Timbre Timbre live at Alix Golden Hall, Victoria, BC on May 31st.

I was lucky enough to experience the ethereal styles of Timbre Timbre on their latest North American tour in Victoria. The Montreal based three piece musical project struck my interest a couple years back when I got to stumble upon Taylor Kirk’s unforgettable baritone voice, haunting lyrics and resonating presence in a local café. Four albums in Timbre Timbre got stronger, more experimental and creepier. That said, latest album “Creep on, Creepin On” is appropriately titled and contains some of their best work yet. Besides Kirk who sings, plays guitar, loop, drums, tickles keys and wails on the baritone guitar we have Simon Trottier on Lapsteel, electric guitar, loops, auto-harp, baritone guitar and percussion and Mika Posen on the violin, keys and percussion.

When three resonance musicians come together they can create more authentic, complicated and voluminous music that many five piece ensembles. Timbre Timbre has been described as “hauntingly beautiful” or the “elevator music to hell” in which we understand the music is scary like a Fine David Lynch film and a dark forest. This sensation of being scared is usually focused on film and ghost stories and contains little authenticity these days which is partly which I am so impressed the ability to pleasurably scare within music

The Venue was perfect for this experience, now that Timbre Timbre are receiving more deserved recognition they are filling larger locations. The Victoria venue was in a beautifully designed church with sensational acoustics now used solely as a conservatory for music tiled Alix Golden Hall. “Creep on Creepin On” was recorded in a church studio which seems to compliment the three perfectly .They played songs from all four albums including true resonator “Demon Host” which contained calm recognition and personal favorite “Like A Mountain” which was completely evocative. “Black Water” is an incredible studio song but became otherworldly live, as if spirits and ghosts reside within the song and come animate when played live. Before almost leaving us hanging with a show to short simply because it was so enrapturing they pleased us all with “Lonesome Hunter” from the new album, a truly textured and complex tune that somehow creates a calming and empathetic affect. The whole venue was subtly lit with the band members’ choice of illumination that was appropriately dark red like the blood of Dionysus. The hue of the lighting created a surreal affect on the epic organ above the audience, which contained of about 120 impressed individuals, all became intertwined and cozy church pews as if we were all part of one big creepy yet beautiful slumber party. I want to relive experience over and over and over, finding something new each time as many facets were explored in this musical seance.

Timbre Timbre is now heading up North, hitting the stated and eventually the UK. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to experience them live. In the meantime discover the latest album and get your creep on.