Sebastien Grainger: Yours To Discover

Though his main act, Canada-based dance punk duo Death From Above 1979, is mostly defunct, singer/drummer Sebastien Grainger still continues to make music. His last release, 2008’s Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains, had the musician paired with a backing band in hopes to compose a typical “rock show” sound. However, Yours To Discover mostly abandons this, creating something that is more focused on electronica and soft industrial.

The 12-song LP mixes indie rock with bold synthesizers. ‘80s-inspired pop also plays a huge role throughout the disc. “Going With You” is a prime example of this, as Grainger mixes creative beats with light, airy keyboards and echoing synths. On “The Streets Are Still A Mess,” Grainger combines both his normal, melodic singing vocals with low, gritty speaking, coming together to make a multidimensional sound. “Let’s Move To NYC” features a plucky bassline that brings funk to the album and a shredding, screeching guitar

There is a fair amount of weirdness throughout the disc as well. The simple yet bizarre “I Want Sebastien Grainger” closes with nothing but the singer making strange noises with a computerized effect added on top of it, causing it to be even more peculiar. “Some People Are Ghosts,” the last track on the album before it kicks into the mostly electronic “Finale,” Grainger opens with an eerie, off-key piano that fades into a warped sample.

Sebastien Grainger finds a way to make this all work for him. The finished product is a musically tight and engaging record featuring song after song bound to get stuck in his audience’s heads, and is worth a listen even for those who are not usually a fan of this kind of music.

In A Word: Intriguing