Tender Opposites

TOPS form precious balances. They create emotionally powerful sonic experiences, with a contemporary understanding of the classic song structures which guide pop music. A close listen will reveal their assurance as musicians, but their experience derives from playing DIY shows in underground warehouse lofts, rather than going to school. There is a place for each note in their songs. Complexity disappears behind a veil of familiarity. The four members of TOPS wander through pop music's capacious past and, though comparisons can be made to yesterday, no clear lineage to a single influence can be drawn. Their broad musical vocabulary places them somewhere alongside contemporary bands who, taking the best aspects of pop music and the organic approach that comes from playing together, makes something that sounds fresh; distilling influences into something that is innovative in the present moment. Their sound is equally shaped by a deep rooted communication between each member. Because their sound comes from collaboration rather than effects or recording techniques, the production is bare and confidently minimal. Tender Opposites was written and recorded at Montreal's La Brique, the loft venue that serves as the creative hub for the Arbutus label. It was the block where all the current Arbutus roster (Blue Hawaii, Doldrums, Grimes, Sean Nicholas Savage, Tonstartssbandht) met and continue to enjoy themselves today. TOPS are an integral part of the Arbutus community, sharing a creative place (both geographically and artistically) where punk ethos and pop music collide.