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A brand new series of conversations with artists, authors, and curators who are pushing music forward.
Welcome to a new episode of the forward series, where we invite musicians, artists, authors, and curators to present their work and ideas. We're inviting, a wide range of people that we feel are releasing projects that are inspiring us and projects that, are pushing music forward in different ways. So today, I'm super happy to welcome a group that has put out two EPs that have been on heavy, heavy, heavy rotation at my house and, DJ gigs. I had the pleasure of catching them live at a intimate show in Montreal. I think it was two weeks ago.
Lexis:And it was just such a blissful show, perfect venue, perfect lighting, perfect everything, and it was just one of my favorite small shows in a in a really long time. And they're actually a family band. And their music is a super, super unique world that just combines a lot of my favorite influences in a in a unique way. So welcome to the show, Ashley, Melissa, and n one sound. Good to have you.
Lexis:Yes. Hi. So where are you John, you're in Toronto. Ashley, you're in Victoria, BC. And Melissa, you are?
Teal:I'm in Toronto.
Lexis:Okay. Awesome. I'll be there beginning next week. So first of all, thanks for thanks for joining. I know we we all have busy lives.
Lexis:I really wanted to do this right after the show in Montreal, but you guys were were on that, that tour grind. So Our mini three day tour.
Teal:Yeah. It was a grind though for real.
Teal:It was. It was.
Lexis:Was it? Yeah. So the the the newest EP came out just a few weeks ago, titled Original Watercolor. It's out It's out on your label, Spiritual World. So the first question for any or all three of you, since putting out a record is such a process, such a vulnerable thing, how does feel for it to be out there?
Lexis:What's reaction to the first impressions? And, yeah, anything you feel to share.
Teal:It's good. I feel like this is the it's like the quickest turnover from, like, recording to release that I've ever experienced. And I think we have we have n one sound. We have Jonathan for Waste
Teal:of time.
Teal:Yeah. Time's of the essence. Yeah.
Teal:He's talking about the feeling of how it feels to be out, you know?
Teal:Oh, yeah.
Teal:It just feels fast
Teal:and fast and fun. And
Lexis:and the reaction for, like, know, just to just to see the record in in record stores in in Toronto, Montreal, obviously. But, you know, just to see, you know, people starting to pick it up and and and react to it. What's what's what's your reaction to that?
Teal:My reaction is just like, what? Like like, in the best way, like like, this it just feels so, like, unplanned, but just, like, fell together in this way that's just, like, I'm still kind of, like, puzzled about, but also just so happy about because, you know, obviously, like, we live in different cities and Ash and I, you know, played muse played music not played music growing up, but we were in choir and stuff together growing up. So it's like, it's just this coming togetherness that we didn't really think was ever gonna happen and then just kind of, like, fell into place in this very, like, strange and magical way. And, like, I don't know. It's well, I can let we'll we'll we'll get there.
Teal:I'll actually divulge more about that. But, like, yeah, it it feels it feels very organic. But, like, even though it it all has happened really fast, it hasn't felt rushed. It's felt very, like like, natural and yeah. Mhmm.
Teal:Like, meant to be. I don't know.
Teal:Yeah. I think that's a good way to put it. You know? It does there is something about, like, the entire band that just feels meant to be. I think that's, like, a great way to put it.
Teal:And, yeah, with this record coming out and, like, how it feels, yeah, it's just it feels like Ashley said, it feels really good. You know? It's, like, super nice to see the reception of this music, you know, across peers and strangers. And it's like it's like creating new, you know, circles of friends for us, and it's like happening, like, almost just as quickly as the music is being released or something. It's like a very, simultaneous kind of feeling.
Teal:You know? Like, it's very I think what we feel is what other people feel, which is very interesting to me, and it's maybe the first time I've ever experienced that with music personally.
Lexis:Amazing. Well well, let's play one song from, from the EP. And then after that, I wanna ask you guys how you define the sound because it's such a combination of so many different styles that, I would love to hear it from you. So let's play, one of my favorites for sure, Locked Into Love.
