Psychedelic, Neo-Psychedelic, Shoegaze, Post-Rock, Noise-Rock, Krautrock (Canada)
Winnipeg's Absent Sound are powerfully eclectic and engaging musicians, spanning from record skip world dub to heavy electronic post rock with eerie yet pop infused vocal harmonies. In their powerful lyrics, the band writes about freedom, the beauty of dreaming, t.v. addiction, mind expansion, getting over boredom, promoting inspiration and thinking for yourself. They draw influences from the likes of Sonic Youth, This Heat, Can, The Residents, Unwound, Pink Floyd and Kittens.
The Absent Sound wield a musical arsenal creating huge dramatic worlds of sound with organic chants, colossal guitars, hypnotic off-rhythm record scratches, beats, loops, synth and organ drones.
The group has toured extensively throughout North America and are best experienced live, bringing their unique style of sensory art and music to life. You would often see scratch animated 16mm film and video projections, intense light shows, costumed performance art, and the band's flags and banners enhancing the setting of the venues. Audience members have described their live experience as "reality altering", "a spiritual experience", "Powerful", "I've never heard anything like it" and "a comfortable unconfortableness".
They have shared the stage with Lee Ranaldo, Damo Suzuki, The Besnard Lakes, Do Make Say Think, Feist, Braids, Fly Pan Am, Mono, Growing, Tania Tagaq, DD//MM//YYYY, Child Bite and Fucked Up.
The Absent Sound have released 6 offerings to date.
The band has stepped up their last few recordings by working with the likes of Darryl Neudorf (Neko Case, New Pornographers, The Sadies...), Jace Lasek (The Besnard lakes, SUUNS, Arcade Fire, Stars, Braids...), Jeff Lipton (Thrill Jockey, Sub Pop, Rykodisc, Battles, Wilco, Burning Spear...), Harris Newman (Constellation, Alien8 Records, Arcade Fire, The Dears), and Craig Boychuk (Propaghandi, Greg MacPherson, KENMODE, Hide Your Daughters...) absolutely perfecting their sound on record.
Not only is Absent Sound effective with their music, they also have created the very successful bi-annual sonic, multi-media, costumed event, ElementSircus, Winnipeg Psych Fest, and the annual 20 Guitar Circular Wall Of Angelic Sound which have drawn hundreds of very loyal crowds for over 10 years.
Absent Sound are
Robert G. Menard - guitars, vocals, computer electronics/ samples/loops, keys, percussion
David Fort - guitars, vocals, bass, keys
Kelly Castle - drums, percussion, vocals
Scott Ellenberger - bass, synths
All Aumega Releases
3SWS
aumegaproject.bandcamp.com/album/3sws
Live at ElementSircus 2007 (with Damo Suzuki)
aumegaproject.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-elementsircus-2007
Hola Sol
aumegaproject.bandcamp.com/album/hola-sol
Black Dots
aumegaproject.bandcamp.com/album/black-dots
Turn Them Off
aumegaproject.bandcamp.com/album/turn-them-off
Gathering Of The Clan Mothers
aumegaproject.bandcamp.com/album/gathering-of-the-clan-mothers
It's All True
aumegaproject.bandcamp.com/album/its-all-true
Music To Live And Die To
aumegaproject.bandcamp.com/album/music-to-live-and-die-to
Absent Sound Another Chapter
aumegaproject.bandcamp.com/album/absent-sound-another-chapter
Links