Busting out of the music wasteland: Synthcake

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      When vocalist Lana Pitre took possession of her first synth for the defunct Like Animals Again, she left the dreary old three-dimensional world with all its boring guitars behind, exploding with bandmates Adam Horn (keys), Chris Martell (drums), Kristy-Lee Audette (trumpet), and Nathan Shubert (accordion) into a phosphorescent new realm where everything sounds like a circus orchestra made out of sponge crashing into a Brazilian kids TV show. Musicophilia couldn’t possibly be a more apt title for Synthcake’s EP.

       

      The year’s best gig

      “No Band, Apollo Ghosts, and My Friend Wallis at the Planetarium [June 21]. I rushed there right from work with my backpack and everything and I walked in just as My Friend Wallis was playing trippy, dreamy, beach pop with all these lights everywhere, and all of a sudden it’s like you’re in space, but it’s retro looking, with these dreamy vocals over top. And of course, Apollo Ghosts are always awesome. It was just the coolest night.”

      We’re road-tripping. Who’s on the stereo?

      “Les Amis au Pakistan, Espace Libidinal. They’re my heroes and I can’t even explain it. They’re from Montreal and it’s crazy, dance, electro, French pop, with really interesting, fat beats, and it’s so eclectic, and strange, and insane.”

      The Straight’s paying, so where’s dinner?

      “Cielo’s Tapas and Oyster Bar [15069 Marine Drive, White Rock]. I go there with my family often, and I just love it. Every dish. It’s one of those places where you look around and everyone is shaking their head, ‘Mmmm,’ all speechless because the food’s so good. Been around for years.

      Vancouver needs a sex-tape scandal. Who’s your co-star?

      “Liz Horner from Role Mach is pretty sexy. Actually, Synthcake as a whole thinks she’s sexy. We’re not attracted to untalented people. It’s such a deal breaker.”

      Jimmy Pattison’s fronting the money. Where are we opening a venue?

      “Behind the Centre for Digital Media [577 Great Northern Way]. There’s a whole bunch of old vehicles and crap, but if you go a bit farther there’s this huge space right in front of this beautiful old train that just sits there. It’d be cool if we could put in some installations and just go all out. If we had a lot of money.”

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