Lexis:But I was locked into love. Go and scoop that up on, the spiritual world band camp or at your, favorite record stores. So yeah. So from my perspective, the the Teal universe, it it definitely feels like a combination of a lot of different influences. Like, I think I was telling someone at, at the show or at the at the party.
Lexis:I was like, it's like they put, like, 20 of my favorite records in a blender, and, like, it out came this thing. That that is very, very unique and in my mind, not derivative at all, like, very, very unique. So I just I wanted to hear it from you. So how would you describe the teal sound to the uninitiated?
Teal:Oh.
Lexis:Yeah. In terms of style or in terms of influences or or or emotions or whatever.
Teal:Yeah. Ashley, how do you describe it to people?
Teal:What did I what have I been saying? It's like like, Fluton based dub soul, like, something. Like, flute forward based centric dub something. Yeah. Like, it's sort of, yeah.
Teal:I don't really know how to categorize it, Jon. I feel like you're more of, like, the genre person.
Teal:Oh, no. You have to. You have
Teal:to do it.
Teal:Yeah. I mean, I think I think it's yeah. I it's it's definitely got, like, a soul element. It's definitely got a dub element, and it definitely, like, sounds like it has, like it sounds pretty UK to me, you know? And but I think that's, like but I think we're, like, kinda, like, funkier than some of those UK sounds, which I think get a little, like, cold or something.
Teal:And I have, like I don't know. I think about, like, Canada in a very interesting place because, like, as a colony of Britain, we were fed a lot of, like, British influences and records. But, like, being like, we also get, like, wind like, we get Detroit radio stations in in Ontario, and I'm sure you get Seattle radio stations in BC. And so, like, I think, like, the sound of teal is, like, kind of, like, Canadian. It could only exist in Canada because it's, like, the funkiness of America with, like, kind of, like, the broken beat esque kind of world of Britain or something.
Teal:And, like, I know that's not really answering the question, but, like, like, I think about it often in terms of, like, why does this sound this way? And I I think it's just because of where we live a little bit. You know?
Teal:Then covered in maple syrup. That's what you have to say because you didn't include the Canada flavor. But I was
Teal:gonna say ice cream flavor if
Teal:you were describing it, what would it be?
Teal:Oh, man.
Teal:John, now I'm interviewing. Putting on this part.
Teal:I think somebody had a coffee on the 401.
Lexis:I would say, like, butterscotch or something.
Teal:Yeah. For sure.
Teal:Yeah. Yeah.
Teal:Yeah. Definitely. But, yeah, it's it's like I guess it's like left field, I don't know, electron like, experimental soul or something. I feel like the dub element's there, but only in a production way. It's not, like, super present in, like, the makeup of, like, the actual music or melodies, but the, yeah, experimental electronic soul, I guess, something like that.
Lexis:Well, to me, I I've said this in in many, many interviews and conversations. Like, to me, I'm always chasing for as as mostly a curator and DJ and listener, I'm always chasing for that you put the needle on the record and you're like, what the hell is this? Like, that's to me, like, it's one of the best things that you can say about a new record or an artist or whatever that it does of course, it's, you know, nothing comes from nothing, but it's it's gonna give me shades of this and this and this, but, the combination is is is really unique and, yeah. I love it. Yeah.
Lexis:Yeah. Yeah. So you're actually you're actually a family band. Band. So that's kind of like, I think I think we're like, we we've sort of like, it's the fan the concept of the family band is sort of a lost art, isn't it?
Lexis:Like, because when I think family band, I'm thinking of like, you know, like soul groups from the sixties and seventies or or like a folk country band or things like that. So, you know, tell me the the genesis of of the of the of the family band.
Teal:Oh, we're all married to each other. No. Yeah. Mel Mel and I are sisters, and John is our well, John is Mel's husband. So we're sister wife's band.
