The Almighty Rhombus is out here grinding. They’ve been perfecting their sound and material for the past three years, working on demos and experimenting with new songwriting methods. Their genre-spanning new songs touch on psychedelia, punk, garage, soul/R&B, stadium rock, new wave, and alternative rock, all packaged in songs crammed full of unforgettable hooks. These are tunes that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
SWISH is the first work to come out of this new creative process. The drought is over.
SWISH was produced by Rock Legend Ian Blurton (Public Animal, C’Mon, Change of Heart), who has produced records for the Weakerthans, Elliot Brood, and Attack in Black. Ian’s fingerprints are all over this record, which was recorded live off the floor at Pro Gold Studios in Toronto using real analog instruments and no digital emulation. Check out SWISH below!
We caught up with the band as they talked about their latest release and more!
So how has the release of Swish gone down with fans so far?
The fans love it, but the haters can’t stand it cause they know they can’t touch us.
Can you tell us something about the release that no one else knows?
There is a secret origin to the artwork, and there’s a clue in this interview 😉
What is your favourite track from the EP?
I’ve listened to the EP at least 100 times at this point, and Maiden is one that I look forward to each time. It hasn’t got any overdubs on it, so it’s just the sound of the band playing live off the floor, but the space in the song and the dynamics of the band make it special. With Ian, we really tried to create unique moments and textures on each song, so there’s something to come back for on each listen. Hopefully, it’ll take a few listens through the EP before you can digest everything that’s happening.
How was it working with Casper Skulls’ Neil Bednis?
Neil is a longtime friend, and a fantastic songwriter. We have a second tune that he wrote with us that we play live regularly and that we’ll get around to recording eventually, and I’d love it if he continued to write for us (though he’s super busy with Casper Skulls). We’ve been taking a more collaborative approach to songwriting, and it’s unlocked a lot of new sounds and styles for us. We’re really opening up our sound, and a big part of that has been accepting other songwriting voices.
If you could work with any band on a new song, who would it be and why?
Kanye West. As a rapper, he’s marginal, but he’s a genius creative force, a restless sonic experimenter, and it’s remarkable how long he’s been in control of the zeigeist. Or, Ric Ocasek, who would give us that *chef’s kiss* perfect rock sound. If we were to collaborate with an actual band, probably Spoon, who’ve consistently worked to innovate within a pop/rock framework.
Will you be touring at all this year?
We’re gonna play shows in Sudbury, and in Toronto, but no extensive touring. We’re gonna keep recording and releasing music cause we spent a lot of time on the road the past few years honing our live sound. When people are screamin for it, we’ll come to their town.
What do you get up to in your spare time when not working on music?
I always have tons of projects on the go, but this summer, I’m obsessed with cooking real spicy food that no one can tolerate but me. I made some stewed oxtail recently with jamaican rice and peas and it was *chef’s kiss*. Also been getting back into golf this summer after a bit of a hiatus. We’re blessed with a bunch of good-quality golf courses up here in Sudbury.
What was the first ever gig you went to?
Green Day at the Sudbury Arena. Billy Joe Armstrong dropped his pants and showed the audience his ass. It was firm.