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Suuns
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Suuns (/suːns/) is a Canadian rock band from Montreal. It was formed in mid-2007 when vocalist and guitarist Ben Shemie and guitarist and bassist Joe Yarmush got together to make some beats which quickly evolved into a few songs. The duo was soon joined by drummer Liam O'Neill and bassist and keyboardist Max Henry to complete the original line-up. The band signed to Secretly Canadian in 2010. Since 2018, Suuns saw the departure of Henry as an official member[2] (he continues to record in the studio) to pursue a scholastic path, and in 2020 they officially signed with Joyful Noise Recordings with their 2020 output of Fiction, followed by their 2021 LP The Witness.[3]
Key Information
History
[edit]In 2009, Suuns entered Breakglass Studios with Jace Lasek of the Besnard Lakes co-producing and engineering, and recorded their first album, Zeroes QC. Upon its release in 2010, a reviewer of The New York Times said that it offered a "rigorous strategy behind every gorgeous onslaught."[4] The album appeared on the !Earshot National Top 50 Chart.[5] Suuns toured the East Coast in the summer with Parlovr and further established their fan base during their fall tour with Land of Talk and The Besnard Lakes.[6]
Suuns spent much of 2011 performing in the U.S., Europe and Canada including New York's CMJ, SXSW, Primavera Sound, and over twelve other festivals. They also headlined a Canadian tour and co-headlined a North American tour with PS I Love You.[7] During a rare couple weeks off in Montreal, Suuns decided to take a risk to experiment and create two new, unusual songs. "Red Song" and "Bambi" were extended pieces unlike Suuns' previous works.[8]
In 2012, they were the curators for the Sonic City Festival in Belgium.[9] Other festival performances included the National's ATP Festival, London's Village Underground, and Paris's Point Ephemere. The band also spent much of the year preparing to release their second album, Images Du Futur, which they announced in November, and gearing up for the busy year ahead.[10] They finished off 2012 with a month-long tour from mid-November through mid-December.
The band kicked off the year with a January release of new music video "Edie's Dream" and a February release of the video for "2020". Their second album, Images Du Futur, was released by Secretly Canadian on March 5 (except in Canada on Secret City Records) in the middle of Suuns' international three-month tour featuring We Are Wolves and Plants and Animals. The Line of Best Fit describes the album: "Images Du Futur is exciting in a way that few albums manage to be, dangerous and compelling like a first cigarette or fumbled sexual encounter, and nothing here quite seems real: these ten tracks exist in a half-light, a nocturnal fog a step removed from lucid thought. And a long, long way from anything routine."[11] In June 2013, the album was longlisted for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.
Suuns and Jerusalem in My Heart released their self-titled album worldwide on April 14, 2015, and announced tour and festival dates.[12] An Exclaim! interview states, "Recorded over a week in November 2012, the tracks mixed the strengths of both bands: the Eastern modes and drones plus the Arabic vocal delivered by Moumneh, and the keyboard arpeggios and incisive guitars of Suuns' Shemie and Joe Yarmush."[13]
In May 2015 the band began recording Hold/Still in Dallas, Texas with producer John Congleton. During the three-week recording session, Congleton encouraged the band to capture flawless live takes of each track, without use of overdubs. The album includes songs that the band had been working on for several years but never showed up on previous albums, including "Translate" and "Infinity". It was released on April 15, 2016, via Secretly Canadian.[14]
In November 2016, the band also curated their own program during the tenth Anniversary Edition of Le Guess Who? Festival in Utrecht, The Netherlands.[15] This curated program included performances by amongst others Pauline Oliveros, Alessandro Cortini, Patrick Higgins and Jerusalem in My Heart.
