Respire, the Toronto-based, self-described “post-everything” seven-piece whose music Treble Zine adeptly described as “a work of obliterating intensity” coupled with “soul-rending emotional delivery,” and Stereogum dubbed “glacial post-rock beauty,” return with their fourth studio album, “Hiraeth”, on July 26th, 2024, via Dine Alone Records.
“The album serves as a tribute to those who have uprooted their lives and their families in search of hope and a better future”, explains Respire, collectively. “It also serves as a cautionary tale to those who remain complacent, falsely secure in the privileges of their illusory societal positions. ‘Hiraeth’ is a manifesto of the immigrant experience; a call for all of us to embrace our shared humanity, awaken to the fragility of our existence, and confront the crises we face collectively before it’s too late”.
A preview of the 10-song collection comes with today’s release of “Distant Light of Belonging” and its companion video, which you can watch below. “The video is a look back at the past ten years of Respire”, the group adds, “featuring Mini DV footage captured on tour and in the studio, as well as live performances at venues that range from a basement in Toronto, to a festival in the English countryside, to a rooftop in Mexico City. It truly was a collective effort, featuring footage shot by many of our friends and collaborators, and edited by us; a testament to the fact that community and friendship are the antidote to the alienation and isolation we often feel”.
Crafted over four years through a continuous exchange of demos and sheet music, Respire spent six months producing “Hiraeth”, with the invaluable contributions of recording engineer Sean Pearson and mixing and mastering engineer Jack Shirley, and numerous collaborators.
Album pre-orders are available here with “Hiraeth” available on limited-edition vinyl, and digitally.
Tracklist:
1. Keening
2. The Match, Consumed
3. Distant Light of Belonging
4. First Snow
5. Home of Ash
6. Voiceless; Nameless
7. The Sun Sets Without Us
8. We Grow Like Trees in Rooms of Borrowed Light
9. Do the Birds Still Sing?
10. Farewell (In Standard)
North American Live Shows 2024:
May 31 Montreal, QC Casa Del Popolo
June 1 Gatineau, QC Minotaure / Festival LOURD
June 2 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace / Prepare The Ground Festival
September 14 Richmond, VA The Broadberry / Dark Days, Bright Nights
Respire has been a pioneering force in the Canadian underground scene for ten years, building a cult-like following over their three critically acclaimed LPs: “Black Line” (2020), “Dénouement” (2018), and “Gravity and Grace” (2016).
The seven-piece band is Egin Kongoli (vocals, guitar, synthesizer), Rohan Lilauwala (vocals, guitar), Darren Scarfo (vocals, guitar), Travis Dupuis (vocals, drums), Ben Oliver (bass guitar), Eslin McKay (vocals, violin, viola), and Emmett O’Reilly (vocals, trumpet). Respire pushes the boundaries of heavy music, intertwining intricate, uplifting orchestral arrangements with the intensity and urgency of emotional hardcore and the desperation of black metal.
Weblinks:
respirefamily.com
facebook.com/respirefamily
