Montreal collective Busty and the Bass released a two-song single package today: “Airplanes,” featuring Polaris Music Prize winner Cadence Weapon, and “Caribou.”
With the band’s signature blend of jazz and funk, “Airplanes,” a house-influenced rap track, “started as an electronic beat, reminiscent of one of those dingy Montreal afterparties where the line between late night and early morning ceases to exist,” says the group’s guitarist Louis Stein. “Bringing it to the band brought new life to the groove and when we got Cadence on the track, he gave it meaning and helped make this beat into a song.”
The track is a refreshingly upbeat tune with groovy elements and party-ready instrumentals. Vocalist and keyboardist Alistair Blu trades verses on the track with Cadence Weapon, who explains the single is about “finding a way to allow yourself to truly relax and disconnect in the age of the notification.”
The inspiration for “Caribou,” the brain-child of piano player Eric Haynes, “is a bit of Radiohead, a bit of Floating Points, with the production of live instruments mimicking how electronic elements and drum sequencers might sound,” Blu explains. “A few of the parts are taken from group jams live off the floor, while others are overdubs. The song journeys through peaks and valleys of strings and horns, and is driven forward by the movement of Julian’s drum performance.”
“Airplanes” and “Caribou” mark the first new music for Busty and the Bass since their 2020 breakout album, Eddie, which was recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer and sonic guide Neal Pogue (Tyler The Creator, Outkast, Anderson .Paak) and executive producer Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire). They have amassed over 45 million streams worldwide since their debut in early 2015.
Check out “Airplanes” and “Caribou” above.
