We first hear about
Art Imperial for the first time less than a month ago, and it is safe to say that in the incredibly short time since then he has already cemented position as being among our favorites artists of the year so far. A listen through his debut full length
Cult of Love (No out till May but you can stream it in its entirety bellow) and it quickly becomes obvious why we have become so smitten with him. It’s still early days but this is already in very strong contention for soundtrack to our summer.
Your record comes out soon, just in time for the summer, did you envision it as a summer soundtrack?
Sonically I did envision an overall summery vibe but lyrically, I was mainly concerned with issues of lost love. I believe this juxtaposition makes
CULT OF LOVE more of a ‘summer soundtrack for the broken-hearted’ than anything else.
What artists do you listen to, and which of them do you think influences your music the most?
While it’s undeniably
The Beatles who have had the greatest influence on my music (specifically their vocal melodies and chord progressions), as of late, for some strange reason, I find myself listening exclusively to female singers/groups like
Blondie,
Diana Ross and The Supremes,
Phil Spector produced girl groups like
The Crystals and
The Ronettes,
Amy Winehouse,
The Pretenders,
Nina Simone and
Carole King. At the moment,
Grimes’ “Oblivion” is burrowed deep into my brain as well as
Tennis’ “Origins” and
Chromatics’ “Lady”.
What originally got you into music?
My musical appreciation undoubtedly originated from family and friends. My father was a self-proclaimed hippy and gave me my initial education on music exposing me to his beloved sounds of the 60s (
The Doors,
The Guess Who,
Santana,
Simon & Garfunkel, etc.) and he also gave me my first lessons on the guitar. Later on in life, I’ve found that the majority of friends I made and kept close were either adept audiophiles, encyclopedic music-heads or incredibly talented musicians which only served to reinforce and breed my love of music and musical knowledge.
Is the Toronto music scene vibrant? Any other good groups to look out for?
Toronto is always vibrant, bursting at the seams with culture, oversaturated with great musicians and artists. But other than myself, there aren’t any other artists to look out for. It’s the truth.
If you could take one record with you to a desert island, what would you choose and why?
Jeff Buckley’s “Live at Sine” (Legacy Edition).There’s something magical about the recording which effectively captures the ambiance of the cafe it was recorded in, complete with the clinking of cups and cutlery, the shuffling of chairs, the laughter and clapping, the random yelps and the preservation of all the other ‘imperfections’ in the performance (like Buckley messing up notes which turns into a hilarious
Miles Davis trumpet impression). It capture the totality of a live performance, embodying a particular space/time, producing an intense intimacy with the listener. I never feel lonely while listening to this album instead I’m instantly transported there to that cafe in NYC, experiencing the show as if I was actually sitting with the crowd, drinking a beer. A much needed feeling if ever I was stranded on a desert island.
Who, if anyone would be your dream collaboration?
I admire artists who have that special ability to write what I call ‘sticky melodies’; the ones that you find randomly stuck in your brain which you can’t help but sing, hum or whistle for days straight. This, I believe, is the purest definition of ‘pop music’ and one that I continuously strive towards. So on any day of the year, give me
Michael Jackson (R.I.P) to work with. That guy knew how to write hits.
Any surprising musical pleasures that might take people by surprise?
I’m unabashedly a fan of 'top 40'/mainstream pop and have no qualms stating that I like
Brittney’s “Till The World Ends” or bumping
Rhianna and Drake’s “What’s My Name” which some people might find surprising. At the other end of the spectrum, I’ve become obsessed with this artist from Vancouver named
Loscil whose sound completely opened my eyes to the beauty and deepness of ambient music; absolutely mind blowing stuff! In between those extremes, I grew up listening to hip-hop in the ‘golden age’ of the mid-90s and still cherish my
Nas,
Common and
Tribe albums. I’m convinced though, if you’re a true music lover then you shouldn’t be surprised by anyone’s musical tastes. Those ‘surprised’ people tend to be the one’s concerned more with the perception of music as an identity rather than the actual quality of good music. Good music transcends genre, this is my only universalizable truth.
And finally any plans for tours in the next couple of months?
At the moment I’m searching for the equivalent of Johnny Marr, Keith Moon, Krist Novoselic and Gillian Gilbert to comprise a real working band. Once complete, tours are imminent but in the meanwhile, shout-out to
LakeandChapel.com for all the amazing support and go download the new album May 1st!