On October 30, 2020, the band released their EP, Fiction, via Secret City and Joyful Noise Recordings.[16]
On September 3, 2021, the band released The Witness through Joyful Noise Recordings internationally[17] and on Secret City Records in Canada. It is the follow-up full-length to 2018's Felt. On June 9, 2021, The Fader premiered the first single and video for "Witness Protection".[18] Pitchfork hailed it as a breakthrough album for the group.[19]
O'Neill appears on Charlotte Cornfield's album Highs in the Minuses and on Cedric Noel's LP Hangtime.[20][21]
Episode five of the Amazon Prime Video show Outer Range and the trailer for Three Thousand Years of Longing feature the Suuns song "2020". As does episode 10, series 1 of Halt and Catch Fire
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
- Zeroes QC (2010), Secretly Canadian
- Images Du Futur (2013), Secretly Canadian
- Hold/Still (2016), Secretly Canadian
- Felt (2018), Secretly Canadian
- The Witness (2021), Joyful Noise Recordings and Secret City
- The Breaks (2024), Joyful Noise Recordings and Secret City
EP
- Fiction (2020), Joyful Noise Recordings and Secret City
Singles
- "Bambi" b/w "Red Song" (2011), Secretly Canadian
Collaborative albums
- Suuns and Jerusalem in My Heart (2015, with Jerusalem in My Heart)
References
[edit]- ^ Berman, Stuart (April 10, 2015). "Suuns and Jerusalem in My Heart". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
- ^ "In Conversation: Suuns Discuss Pursuing New Ideas on Their Experimental "Fiction" EP". FLOOD. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ "SUUNS | Joyful Noise Recordings". www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ Jon Pareles. "The Reliable (Melodic) Drone of Suuns". The New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
- ^ "The National Top 50 For the Week Ending: Tuesday, October 26, 2010". !Earshot.
- ^ S, Iain. "The Besnard Lakes to Tour this Fall with Band of Horses, Jenny and Johnny, and others". www.undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ Staff, BrooklynVegan (October 7, 2011). "Suuns & PS I Love You are here (Diamond Rings too), both with new releases (MP3s & dates)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ "New Music: Suun's "Bambi" & "Red Song"". Stereophile.com. October 7, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ Judge, Stephen (July 2, 2012). "Suuns to Curate 2012 Sonic City Fest". Blurt Magazine. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ Studarus, Laura. "Suuns Announce New Album Images Du Futur". www.undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ "Suuns - Images Du Futur | The Line Of Best Fit". March 9, 2013. Archived from the original on March 9, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ^ "Suuns / Jerusalem in My Heart: Suuns and Jerusalem in My Heart". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ Hill, Eric. "Suuns Talk Their Meeting of Minds with Jerusalem in My Heart". Exclaim.ca. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "Review: Suuns Get Twitchy, Can't 'Hold/Still'". SPIN. April 14, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ "Wilco, Savages, Julia Holter, Suuns Curate 2016 Le Guess Who? Festival". Pitchfork. May 25, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ Vitagliano, Joe (October 30, 2020). "Suuns Explores New Territory And New Vibes On New EP, "FICTION"". American Songwriter. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "SUUNS | The Witness | Joyful Noise Recordings". Joyful Noise Recordings. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ "SUUNS give isolation a haunting soundtrack with "Witness Protection"". The FADER. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ "Suuns: The Witness". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (August 5, 2021). "Charlotte Cornfield Announces New Album, Shares Video for New Song 'Headlines'". Our Culture Mag. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ "Cedric Noel Confidently Asks the Tough Questions on 'Hang Time' | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- "Suuns". Secretlycanadian.com. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- Phillips, Amy. "Suuns - Albums, Songs, and News". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- Label - Joyful Noise Recordings
Suuns
View on GrokipediaBand members
Current members