Teal:But Ashley has a, a partner and and child. A child. But they're
Teal:not in the band, but that's TBD. We know you never know. It could be we could make it bigger at some point too. Yeah.
Lexis:But how did that come in the relationship of, like, you know, hey, we should actually start making music together with the three of us or,
Teal:Well, yeah, John and have oh, John and Mel had been in a band together for many years, and I have been in my own project on the West Coast and, like, our styles were just very different. Like, they always played sort of more like like, teenager was, like, punk. Mhmm. Started off with, like, punk roots, and then is more kind of I don't know. You you just you you changed genres or I'm not exactly sure what exactly you guys are now.
Teal:But, and then I always sort of played in this, like, very poppy West Coast sort of, you know, CBC friendly band, Hey Ocean. And we never really it just I always put, like, John and Mel on this, like, cool guy pedestal where I was like, these guys are, like, you know, these cool guys. Like, my musical taste is, like, you know it was just so different. We was and it never ever made sense to, like you know, we would never play on the same bill. But I think as time has gone on, like, our musical tastes have sort of, like, just come together or just become, like, you know, matter way less or there's less, like, ego probably involved in both of our ends or I don't know what it is, but, it also, like, kinda came out of what how do we do how do we figure out how that we were gonna do this?
Teal:I I Oh, Ashley, you know. Well, it was definitely, like like, I I went I did an Ayahuasca ceremony. In twenty in twenty that was two two years ago. So it was in twenty twenty three three. And I I just went sort of randomly to Oregon because I met this guy at a festival that was like, yeah, host Ayahuasca ceremonies.
Teal:I was like, sounds like something I need to do. And I just, like, kind of come I was coming out of, like, early motherhood, and, like, I was, like, I didn't know how to be creative. I was, like, really stuck. And, yeah, I just went to this ceremony with total strangers in Oregon, and something that really came through in that time was, like, connecting with family and just like this really, really potent connection with my instrument, which is the flute, which like I hadn't really owned, I don't think before. And I I got to play my my alto flute, especially this like new instrument on alto flute, which is like just a bit of a bassier sound in this ceremony.
Teal:And like, while I was on the medicine and it was like this insane experience that I was just, like, I was so free, and I had all these, like, memories streaming through of, like, you know, being a kid. And I went to I, like, took food as in I went to music school or sorry. Yeah. My our grandma, Melon, my grandma paid for us to go to this, like, music academy, and I got kicked out because I, like, wasn't ever good at reading music. And, anyway, yeah, I just I came out of it and was like, I think, like, I think we need to I think I need to make an album with Mel and John.
Lexis:So then you sold them on the idea?
Teal:No. Didn't take any cut John because John and I had sort of talked about it before. Like, remember on Salt Spring, we kinda had that conversation about, like, he was always, like, sending cool music to me and, like, I don't know, just obviously Spiritual World was releasing some really amazing stuff. And I was like, oh, it would be so cool to kind of, I don't know, just, like, do something like that, but I had no idea where to start. And John was like, well, you should just come to Toronto because, like, everything we have everything here, at the studio.
Teal:And, yeah, it was just this, like, moment of I I remember calling them after this after I got back from Oregon, I was like, you guys, like, you wouldn't believe the shit that happened. We were we
Teal:were behind a a curtain, and we opened the curtain and we're, like, beckoning you. Come play music and try.
Teal:Yeah. There was some some strong visuals. Some, like yeah. I was like, I was in this weird theater and, like, these, yeah, these velvet curtains opened and Mel and John were just like Listen your hallucinations. Yeah.
Teal:Kind of these, like, glowing orbs, like, telling me to, like, like, come on. Come on. We got this. And, yeah, it was it was definitely, like, a strong pull to to to just, like, yeah, create something totally new and, like, yeah, dive into that unknown. And and and also, like, really really own, like, really take the flute to, like, a new level because it's, you know, I played flute in my in my, like, indie pop band for years, and I never was, like, ever able or, like, the guys were never open to to me playing, like, a flute solo ever.
