Montreal shoegazers, led by singer/songwriter Jasamine White-Gluz, have announced their new album Motherhood—their first album in five years. It’s out on August 21 via Joyful Noise Recordings and Hand Drawn Dracula. The news also arrives with their lead single “Birthmark” and an accompanying video. Motherhood follows their 2015 full-length More Faithful.
“Birthmark” is dramatic, radiant and at its core, joyfully alive. It’s silvery yet colorful and glitchy yet smooth. If you were wondering what would happen if beatific art-pop, invigorating dance-rock and limitless trip-hop collided, look no further than this triumphant new single from No Joy.
White-Gluz explains the inspiration behind “Birthmark”:
While in the studio, I wanted to keep the energy fun and throw any ideas at the wall. We ended up watching the video for Puff Puff Give by Hannah’s Field, pulled out some bongos, a broken clarinet, drank 12 bottles of sake and did group chants. I wrote the song loosely based around my time visiting an elderly loved one in a senior’s residence years ago. There’s currently a devastating crisis happening in these homes across Canada and it makes me feel incredibly helpless not being able to do anything. It’s important to check in/write letters to seniors who might be in isolation right now.
“We made this video while in quarantine,” White-Gluz says of the video. “I filmed myself at home and asked my very talented friend Jordan to help build a world around the footage. Diavion had been dancing to No Joy on his Instagram and I was a huge fan so reached out and asked him to choreograph a routine for this song.”
Listen to “Birthmark” below, and watch their 2018 Daytrotter session. Scroll down to view the Motherhood artwork and tracklist, and you can preorder the album here.
Motherhood Album Artwork:
Motherhood Tracklist:
01. Birthmark
02. Dream Rats (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)
03. Nothing Will Hurt
04. Four
05. Ageless
06. Why Mothers Die
07. Happy Bleeding
08. Signal Lights
09. Fish
10. Primal Curse
11. Kidder