As of 2025, Suuns operates as a core trio for both touring and recording, with Ben Shemie on vocals and guitar, Joseph Yarmush on guitar and bass, and Liam O'Neill on drums.[8][9] Ben Shemie serves as the band's founder and primary songwriter, delivering mumbled yet intense vocals that create atmospheric tension central to Suuns' sound.[10][3] Joseph Yarmush, a co-founder, handles guitar and bass duties while contributing multi-instrumental layers, including dense guitar textures and bass lines that emphasize the band's krautrock influences.[11][12] Liam O'Neill provides propulsive drumming rooted in motorik rhythms and free jazz sensibilities, driving the band's live energy; his sweaty, powerful delivery was particularly highlighted during their 2025 performance at the Left of the Dial festival in Rotterdam.[13][12][9] Former member Max Henry occasionally contributes to studio recordings following his departure from the live lineup in 2018.[14]Former members
Max Henry served as the band's bassist and keyboardist from its formation in 2007 until his departure as a full-time member in 2018.[15][16] As a founding member, he contributed to the group's early experimental rock sound, playing a key role in live performances and studio recordings during this period.[14] Henry's exit was motivated by a desire to pursue a scholastic path, specifically returning to school to study music psychology, which ended his involvement in the band's touring activities.[14][16] Following his departure, Suuns transitioned to a trio format consisting of the remaining core members, which notably reduced the prominence of keyboards and synthesizers in their live sets compared to the fuller arrangements of the original quartet.[17] Despite stepping away from live duties, Henry has continued to provide occasional studio input, including contributions to the band's 2020 album The Witness, such as on the track "Witness Protection."[14][18] This ongoing collaboration reflects the trio's reliance on elements of Henry's distinctive production style from earlier works.[17]History
Formation and early releases (2007–2012)
Suuns formed in mid-2007 in Montreal as a duo consisting of vocalist and guitarist Ben Shemie and guitarist and bassist Joe Yarmush, who began experimenting with noise and post-punk elements inspired by their shared interest in electronic and rock sounds.[19][20] The pair initially operated under the name Zeroes, recording a single early demo that captured their raw, improvisational approach before solidifying their lineup.[21] Soon after, they recruited keyboardist and bassist Max Henry and drummer Liam O'Neill, expanding into a four-piece that allowed for a fuller exploration of atmospheric textures and rhythms.[19] In their early years, Suuns focused on self-released demos and building a presence in Montreal's underground scene through intimate live shows at local venues, where they honed their tense, hypnotic performances.[21] These efforts culminated in 2010 when a demo caught the attention of the U.S.-based label Secretly Canadian, leading to a signing that same year and the release of a free six-song EP titled Zeroes.[22] The EP showcased their evolving sound, blending post-punk urgency with electronic minimalism, and helped secure their debut full-length. The band's debut album, Zeroes QC, was recorded over two weeks in January 2010 at Breakglass Studios in Montreal and co-produced by Jace Lasek of Besnard Lakes, resulting in a 10-track effort released on October 12, 2010, via Secretly Canadian.[22][3] The title nodded to their original moniker and Quebec roots, while tracks like "Arena" and "Pie IX" established their signature tense, atmospheric style through restrained dynamics and brooding grooves.[21] Following the release, Suuns toured extensively in 2010–2011, including performances at major showcases such as CMJ in New York and SXSW in Austin, which amplified their growing cult following in North America and Europe.[23][24] In 2011, Suuns released the single "Bambi" b/w "Red Song" on November 15, a 12-inch vinyl that marked a subtle shift toward more structured songwriting while retaining their experimental edge—"Bambi" evoking a haunting narrative of lost love, and "Red Song" delving into abstract, color-themed minimalism.[25] By 2012, their rising profile led to an invitation to curate Belgium's Sonic City Festival in Kortrijk, where they programmed a diverse lineup including Swans and Tim Hecker, reflecting their broadening influences in noise, drone, and avant-garde music.[26]Mid-career developments (2013–2018)
