TRAITRS – “MOUTH POISONS”
FREAKWAVE RECORDS
Not long ago, we premiered the single “Oh, Ballerina” by Toronto’s own TRAITRS and now, moving on, it’s only a logical progression that we should also dig the new single “Mouth Poisons” from one of the hottest buzz-bands amongst currently emerging post-punk and darkwave bands. This is excellence through and through – this song, the video and even their entire aesthetic.
For this release, TRAITRS’ Sean-Patrick Nolan and Shawn Tucker paired up with Freakwave, a Berlin-based label that is part of the Schubert Music Europe group (distribution by The Orchard) for autumn’s harvest – their long-player Horses In The Abattoir.
Get this cinematic blend of post-punk, goth, alternative and post-rock into your ears. This single marks a season of great releases in this genre, also populated by such artists as Pink Turns Blue, Revolution Above Disorder, The Academy of Sun and Permafrost. Great to see how the duo has gone from strength to strength with each successive release, ensuring that nobody will ever leave Toronto off the post-punk map, so to speak.
“The core sketch of this song was written late at night at a very good friend’s place in Frankfurt, Germany. “Mouth Poisons” is an extremely personal song and lyrically I set myself up as the main target. It carries an air of ‘come see what’s going inside of me that wants to burn down everything in sight’. Definitely my favourite single we have ever released to date,” says Shawn Tucker.
Recorded by and produced with Josh Korody (F*cked Up, Japandroids, Dilly Dally, Beliefs, Nailbiter) at Candle Recording Studio, the new output was mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Prince, Linkin Park, Katy Perry).
“Mouth Poisons” was initially supposed to be a fast, angular punk track and it remained in this form for several months until Shawn wrote the bass guitar part and completely changed the way I heard the song. His melodic bass line brought out a sadness and vulnerability in the track that I didn’t know was there. All of a sudden this frantic punk song sounded more like The Smiths or New Order, so I completely rewrote my synth part to tease out those elements even more. The break before the outro is one of my favourite parts on the album,” says Sean-Patrick Nolan.
Early demos, recorded with Josh Korody, led to TRAITRS’ 2016 debut cassette Rites And Ritual with Pleasence Records. After gaining traction in Europe and North America, TRAITRS released their critically acclaimed Butcher’s Coin LP via Pleasence Records / Manic Depression Records / Alchera Visions in 2018. Bolstered by lead single “Thin Flesh”, the duo embarked on several lengthy tours overseas, performing in over a dozen countries with showcases at Wave Gothik Treffen, Castle Party, Extramuralhas, Nocturnal Culture Night, Wavefest, Canadian Music Week and Pop! Montreal.
Their relentless touring schedule and work ethic caught the attention of Thomas Thyssen and Eric Burton of Schubert Music Publishing and, in October 2020, they announced TRAITRS as the first signing to their brand-new record label Freakwave Records.
With the preceding limited 10’’ vinyl The Sick, Tired And Ill, which practically sold-out before its actual release, TRAITRS were able to triple their Spotify monthly listeners to >33k. In addition, lead single “Magdalene” spent 5 consecutive weeks at #1 on the German Alternative Charts (DAC).
‘Mouth Poisons’ is out now everywhere digitally. Play, share and playlist it on Spotify. On November 19, the full-length Horses In The Abattoir LP will be released on vinyl, CD and digitally. It can be ordered HERE
CREDITS
Written and performed by TRAITRS
Shawn Tucker – Vocals, guitar, bass guitar and lyrics
Sean-Patrick Nolan – Synths, piano, sequencing and programming
Additional percussion by Josh Korody
Recorded at Candle Recording Studio in Toronto
Produced and mixed by Josh Korody and TRAITRS
Mastered by Pete Maher
Album cover design by Shawn Tucker, based on ‘Anna Pavlova In The Fokine/Saint-Saëns The Dying Swan. St. Petersburg – 1905’.
Video scenario and production by TRAITRS
Video directed and edited by Shawn Tucker
TRACK FEATURED BY DJ DREAMDOCTOR ON THE SENSORIA PODCAST | SEPTEMBER 24, 2021
TRAITRS
[Single]
(Freakwave Records)
Release Date: September 17, 2021
Artist Links
Background Photo Credit: Melina Crawford
