Thanya Iyer - KIND (Topshelf Records)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:

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WHAT WE SAY:

Hop on to Thanya Iyer's colourful carousel, and make sure you hold tight on this wild ride though Baroque framed soul, jazz, classical, pop & constantly surprising, playfully misbehaving arrangements, for Topshelf Records.

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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

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WHAT THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:

Crucial questions around healing, cultural identity, and disability are among the many subjects visited by Thanya Iyer's sophomore album, KIND. Although represented by a concise title, KIND explores an expansive universe where Iyer and her band examine interpersonal relationships, ideas of home and destination, and our collective responsibilities to one another. To aid in this journey of big, difficult questions, Iyer enlists the help of a huge cast of musicians, with guest features ranging from brass trios, vocal sextets, flautists, and harpists. 

Underscoring its explorative nature, the constant movement of KIND melds the sounds of experimental pop and improv into a magical amalgam that teems with flashes of jazz and nuanced electronics. Iyer's rhythm section pulsates with genre-defying palettes of blips and skitters that twist elegantly into the melodic voices of interlocking synth, strings, and piano, all led by Iyer's enrapturing lilt. The rhythmic direction of bassist Alexander Kasirer-Smibert and percussionist Daniel Gélinas clears a navigable path in an otherwise unnavigable setting, built on the pair's understated yet intriguing expertise. 

The most succinct distillation of the album's themes is perhaps found in KIND's tracklist. "Please Don't Hold Me Hostage for Who I Am, Who I Was" and "Bring Back That Which is Kind to You" inspire philosophies of self-care and emergent reconfigurations of justice, calling on listeners to self-reflect and detach from our preconceptions of ourselves and our identity. At the end of its course, KIND arrives at the conclusion of acceptance and resolve: acceptance of our collective circumstance, and the resolve to make the choice to do better.  
Credits
✧ Thanya Iyer: voice, synth, violin, piano 
✧ Alex Kasirer-Smibert: Bass, percussion, synth, voice 
✧ Daniel Gélinas: Drums, Drum machine, percussion, voice 

✧ Shaina Hayes: Voice (tracks 4,5) 
✧ Simon Millerd: Trumpet (tracks 2, 5, 6, 7, 8) 
✧ Mawmz Plus Choir [Shelby Cohen, Corey Gulkin, Emilie Kahn, Brigitte Naggar, Sarah Rossy, Tamara Sandor] (tracks 7,9) 
✧ Emilie Kahn: Harp (track 2) 
✧ Frédérique Roy: Accordion, Voice (track 6) 
✧ Devin Brahja Waldman: Saxophone (tracks 2, 3, 6) 
✧ Felix Del Tredici: Trombone (track 2, 6) 
✧ Anh Phung: Flute (track 3, 6, 11) 
✧ Scott Bevins: Trumpet + electronics (track 10) 

✧ Artwork by Emilie Muszczak 
✧ Lettering design by Sophia Grouev 
✧ Graphic Design by Kevin Duquette 

✧ All songs by Thanya Iyer 
✧ Produced by Daniel Gélinas, Alexander Kasirer-Smibert & Thanya Iyer 
✧ Additional lyrics by Daniel Gélinas (track 7) and Alexander Kasirer-Smibert (tracks 8, 10) 
✧ Recorded and Mixed by Daniel Gélinas at Studio Chocolat Chaud (Ogden, QC), St George’s Anglican Church (Montréal, QC) and Resonance Café (Montréal, QC) 
✧ Mastered by Elton Chueng at Classick Studios (Chicago, IL) 

✧ A big thank you to the Canada Council of the Arts for their continuous support in our music. 
✧ So much love and appreciation to Topshelf Records for being on this journey with us and believing in our music. 
✧ And eternal showers of love and gratitude to our friends, our families and our community that have kept us strong and supported throughout this process!

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