Among this packed lineup, one of my favourites of the evening was undoubtedly Kali Horse, the Toronto duo formed by Sam Maloney and Desiree Das Gupta. Second to take the stage just before Miro Chino, they immediately captured the attention of the crowd gathered in the venue’s small back room.
9 p.m., Friday night. No sooner had I crossed the threshold of the back room at Casa del Popolo than a deafening sound forced me to scramble for earplugs.
A minor technical glitch? Poor sound management? Or… the volume cranked up to full blast completely on purpose? In any case, the evening gets off to a “loud” start at Casa—a true institution on Saint-Laurent Boulevard known for showcasing the emerging local and international music scene. As part of the twenty-fifth edition of POP Montréal, four artists with very different styles took the stage on September 25, 2026.
Accompanied on stage by a drummer and a bassist, Sam and Desiree took center stage with confidence and stage presence. Active on the Ontario music scene for several years now, the project moves effortlessly between psychedelic rock, experimental art rock, and alt-rock. Their compositions constantly create a dialogue between acoustic and electronic elements: digital and acoustic percussion intertwine beneath vocal harmonies, which are in turn carried by electric guitar lines wrapped in sound samples—all imbued with a slightly “gritty” (or grunge…) energy that’s very ’90s.
Watching them perform, several iconic female figures came to mind—from Björk’s experimentalism to Grimes’ futuristic visions, not to mention the legendary Cranberries. Kali Horse exudes an energy that’s both grunge and dystopian, creating an immersive atmosphere where traditional instruments blend with digital synthesis.
While the concert offered some beautiful, slightly ethereal moments, the duo didn’t hesitate to shake things up: the guitar starts screaming, the tension rises, and you almost feel like starting a mosh pit.
To wrap up their set, the band shifted gears toward club music and hard techno. This conclusion speaks volumes about a project that, while rooted in the alternative aesthetic of the ’90s, is fully in line with the sonic trends of the 2000s and today. Personally, I’m a huge fan, and I’ll be following their progress very closely!
Photo de mgmphotoco / page FB du groupe
