Talkhouse Playlist: Interesting Characters and Mysterious Synths from Mozart’s Sister

Hear the songs that transport the multi-talented artist.

Montreal artist and producer Caila Thompson-Hannant (Mozart’s Sister) will be releasing her new album, Field of Love, tomorrow on Arbutus Records. According to Thompson-Hannant, the songs for this celebratory pop record came easily, as if she were floating in an actual field of love. To celebrate the release, she put together this eclectic playlist with songs from unique synth instruments, pioneering New Agers, ageless visionaries and more. Enjoy!
– Dave Lucas, Talkhouse Marketing Manager

Donnacha Costello – “Niigata Moment”
I have been slowly digesting the Donnacha Costello material from 2015 for nearly two years now. Both Stay Perfectly Still and Love from Dust were made with the mysterious Buchla Music Easel, a very unique synth both in its function and its sound. “Niigata Moment” drew me in over and over when I first found it.

Michael Nyman – “Fish Beach”
This song has so much power over me! I hear it and immediately get transported to a space where the universe makes perfect non-linear, non-thought sense. Hah! It’s amazing how well music can do that.

Nina Simone – “The Turning Point”
Nina Simone is an ageless visionary. In this song she sings from the perspective of a little girl at the turning point between wide-eyed curiosity and love of others and the constructs of difference and hate.

Iasos – “Celestial Soul Portrait”
Iasos is a very interesting character. A pioneering New Ager who continues to this day to not only make music but preach the spiritual benefits of celestial music. I highly recommend checking out his website.

Levantis – “Pieris Rapae”
I’ve been an Actress fan for many years and when I heard Levantis’ Romantic Psychology 1 I thought there must be a reason why I like this so much! It turns out is it is a new moniker of Darren Cunningham, a.k.a. Actress.

Klein – “Marks of Worship”
I am soon intrigued by L.A.-based Klein. Does she make music? Or is it more impressionistic audiovisual art? It feels like pop music but it clearly isn’t. I hope she keeps going and keeps to what she does.

Yves Tumor – “The Feeling when You Walk Away”
I am pretty excited that Pan records is putting out stuff that is a little left of what it has done in the last few years. Such a simple song based on a really satisfying sample; it just rolls and lets you go slow with it.

Inga Copland – “Advice to Young Girls”
The lyrics to this song are perfect. Inga is one half of Hype Williams (along with Dean Blunt) and I have been super into her own work over the last couple years.

Mariah – “Shisen”
I totally fell in love with this reissued ’70s Japanese record by a group (that may or may not have lasted more that one record) called Mariah. Shisen is close-up, distant, wooden and metal.