a notch.

Hailing from the American desert (Arizona), the warmth of her birth state quickly fused with the coldness of the warehouses she frequented, creating this hybrid style, somewhere between industrial and dreamlike.

Her deep bass lines quickly percolated through the igloofest facilities, accompanied by equally striking hi-hat and high-pitched claps. As I wandered around the bonfires in the middle of the site, just to warm up a bit, I was quickly taken aback by the power of his set. And all around me, it was as if the audience, too, had been activated.

And after a 1h30 set, managed to perfection, Avalon Emerson faded away, not without a round of applause, to make way for the evening’s headliner – I’d even say of the entire 2025 program: Four Tet.

I must confess that my opinion on the matter is surely biased, given that I’ve been following FourTet religiously for several years now. He’s been in my headphones on a daily basis, and seeing him was truly one of my dreams.

And you know, sometimes reality isn’t as beautiful as fantasy, but… in the case of Four Tet, it was a slap in the face.

His music has managed to give me a happiness, and a high, that few artists have managed to give me in life. Accompanied by his analog machines and endowed with great musical precision, he delivers a set of impressive energy. It’s not everyone who can lead a crowd like this: and in this human ocean, it’s as if Four Tet has become a kind of Poseidon, controlling our movements like waves.

People jumped, shouted, applauded, and we could have gone on like this for hours. It would take more than two hours to truly appreciate such talent. But two hours was the time slot we had, and it was enough to appreciate Four Tet’s talent. A true genius, who almost made me shed a tear of appreciation.

VIDEOTRON: SISI Superstar, Princess Superstar and Awwful

To be honest, I didn’t spend as much time as I would have liked in front of the little Videotron stage on this last evening. Unfortunately, when there are two stages, you have to make choices!

However, the little time I spent dancing during these artists’ three sets gave me a good taste of what they had to offer: Hyperpop-infused techno, very cunty, and very much inspired by LGBTQIA++ culture.

People seemed to like it, and so did I: the next time their names appear on a program, I’ll definitely go and see a bit more of what they can do.

TAVERNE TOUR I The Drin at Le Ministère

by Helena Palmer

Taverne Tour weekend ended at Le Ministère. Everyone has been crushing Labatt 50s for three days straight and the room is brimming with energy on the heels of La Sécurité’s performance. We survived the festival, hopping over snow banks from venue to venue. Now, it’s time to party.

The Drin was the closing act, a noise rock band featuring a saxophone, a harmonica, and some morbid lyrics. This was an interesting choice for the festival closer. I would absolutely see this band again when I can pay attention to what is happening on the stage. Their sound is gritty and cool, and they are certainly captivating performers, just maybe not enough to hold the dwindling focus of the festival-goers on their last ounce of energy.

It was slightly surreal and disorientating to witness at 1 am; a man in dark sunglasses playing the sax quickly approaching through the crowd, as someone shoves a greasy slice of pizza into my hand. All the while the singer is asking: “do you want to watch yourself die?.” Honestly? No, I don’t. Right now I’m at the pizza party; I want to headbang and shake some ass. There is a time and place for considering my own mortality, and I’m just not sure this was it.

TAVERNE TOUR I Bad bitch vibes and hyperpop madness at O Patro Vys

by Amir Bakarov

O Patro Vys is a small venue above Billy Kun, a bar famous for having various ostrich heads over the walls. In reality, O Patro Vys doesn’t have many ostrich heads, but there was no lack of bad bitch vibes that snowy Friday night on the Day 2 of Montreal’s Taverne Tour. Public Appeal, Franki, Los3r, and Ura Star & Fireball Kid hyped up the dancefloor and made many girls (and me) scream. I guess that’s what FKA Twigs meant by “Eusexua”.

Public Appeal, a DJ and musician from France, has been destroying dance halls of rave floors in Montreal for last six years. That night they lit up O Patro Vys with a label-free pop set that blended rugged electroclash beats and sultry indie sleaze. It was pure slay energy, fueled by influences from Charli XCX to underground techno – people on the dancefloor around me were jumping and singing along, profoundly hooked on Public Appeal’s confident presence and dystopian-edge pop.