In 2013, Suuns released their second studio album, Images du Futur, which built upon the intensity of their debut with more layered textures and a retro-futurist aesthetic inspired by a long-running Montreal exhibition of the same name.[27][28] The album's production, handled once again by Jace Lasek of Besnard Lakes, incorporated mechanical pulses of krautrock and post-punk elements, creating denser sonic landscapes that explored themes of technological alienation and futurism.[12][29] Images du Futur earned critical acclaim and was longlisted for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize, recognizing its innovative contributions to Canadian music.[30] The band's growing international profile during this period was bolstered by extensive touring, including performances at major festivals such as Primavera Sound in 2016, which helped cultivate a dedicated global fanbase.[31] Additionally, their track "2020" from Images du Futur gained wider exposure when it was featured in the second official trailer for Marvel's Ant-Man in 2015, introducing Suuns' hypnotic sound to a broader audience.[32] In 2015, Suuns collaborated with Radwan Ghazi Moumneh of Jerusalem in My Heart on a self-titled joint album, blending the former's electronic minimalism with the latter's Arabic folk influences and analog synths; the project originated from improvisational sessions in a Montreal studio and was released via Secretly Canadian.[33][34] Suuns' third album, Hold/Still, arrived in 2016, produced by Grammy-winning engineer John Congleton in his Dallas studio, marking a shift toward more skeletal and hypnotic arrangements that emphasized tension through sparse instrumentation and distortion.[35][36] The record's eerie, resistance-laden atmosphere was promoted through rigorous European and North American tours, further solidifying the band's reputation in the experimental rock circuit.[37] That same year, Suuns co-curated the Le Guess Who? festival in Utrecht, Netherlands, alongside acts like Wilco and Savages, selecting artists that underscored their influence in the avant-rock and post-punk scenes.[38] By 2018, Suuns self-produced their fourth album, Felt, embracing a looser, more improvisational approach with influences from free jazz and IDM, resulting in tracks that balanced memorable melodies with abrupt noise disruptions.[39][40] While mixed by Congleton, the album's creation highlighted the band's evolving studio autonomy and marked the final full live involvement of multi-instrumentalist Max Henry before his departure.[41]Recent years (2019–present)
Following the departure of founding member Max Henry in 2018 to pursue academic interests, Suuns transitioned to a trio comprising vocalist and guitarist Ben Shemie, multi-instrumentalist Joseph Yarmush, and drummer Liam O'Neill, with the change allowing greater emphasis on live improvisation during performances.[14][16][42] In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the band released the experimental EP Fiction on October 30 through Joyful Noise Recordings for U.S. distribution and Secret City Records in Canada, featuring tracks that blend ambient noise, free-form structures, and shapeless soundscapes.[43][44][45] This shift to Joyful Noise marked a new partnership for broader North American reach, while the EP's creation reflected adaptations to isolated recording environments during global lockdowns.[43] The band's fifth studio album, The Witness, arrived on September 3, 2021, via the same labels, incorporating acoustic, wind, and string instruments alongside jazz-like arrangements to explore voyeuristic themes of observation and detachment.[46][47][17] Tracks from the album, including "2020," gained visibility through placements in television series such as Outer Range (Season 1, Episode 5) and Halt and Catch Fire (Season 1, Episode 1 and others).[48][49][50] Suuns' sixth album, The Breaks, was released on September 6, 2024, drawing inspiration from the unstructured freedom of long, aimless drives that foster emergent thoughts from stillness.[51][2] The record adopts a looser production style with increased swagger compared to prior works, earning positive reviews for its emotionally resonant blend of art-rock, ambient psychedelia, and renewed tonal vitality.[3][52][53] Additionally, the song "2020" appeared in the trailer for the 2022 film Three Thousand Years of Longing.[54] In recent live activities, Suuns performed at La Route du Rock in August 2025 and Pop Montreal in September 2025, while O'Neill contributed to sets at the Left of the Dial festival in October 2025; as of November 2025, no major tours have been announced, though the band continues select festival engagements.[55][56][9][57]Musical style
Genres and characteristics
