Canadian multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer Mitch Davis steps out on his own with the announcement of his debut LP ‘The Haunt’, out on Arbutus Records on 29 April. To tee up fans ahead of the release of the record, Mitch releases the first single ‘Let It Die’, out on 15 February, accompanied by a psychedelic visualizer. Watch it here.
Dedicated to a DIY ethos throughout his music career, Mitch recorded the album in his home studio during the 2020 lockdown. Writing all the tracks, playing all the instruments and recording all the music on equipment that he built himself, the multi-faceted artist delivers a record that is brimming with colour and optimism even as it ponders universal themes of introspection and loneliness – a record that could only have been made by Mitch Davis.
In a similar vein to Jacob Collier and Jordan Rakei, Mitch’s distinctive blend of jazz, funk, sunshine pop and rock is so seamlessly integrated it often feels like a full band effort. Yet everything you hear is a result of Davis hunkering down alone in his home studio in the garment manufacturing district of Montréal while the city was under a strict curfew – midnight to 5am were his working hours – funnelling all his creative energy into the music. ”
Following the release of singles ‘Bear The Cold’ and ‘What You Say’, album cornerstone ‘Let It Die’ incorporates a funky marching bass line and lyrics about deciding to give up on a relationship, with unexpected chiptune breakdown towards the end.
Speaking of the track, Mitch says, “Let it die is another happy sounding song I wrote while pretty bummed out. Lyrically it’s about calling it quits really early on when you sense there might not be a future, sparing yourselves from drawing it out in a painful way.
It’s one of two songs on “The Haunt” that are guitar-centric. It’s funny, pretty much all of my friends started on guitars and are now experimenting with synths and beat-making, but I started with piano, drums, and Fruity-Loops so there’s still a total novelty to guitar and bass.”
Davis is a mainstay of the vibrant Montréal music scene, with a musical background encompassing everything from rock bands (Faith Healer) to avant-garde (Elle Barbara’s Black Space) to jazz and hip-hop (Cadence Weapon). The Haunt is a synthesis of his many musical interests, stretching back to his childhood when he played drums in the church band and saxophone in his school band (he plays both on The Haunt.)
Though he’s never had any formal musical training, Davis can not remember a time in which music wasn’t a part of his life. When it came time to make his own record, Davis says: “I was always hoping I could find a way to blend everything together and get away with doing a bunch of different genres all at once, because I don’t like dwelling on a certain sound.”
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