Teal:48 bars. It was all just, like, play play the part, like, do the thing. It's not like we were not, like, a flute band. We're, like, a pop band, and because the flute kinda was this weird thing we were trying to fit into it. Anyway, it was really, really freeing.
Teal:It was, like, the most freeing thing ever to, like, come to the studio with Mal and John and just, yeah, just really vibe out.
Teal:Did they make you feel like you were cool like, playing the flute was cool?
Teal:Absolutely. Well, it just gave me this, like, new appreciation for my instrument, especially, like, John's enthusiasm to, like like, me playing a thing. Like, it was so like, I've never had that reception before for of someone just, like, who's, like, you know, behind the, like, engineering and just, like, you you know, just put a microphone in front of me and let me let me go. You know? Yeah.
Teal:I mean, it's I've said it before. It's, like, actually playing flute in that context when we're recording, like, I wanna, like, I think it put it on record that, like, those flute takes are, like, that's one take. Mhmm. You know what I mean? Those aren't, like, comped.
Teal:That's, like, one performance, and, like, I do my absolute very best to not alter it in any kind of way. And because I think it is like, Ashley does have the the true gift of speaking through an instrument,
Teal:and
Teal:being present for that is an extraordinary experience.
Lexis:Well, I can definitely attest, yeah, I can definitely attest to that as I caught you live, and I really recommend that for anyone who can catch you guys live. So, yeah, it was great hearing a little bit more about the origin story. So let's why don't we play a track from the first EP at the origin of the Teal universe? The EP was called bluish green. You can get that on Bandcamp, and let's play a track called yellow moon.
Lexis:That was yellow moon taken from the first EP, bluish green. Yeah. So really what struck me beyond the the whole mixing of the genres so hard to pin down as, even you guys were struggling to to define it, which which I think is such a great thing. What also struck me is the sort of sonic world building that that felt like you guys constructed very aquatic and frogs and wetlands and, and all of these sounds that, that are such a big sort of element of of the group. So I guess you sort of did answer that question for me is that all of that is sort of spontaneous, and I guess Ayahuasca trips and trips of different kinds started to build this world organically.
Teal:Oh, yeah. The frogs the frogs that are in the in frog kingdom on the on the second record, they're actually, like, field recordings that I, like, recorded when I was in Oregon on this Ayahuasca journey where I was like, this is I felt like Mel and John were, like, calling to me from the the swamp, and, like, it was like, I these are these are my people, and I we have get these guys on the recording. So, yeah, John John included those, and it was kind of this perfect little yeah. It added to
Teal:the With
Teal:pleasure. Recording.
Lexis:I have a playlist on Spotify that I haven't published yet, but I I it's to me, I I I feel confident in saying it's the world's biggest collection of songs featuring crickets. So I'm up to, like, something like I don't know. I feel like 60. So every every time I come across a cricket cricket song, you know? Oh, one for the playlist.
Teal:Oh, cool.
Lexis:Please find a way to include crickets on your on the next record, please.
Teal:I mean, do frogs eat crickets?
Teal:Yes. Oh, yeah. For sure.
Teal:Then then no problem.
Lexis:Okay. Done.
Teal:Yeah. Let's get them. They wouldn't get them.
Lexis:I will feel shouted out. So I guess this this next one is is a way for you guys to shout out your influences, more specifically the ones that led to Teal, maybe records that you like or whatever. So if I were to file the the Teal the Teal album in a record store, where does it belong? You can also invent a section. You can also what next to which record on the wall should it be?
Lexis:Oh. Or in which section, or you can make up a section. Like, for example, one of my favorite sections in in a record store that I that I saw recently is sort of, like, the I forget what the exact wording, but it was essentially the what the fuck section, like, kind of, like, the, like, unclassifiable kind of, like, stuff. So anything anything comes to mind. Influences.