Public Appeal

Franki, a project by singer-songwriter Helena Palmer, brought to O Patro Vys a denim-inspired pop spectacle, bubbling around punchy rhythms and cheeky nostalgia for the Brat summer. Her soft guitar and intimate lyrics were backed by Julia Mela (from Gondola) on a bass and DJ Wiltbarn, an emerging local adept of juke, footwork, and girly-pop electronics —a perfect trio to match with cheerful songs about fabric, fashion, and everyday chaos. “You Look Good in Your Jeans” is still playing in my head while I’m writing this review a day later. And I don’t even wear jeans.

Franki

I went out for a smoke, and after I was back, I found that three bubbly girls on the stage turned into three boys with laptops, ready to rock their computer wizardry. But the shit they make ain’t no Silicon Valley Hackathon; the sugary vocals, blend of melancholic lyrics and brash electronic beats were not too far-fetched from the girly energy that dominated the night at O Patro Vys. Los3r, an electronic trio from Ottawa formed in late 2022 by longtime friends Noah Perkins (Geunf), Thomas Khalil (User), and Julien Martinet (dulien) – absolutely slayed.

The night was wrapped by real instruments from Ura Star & Fireball Kid, a six-piece sound presence, described on their Bandcamp as “music for good times, kitchen parties, barn burners and night drives.” Kids back then used to call it “easycore”—lots of jumping around, lot of guitars; bright, melodic textures and chants like “I love going out – we always have a good time / cold beer in my mouth reminds me of summertime, oh ya”; its pop, punk, synth-driven hooks and, honestly, I fuck with it. Boys made it to the Brat summer party and found a way to fit in the vibe. Nothing but respect.

TAVERNE TOUR I Motherhood is a cacophonus explosion of sounds

by Amir Bakarov

Motherhood took the stage with a whirlwind of experimental energy, celebrating their new album release, Thunder Perfect Mind, with a set that was as unpredictable as it was thrilling. Hailing from Fredericton, New Brunswick, this three-piece outfit has been honing its craft for a solid decade, and its seasoned stage presence was evident from the first note. Despite their small lineup, their sound felt massive, layered with guitar, synth, and a seemingly endless array of pedals. The result was a spacey, math-rock-inflected journey with jolting rhythms and a wry new wave edge reminiscent of early Talking Heads.

Musically, Motherhood flitted between funky grooves and angular breakdowns, embracing off-kilter time signatures and jumpy drum patterns. Their melodies—while often simple and catchy—were interjected with abrupt changes that kept the audience on high alert. One moment, you’d find yourself bobbing along to a buoyant riff, and the next, they’d swerve into a cacophonous explosion of sound. While this approach can be exhilarating, it sometimes felt like they were changing directions merely for the sake of switching things up, which made the set feel a bit scattershot in places.

Still, Motherhood’s eagerness to explore every musical nook and cranny was part of their charm. The lighting design, bathed in vibrant, shifting colors, complemented the band’s restless spirit, highlighting their dynamic interplay on stage. The crowd seemed to feed off this high-voltage atmosphere; arms flailed and feet stomped as the band barreled from one track to the next.

TAVERNE TOUR I Gondola is starting to make waves

by Amir Bakarov

Gondola’s sold-out show on Taverne Tour’s opening night was a vivid testament to why they’re swiftly making waves. Their self-described “sad boy rock” delivered a delicate balancing act: intimate and lyrical yet undeniably edgy. The band’s pop-adjacent undertones mesh elegantly with a punk sensibility—reminiscent of old-school pioneers—creating a “pop rock meets punk rock” vibe that’s as intriguing as it is infectious. From the moment they took the stage under those bright blue lights, they projected a newfound energy and swagger that was miles away from the more subdued, “ghostlike” aesthetic they embraced at earlier performances.