Suuns' music draws primarily from krautrock and neo-psychedelia, blending these foundations with the aggression of art punk and the minimalism of post-punk. This hybrid style creates a sound that is both hypnotic and abrasive, often evoking a sense of disorientation through repetitive structures and electronic textures.[58][59] Central to their sonic identity are tense, atmospheric builds characterized by dense bass lines, mumbled or half-sung vocals, and motorik rhythms that propel tracks forward with relentless momentum. The band exploits musical tension through stark contrasts in volume and texture, shifting from sparse, echoing minimalism to overwhelming noise walls, which heighten a pervasive sense of unease. Early works emphasize noisy, chaotic experimentation, while later albums incorporate jazz-like arrangements with freer improvisation, expanding their palette to include acoustic elements alongside electronics.[60][61][59][47][16] In production, Suuns often self-record at Breakglass Studios in Montreal, emphasizing improvisation and layering synths with heavy reverb to craft a paranoia-inducing atmosphere via uncanny valley electronics and distorted half-sung delivery. Collaboration with producer John Congleton on Hold/Still (2016) and mixing by John Congleton on Felt (2018) refined this approach with clinical precision in mixing, enhancing the synthetic-organic interplay. Their latest album, The Breaks (2024), adopts a looser swagger, contrasting the earlier meticulous control.[3][10][62][63] Thematically, Suuns explore futurism, voyeurism, and moments of stillness, using lyrics and soundscapes to probe alienation and introspection amid technological detachment. These elements manifest in futuristic motifs and voyeuristic narratives that underscore emotional ambiguity, evolving from the stark precision of Hold/Still to the more fluid, dreamlike reverie in The Breaks.[64][47][52]Influences
Suuns' sound draws from a diverse array of genre roots, including free jazz's emphasis on drum improvisation, no wave's aggressive minimalism, IDM's electronic glitches, and the propulsive beats of German motorik as exemplified by Can and Neu!.[65][66] The band's members, described as "philosopher-musicians," incorporate krautrock's repetitive hypnosis to explore themes of paranoia and stillness, with influences like Can's drummer Jaki Liebezeit shaping their blend of rock and electronic elements.[65][66] Early exposure to Montreal's underground scene further informed their experimental approach, fostering a connection to ambient jazz and noise rock pioneers.[20][59] Post-punk elements, particularly Joy Division's vocal style, contribute to their tense, introspective delivery, while broader noise rock influences like Sonic Youth add layers of sonic tension.[16] Cultural factors in Quebec's music landscape, often characterized by a socialist-leaning collective ethos, contrast with Suuns' sense of sonic isolation, amplifying their introspective and unconventional output.[59] This dynamic is evident in their 2024 album The Breaks, where long drives inspired a thematic sense of freedom and road-trip motifs in the lyrics and synth transitions.[67]Discography
Studio albums
Suuns have released six studio albums, all primarily recorded in Montreal, Quebec, showcasing their evolution from raw, noise-infused post-punk to more expansive and experimental soundscapes.[7] These albums, distributed through indie labels like Secretly Canadian, Joyful Noise Recordings, and Secret City Records, have garnered critical acclaim within alternative rock circles, though they have not achieved major commercial chart peaks on Billboard, instead building a dedicated cult following through festival appearances and word-of-mouth sales. Their debut, Zeroes QC, was released on October 12, 2010, by Secretly Canadian. Produced by Jace Lasek of Besnard Lakes and recorded at Breakglass Studios in Montreal, the 10-track album is noted for its raw noise elements, blending post-punk tension with electronic textures in a compact 37:35 runtime.[68] It received positive reviews for its unsettling restraint and krautrock influences but did not chart prominently in Canada or internationally.[69] Track listing:- "Armed for Peace" – 3:37
- "Gaze" – 3:57
- "Arena" – 5:12
- "Pie IX" – 3:16
- "Marauder" – 1:49
- "Sweet Nothing" – 7:03
- "Up Past the Nursery" – 3:23
- "PVC" – 2:48
- "Fear" – 4:19
- "Organ Blues" – 2:20[70]
- "Powers of Ten" – 3:53
- "2020" – 4:40
- "Minor Work" – 3:34
- "Mirror Mirror" – 4:15
- "Edie's Dream" – 4:36
- "Sunspot" – 4:40
- "Bambi" – 5:11
- "Third Stream" – 5:52
- "Outro" – 6:22[29]
- "Fall" – 3:58
- "Instrument" – 4:21
- "UN-NO" – 3:12
- "Resistance" – 4:00
- "Mortise and Tenon" – 4:43
- "Translate" – 5:23
- "Brainwash" – 5:49
- "Careful" – 8:50
- "Infinity" – 6:25[35]
- "Look No Further" – 3:56
- "X-ALT" – 3:21
- "Watch You, Watch Me" – 5:56
- "Baseline" – 4:23
- "After the Fall" – 4:30
- "Control" – 3:29
- "Make It Real" – 4:40
- "Death" – 5:44
- "Pre-Occupied" – 5:41[76]
- "Third Stream" – 7:09
- "Witness Protection" – 4:09
- "C-Thru" – 3:35
- "Timebender" – 3:53
- "Clarity" – 4:31
- "The Fix" – 2:39
- "Go to My Head" – 5:56
- "The Trilogy" – 6:02[78]
- "Vanishing Point" – 6:56
- "Fish on a String" – 4:59
- "Rage" – 3:18
- "Road Signs and Meanings" – 7:02
- "Overture" – 2:25
- "Wave" – 4:28
- "Doreen" – 4:40
- "The Breaks" – 3:40[79]