WAYFINDING IS THE NEW MUSICAL PROJECT FROM CASSIA HARDY (WARES), RYAN BEATTIE (HIMALAYAN BEAR, CHET), MAREK TYLER AND MATTHEW CARDINAL (nêhiyawak)
WATCH / SHARE “BAD BLOOD” VISUALIZER HERE
BUY / STREAM “BAD BLOOD” HERE
Photo Credit : Levi Manchak // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
Wayfinding’s debut performance took place at this summer’s Calgary Folk Music Festival and they are quickly building a receptive audience for an anticipated release. The band, which includes musician/artist Cassia Hardy (guitar), Marek Tyler (drums), Ryan Beattie (vocals/guitar) and Matthew Cardinal (bass/keys), is somewhat enigmatic and induced by the current moment and nature of the world around us. We are here for it, supporting each through each chord change and chorus and playing songs together.
Today, they share their debut single, “Bad Blood” via Victory Pool Records. “I first read the lyrics and saw a person frustrated, mad, and coming to terms with a narrative that he had been sold and was now in the position of either turning a blind eye or doing something about it,” says Tyler. “For me, it reminded me of how much I love playing with Ryan.”
WATCH / SHARE “BAD BLOOD” VISUALIZER HERE
BUY / STREAM “BAD BLOOD” HERE
“Bad Blood” Single Artwork // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
MORE ABOUT WAYFINDING
Cardinal and Tyler’s other project, nêhiyawak, received both Polaris Music Prize and JUNO Award nominations, and they bring a wealth of creative history to this new endeavour. Tyler’s subtle percussion and Cardinal’s synth soundscapes and melodic bass playing are an ideal complement to Beattie’s winding chord progressions, keeping the listener on track through each unexpected curve.
With his mix of matter-of-fact narratives and off-kilter vocals, which generally float above a rubbery mix of synthesized tones, electronic blips, and dreamy guitars, songwriter multi-instrumentalist Ryan Beattie is genuinely hypnotic and alluring, as Wayfinding. As the creative driver behind Chet and Himalayan Bear (also works with Frog Eyes, Kathryn Calder, Ashley Shadow, and Pink Mountain Tops) Wayfinding have made fans of Destroyer's Dan Bejar and Islands' Nick Thorburn, among others, and one can hear why. The playfully clever and intellectually amusing, postmodern pop craft on display here seems right up their respective alleys. It's heartfelt and fascinating music well-thought-out by Beattie.
One of Wayfinding's cool tricks is this expression isn't marred in preciousness. Brushed with reverb, Beattie sings emotively with witty intention but articulate and direct; his lyrics are unsettling and mysterious, occasionally replete with wry jokes that elicit nervous laughter and bewildered surprise. And yet, Wayfinding is uniquely haunting in its honesty, demanding listeners revisit these strange and lovely songs again and again.
Watch for more new music from Wayfinding in the near future.