Aidan Knight
Versicolour (Adventure Boys Club)

If you’ve heard of Aidan Knight before now, chances are it’s because of his extensive experience as a supporting musician, as he has loaned his talents to a slew of local acts including the Zolas and Maurice. Despite having played second fiddle for so long, there’s nothing particularly modest about his solo debut, Versicolour, which pairs his hushed, reverent folk songs with lush string arrangements and grandiose choral harmonies.

Opener “The Sun” begins with a gentle, ticking electro beat and baroque piano chords, gradually swelling to a blissful crescendo of horns, violins, and crashing cymbals; Knight’s voice is nearly overwhelmed by the rich harmonies of the Toronto orchestral outfit the O’Darling, whose vocal and instrumental contributions ensure that the album is much more than just another singer-songwriter project.

“Eyelid Clicks” pushes Versicolour’s sound into more experimental terrain, its resonant piano chords accompanied by squeaks of feedback and burbling electronic noise. Knight similarly branches out on “Knitting Something Nice for You”, which begins as a gentle acoustic waltz before transforming into a hypnotic keyboard groove, Knight’s usually whispered vocals rising to a cracked yell.

The album’s only significant shortcoming is its length; with only eight tracks (one of which is more of an intro than a song), its brief running time somewhat undercuts the grandeur of its chamber-folk arrangements. Still, with songs this good, it’s a little mystifying that Knight was content to be a backing musician for so long.

Download this: “Jasper”