Leading the charge was Lyle, whose vocals have a distinctive timbre that flirted with the post-punk grit of Ian Curtis. Yet there was an emotional openness to his delivery that gave it a more sensitive twist, reflecting the moody, introspective themes — “We mostly make moody sad shit about my feelings and stuff.” While Gondola clearly embraces the darker corners of heartbreak and sadness, they’ve found a way to let a beam of hope pierce through, making the live set a little bit uplifting.

Their setlist flowed seamlessly, beginning with more slow-burning, lyrical tracks before building up to raw, punk-driven anthems. Gondola pulled no punches in acknowledging their pop leanings, channeling catchy hooks and sing-along choruses that felt refreshingly honest rather than commercial. Despite the moody undertones, there was a clear sense that Gondola aimed to leave the audience on a hopeful note.

Serving Ennio Morricone

by Vitta Morales

The Orchestre FILMharmonique under the direction of Francis Choinière, together with Le Chœur des Mélomanes, performed a short and sweet homage to the prolific Ennio Morricone at La Maison Symphonique on the night of February 8th. Selections included various themes from films such as Cinema Paradiso, The Untouchables, as well as the classic Spaghetti Westerns including The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars, et cetera.

Highlights of the evening included soprano Myriam Leblanc’s dynamic control as soaring notes; a fun spotlight moment for Lévy Bourbonnais who walked out centre stage playing the harmonica dressed in a poncho and obligatory cowboy hat; Henri Ferland’s powerful trumpeting; and the grandiose finale performance of “The Ecstasy of Gold.”

I will admit that the evening contained some selections I found to be a bit “square” or unmoving. However, I acknowledge that, for one, I wasn’t always familiar with a given piece’s associated film and therefore probably less invested emotionally; and secondly, that Ennio Morricone wrote literally hundreds of scores in his lifetime, and as such, not every theme can be a masterpiece.

Regardless, this wasn’t an indictment on the orchestra or choir who played solidly, effectively, and put on a fun evening music.

chanson keb franco / Hip Hop / Keb Rap / Soul/R&B

TAVERNE TOUR | Quai des brumes sold-out for Tabi Yosha, DJ Moses Bélanger at Rau_Ze

by Arielle Desgroseillers-Taillon

Tabi Yosha and DJ Moses Belanger took to the stage at a sold-out Quai des brumes with a confident swagger. Carried by a powerful voice, the Haitian-born singer captivated the crowd with a spellbinding blend of R&B and hip-hop, performing tracks from her debut EP True Colors and her latest single Truth Lays.

Skilled in the art of holding an audience spellbound, Tabi Yosha charmed the room with her humor and spontaneity. She didn’t hesitate to engage the audience repeatedly-almost too much-with rhythmic interactions, such as her classic “When I say Tabi, you say Yosha!”.

At the end of her performance, she surprised the audience by announcing that she had decided that very morning to perform Billets, a brand new French song due for release this year. A powerful moment in which her powerful voice made its mark with ease in a resolutely rap register, and in French, much to the delight of the audience.

With the room already warmed up, Rau_Ze took to the stage to a roar from the audience.
“I hope you’re going to have fun tonight, because it’s my party today,” said Rose Perron as soon as she arrived, prompting an immediate “Bonne fête à toi!” from the crowd.

Accompanied by their usual musicians, the Rau_Ze duo of Rose Perron and Félix Paul set the stage alight with their infectious energy and complicity. During “Virer nos vies”, Rose ran through the room before finishing the song perched on the Quai des Brumes bar, while a huge mosh pit unleashed the crowd.

This Saturday evening at Quai des brumes was an evening of female artists of impressive talent and presence, a clear demonstration that the Quebec scene has nothing to envy anyone.

Dance-Punk / No Wave / Post-Punk

TAVERNE TOUR | Chandra, La Sécurité, The Gories… taverne tour de force

by Félicité Couëlle-Brunet

Last night’s Taverne Tour offered an evening rich in contrasts, oscillating between post-punk, dance-punk and raw garage rock. With Chandra, La Sécurité and The Gories, each performance made its mark with singular energy and electrifying ambience.

