Hear Grimes’ New Group, Membrain

Photographer Kadeem Johnson
March 26, 2012

Before Visions was released, Claire Boucher bka Grimes formed a techno- and kind of industrial-leaning duo with Montreal street musician Tim Lafontaine, who makes a living busking improvised noise. Their group is called Membrain, and they've compiled an EP, Sit Back, Rewind. The general structure of most songs, like "Black Candels" and "Sit Back, Rewind," is manipulated stop-and-starts of Boucher's signature high-pitched mumble-tones over uncomplicated drum loops. But it's like there's a step missing. In a guest post on Gorilla vs. Bear last month, Boucher called Lafontaine "the coolest live show in Montreal," so maybe Soundcloud streams aren't the right way to approach this. Without the benefit of seeing the songs unfold live, the best tracks are simply those featuring the most elements: "Airic," which includes, notably, fragments of Boucher's Grimes song "Symphonia IX," and "Grime," with its melody-hinting cow bell. Stream those two below and the rest here.

Stream: Membrain, "Airic"

Stream: Membrain, "Grime"

Hear Grimes’ New Group, Membrain