Teal:Well, hopefully, it's not the hopefully, it's not in the used section, number one. Aw. No doubt. You know? Or the discount bin.
Teal:That that's I guess, it's less than the used section. Yeah. I mean, what happened on this might sound a little lame, but, like, the on that tour, like, we started to get comparisons to Erika DeCassier, I think is say her name. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Teal:And and I was like, I have no idea who this person is. Like, I had no idea. And we listened to the her first record on the drive to Hamilton. And I was like, I guess I can I can see it on the first one more than the the later ones, I think? But I think that's, like, a pretty, like, I don't know, like, apt record to be beside.
Teal:I don't think they're very I don't think they're the same in any way, but I think, like, a lot of people are hearing things in a similar way Mhmm. Which was interesting to us and an amazing thing to get turned on to an artist like that who now I love, you know, but I had no idea who that person was until those references started to emerge. And they and they came quickly and all at the same time, which I thought was interesting from different people and stuff. So
Lexis:So that's that's a good one. Melissa, Ashley, any any influences that you would like, if you ever saw your record next to such and such, you'd be like, yes.
Teal:Yeah. I mean, maybe, like, kind of some trip hop records. Like, I'm thinking, like, Morchiba, like kind of the, you know, just the beats and the just sort of the way that we sing. And, yeah, mean, I grew up I loved, like, yeah, some of those records growing up, like, she reported his head and and, or, like, Erica Badoo.
Teal:Yeah.
Teal:Can we can we be on can we be there?
Teal:Can we? I don't know.
Teal:Really? I don't think so.
Teal:That's that's influence. I mean, Ashley listened to a lot of that stuff growing up, and I, like I I think for for me, I just the way I pictured it, like, I remember seeing the, like I think it was a few different I think it was an interview with TomTom Club, and and they were just talking about the recording and, like, they're like, Shinoe and his sisters do, like, backups and, like, singing in that band. And I was just, like, I like that I I and I I love the TomTom Club, and I just I feel like that kind of playfulness too. Like, it's not like, we're not super serious. Like, I I feel like with like, there's a certain mood with Portis Head and, a seriousness, but it's, fuck.
Teal:It's really fucking cool. And, we're not that cool. Like, we're totally total goofs. So, like, we're I feel like the the playfulness is really important for us and, like, not taking ourselves too too seriously and also realizing that, like, you know, these these influences are, like, just they they trickle down in this way that, like, we don't really know, like, how how it happens, but it just kind of, like, happens and it's more just, like, a tribute to, like, whatever. I mean, people are gonna gonna hear what they what they wanna hear what however they've been it's the music's been presented to them, but, like, I Mhmm.
Teal:I don't know. I kind of, like, think of that kind of, like, a light vibe singing in a studio, doing this thing that's, like, not, like, I don't know, super, super serious in that sense. Sorry. I'm trailing off. I'm just like
Lexis:No. I mean
Teal:But yeah.
Lexis:Yeah. To me, that's the proof of, like that's why I was kinda, like, saying to a friend the the the whole blender thing because that's what it made me feel because it wasn't all the all the references that we mentioned so far, it it didn't feel like one more than the other. It's just like the sum of all those parts. And, yeah, definitely the trip up thing, for sure.
Teal:Maybe Paul Horn. Can we can we add Paul Horn in there?
Teal:Yeah. That's the horny that we're
Teal:talking about horny. True. You know? It's Paul. It's all Paul.
Teal:Alexis?
Lexis:Yeah. Yeah. I think I have a few tracks. Didn't he do, like, a really cool higher higher ground cover?
Teal:Oh, no. He's he's like a I don't think he's done a cover. Maybe he has? I don't know.
Lexis:He's done a Stevie Wonder cover.
Teal:Really? Yeah. Don't Hey. He's, like, he's a flautist.
Lexis:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think I think Yeah. Yeah.
Lexis:Yeah.
