doldrums: lesser evil

Marooned in a world of 24-hour status updates, Doldrums – aka Toronto native Airick Woodhead – is out to reclaim a space for the individual in a hyper-connected society. Fusing classic pop melodies and electro-hallucinogenic freak-outs, Doldrums’ androgynous voice floats on a sea of chopped up samples and primal percussion to create the perfect soundtrack to nostalgia infused solitude. Beginning in 2010 as a series of videos and websites posted for fictional bands under various pseudonyms, Woodhead gained notoriety in Toronto as ‘Doldrums’ through performances at Everlasting Super Joy, his studio and DIY venue co-run with members of DD/MM/YYYY. 2011 marked his continued rise, with a burst of 7″ releases and a VHS mixtape of original music videos. Notably, his interpretation of Portishead’s ‘Chase the Tear’ came to the attention of the band, and it’s inclusion as the B-side to the track’s single on XL led to the release of a debut EP, Empire Sound, through cult London indie No Pain in Pop.

Doldrums - Egypt by Arbutus Records