Album, is comprised of Olivier Fairfield and Simon Provencher, the duo, inspired by Sam Gendel, Four Tet, Squarepusher, and more release their Self-Titled LP on July 9, 2021 via Telephone Explosion Records (Pantayo, Bernice). Ahead of the release the Quebec band have released a visualizer for “New And Annoying.”

Album on “New and Annoying:”

“”New and Annoying” opens in a nervous but danceable haze of nimble drumming and digitally enhanced basslines. Grainy, mangled vocal samples pair up with the instantly recognizable “most annoying sound in the world” to complete the nervous A section of the song. Full-frequency DX7 pads break up the song’s momentum, making for a welcome rhythmic pause as the vocals and assorted samples continue to garble on into a complete textural meltdown. That is, until the track whips back into shape for a second groovy offering.”

Album
Album
Tracklist
Telephone Explosion Records

1. 108 Mystical Edit 2K20: 4:58
2. Présage Jazz: 0:34
3. New & Annoying: 2:31
4. Interlude: 1:11
5. Hommage å M. Cusson Pour M. Hoek: 2:34
6. Google Rap Hommage: 5:04
7. 165 Refrains: 2:24
8. 108 Y2K Voice: 2:38
9. 108 Percussion Hits (au moins): 4:53
10. Mood Allée Cinq: 2:53
11. La Derniére: 3:32

Fairfield and Provencher began working on the music that would become Album’s debut album with a series of freeform jams in late 2019. The guitarist added fretless bass and heavily processed vocals to these improvisations, as the drummer integrated vintage sci-fi sounds with a DX7 synthesizer. The most exciting moments of these sessions were then used as the basis for sampling as they sliced and diced passages back together into an eerily futuristic
electroacoustic patchwork.

“It’s hard to tell what’s computer music and what’s actually played,” says Fairfield. ”There were some elements left to chance and instances where we would throw ourselves in blind, then choose to use it. Instead of saying ‘ehhh, let’s not work with this’ our instinct was to say ‘this makes absolutely no sense, but let’s make it work.’ By keeping our foundation simple, the hybrid sound of what was played and what was created electronically started to mesh together.” While it’s difficult to pinpoint any direct influences on these unclassifiable beat-driven collages,
Album contains refracted echoes of experimental hip-hop and the jazzy acoustic elements of drum and bass producer Roni Size. Fans of genre-defiant Warp Records acts such as Seefeel and Squarepusher may also find something to enjoy in Album’s blurring of ambient waves, instrumental shredding, and clicky electronica. “We thought of the ’90s as a reference point, but not any specific artists,” shrugs Provencher.

The duo decided upon their band name after including it on an early draft of the cover art with ‘Album’ written as a placeholder. Song titles like “Google rap hommage” or “New and annoying” are meant to be equally bewildering, while others provide subtle hints at the sounds included within. “108 Mystical edit 2k20” drifts through sections of abstracted g-funk and trip-hop with incantory effects-drenched vocals, before “108 Percussion hits (au moins)” settles into a rare air of propulsive tranquility. “When I hear that song I feel like I walk into a room that’s somewhat normal and can hang out there for a while,” Fairfield laughs.

Order Album by Album HERE