Chandra opened the evening with a hypnotic set, driven by her unique blend of post-punk and no wave. At just 12 years of age, she was already recording tracks influenced by ESG and Talking Heads, and her appearance on the Taverne Tour proved that her universe is still as captivating as ever after so many years of service. On stage, she exuded an almost mystical aura, her voice oscillating between spoken vocals and melodic flights. Her repetitive synths and mechanical rhythms created a spellbinding trance, accentuated by her charismatic presence and bright pink hair, like an icon from another time transported to the present.

La Sécurité took over with an explosion of frenetic dance-punk. The band fuses the edgy rhythms of post-punk with danceable grooves and euphoric energy, reminiscent of bands like Le Tigre and Bodega. Right from the start, singer Ramona set the mood with an enthusiastic “Let’s go Kenny” to her drummer, setting off an ultra-dynamic set.

His exuberant attitude and chanted vocals lent a jubilant urgency to every track. The bassist, impassive but magnetic, brought a hypnotic depth to the compositions, while the guitarist juggled between sharp riffs and more chaotic passages. Kenny, on drums, seemed to be the driving force behind the band, striking with an intensity that left no respite. Their performance was a perfect blend of tension and raw pleasure, turning the room into a frenetic dance floor.

Finally, The Gories rounded off the evening with a set of wild, primitive garage rock. Formed in the late ’80s, the Detroit trio remains faithful to a raw, minimalist aesthetic inspired by ’60s blues and rock’n’roll. With no bass, just two raw guitars and uncompromisingly pounding drums, they have awakened the punk instinct in audiences. Their return to Montreal after a ten-year absence unleashed a tidal wave of energy, with furious moshpits from the very first notes. Their lo-fi sound and casual attitude gave the impression of attending a clandestine concert in a clammy basement, where sweat and chaos are the only watchwords.

From the post-punk trance of Chandra to the dance-punk euphoria of La Sécurité and the garage fury of The Gories, this Taverne Tour evening proved once again that the independent scene is more vibrant than ever.

Photo La Sécurité: Camille Gladu Drouin

chanson keb franco / Indie Folk

TAVERNE TOUR | When he cries, he’s happy… and so are we

by Arielle Desgroseillers-Taillon

In a packed 33 Tours, Raphaël Pépin-Tanguay, a.k.a. Velours Velours, gave an intimate, vibrant performance, performing, in order, the entirety of his latest album, Quand je pleure, je suis content. The small stage set up at the entrance to the vinyl store barely left enough room for his guitar and himself to maintain the warm atmosphere of the concert, a bit like a big campfire between friends.

From the very first notes of Corde à linge, the audience began singing along to the lyrics of the six-minute track, leaving a visibly moved Velours Velours. “I can’t believe it, I don’t know many six-minute songs where the world knows the words, except for Bohemian Rhapsody,” he declared, his cheeks flushed with emotion.

Released on January 31, her debut album Quand je pleure, je suis content (When I Cry, I’m Happy) features introspective, sometimes even depressing lyrics, carried by luminous melodies. It’s a rich project, combining guitar, violin, drums, synthesizer and, above all, a choral approach that lends it a delicate, almost fairytale touch. Transposing this richness of sound into a solo format was no mean feat, but Velours Velours has brilliantly won the bet!

A few minor hiccups – escaped lyrics and missed chords – punctuated the show, without marring the performance of Velours Velours who, with her natural charisma, was able to turn every mistake into a moment of complicity with the audience.

After performing the entire album, he closed his set with “Je t’aime”, the most popular song from his Fauve EP. Despite the crowd’s cries for an encore, the show was well and truly over. To relive these indie melodies in all their glory, you’ll have to wait until March 1, when the artist takes to the Sala Rossa stage, this time accompanied by his choir and team of musicians.

crédit photo: Camille Gladu-Drouin