Spotlight Ottawa

Ottawa trip-hop band plays new album to packed house

On Saturday, April 5, local indie-pop outfit Sound of Lions filled Zaphod Beeblebrox and gave fans an intimate performance of their new record, Take Me With You. The record is their first release since 2011’s 11:44, and they played the record in its entirety for the appreciative Zaphods crowd. Sound of Lions was supported by experimental all-instrumental act Flying Hórses.

Flying Hórses consisted of Jáde Bergeron on a Wurlitzer piano and Raphael Weinroth-Browne on a cello. I had no previous knowledge of the band or their work, so the set-up was a nice surprise.

The room was thick with the unique tension that is created when everybody knows they’re about to hear something special, which the music of Flying Hórses certainly is. Their songs have a haunted music box quality, and Bergeron’s melancholic delivery and mastery of timing are an image and sound that brand upon the memory in permanent. They stuck in the head like pieces of hard candy in teeth, saving that sweetness away.

Yeah, I loved this performance. And so did everybody else.

I know they have another member on violin normally, but she was mysteriously absent, with no explanation from the band. The songs were new to me though, so I was none the wiser. And Weinroth-Browne takes up so much real estate with his cello that their sound was never lacking for personnel.

Sound of Lions took the stage to a packed house. Trip-hop isn’t exactly my “thing,” but I’ve had rewarding experiences in this city when stepping outside of my musical comfort zone. This was one of those evenings.

Singer Whitney DeLion looked just a bit nervous, endearingly. It seemed to fade fast once she started singing though. And sing she did. DeLion’s voice is deep, soulful, and sultry.

And her band is extremely poised—they augment her voice without ever making too much noise. They are a cohesive unit whose love of playing together seems to shine through during every song. Christian Awad’s intermittent raps are moody and on point, and complement DeLion’s voice perfectly. Jáde Bergeron joined the band for a song toward the end of the performance, to the audience’s delight.

I had a great time at this show. The mood was perfect, and both bands had something to offer that you don’t see often in this city. Enjoy these bands whenever you get the chance.

photos by – Scott Martin