Teal:And I think that's
Lexis:the only track I I know of him. But
Teal:Oh, man. The that. Inside the Great Pyramid is the one to check out. You can find it in, like, thrift stores across the country, and it's an amazing album. It's like my my 10 out of 10.
Teal:If Pitchfork asked me to do it, calling it Pitchfork here, I'm gonna do that one for sure.
Lexis:Amazing. Amazing. Well, yeah, for me for me, it definitely gave me kinda like Julie Cruz. I don't know if you know Julie Cruz. Yeah.
Lexis:It definitely gave me just like Julie Cruz, but for sure, The UK thing kind of like soul to soul loose ends that kind of Yeah.
Teal:Yeah. Yeah.
Lexis:That kind of vibe. And then, you know, Mad Professor, and then and then the the trip hop the trip up for sure, and then the and then the jazz flute. You know? So such a unique such a unique mix. Yep.
Lexis:So, yeah, I guess I guess last question. I don't wanna keep you too long. Yeah. I just wanted to, you know, know where you think the project is going next, or do you have any tour dates? I mean, obviously, the the the the show was really, really great.
Lexis:I mean, I I anyone that I could kind of speak to after, I was like, you gotta book this at Mutek. You gotta book this at so and so. You gotta you know? Sweet.
Teal:Thank you.
Lexis:So so what's what's next on the what's next on the menu? Well,
Teal:we're doing some West Coast dates in the summer, like August and September. And I don't know. I just saw a message from John that said he's, like, started working on beats for t l three, but Yesterday. No no pressure. Yeah.
Teal:I feel like probably making more more music, but But also, like, learning learning these songs was super it was hard. It was really hard because it was all improvised. Right? A lot of it, like, the flute stuff was, you know, trying to, like, recreate and Mel having to play bass but singing, which she overdubbed. Like, it was yeah.
Teal:It was a big task. And also, like, just the way the the songs flow, there's not a lot of, like, structure to them. Like and so singing, like, you know, it just sometimes you just, like, get lost in the song, and John would be like, it's now. Like, you're coming in now. So it was, like, a totally totally, well, trick tricky thing for me to kind of nail down as far as, like, live performance.
Teal:So I'm I'm excited to do more live performances because we really put some some time into rehearsing and getting them ready for for stage. Mhmm. Yeah. Absolutely. The UK?
Teal:Let's go to The UK. Let's go to Europe.
Teal:I wanna go.
Teal:Let's do it.
Teal:Let's go. Absolutely. Yeah. Definitely. And playing the feeling of playing in this band is extremely enjoyable.
Teal:So I just wanna feel that more. You know? You know? So let's do that. But, yeah, another record, I think.
Teal:You know? Like, I just started I might make the whole thing out of MPC 2,000 XL. I'm I'm considering it, which is like a statement, but I'm I probably won't do that, but that's where I'm starting. And just to get just to do something different with it a little bit and and get legs, but we'll see. We'll see.
Teal:Yeah.
Lexis:That's amazing. Well, you're welcome in in Montreal anytime. Hope we I hope to see you I hope to see you at the show very soon, and I hope to see you I hope to hear the new the next record whenever whenever it's ready, and I hope it's just as horny as the last ones.
Teal:It's so horny. It's horny.
Lexis:For sure. Amphibious amphibious horny music.
Teal:Well, we may just have to move to Montreal if we have as much fun as we had this past time because it was, like, honestly, like, yeah. I don't know it's
Teal:my birthday. So I was like, this is yeah. It was just the absolute best.
Teal:So we are so thankful. And it was such
Teal:a beautiful setting. I don't know if
Teal:we could capture that that in a bottle again, but it was, yeah, it was amazing. We were so so happy to play.
Lexis:Alright. Well, thanks so much for your time, and, keep up the amazing work. Beautiful, beautiful music, and it was a pleasure to talk to you guys.
Teal:Yeah. Awesome. Well, thanks so much.
Teal:Okay. You so much.