Every so often The Big Takeover stumbles upon an artist from the Great White North, possessing a special ‘je ne sais quoi’ and makes you want to dig deeper, listen more, and spread this music further. That’s exactly why Toronto-based Buildings and Food features here now in this premiere of the track “Slow to Reverse”. The song flows with a laid-back ease, running on gently muffled and murmured vocals, yet also sparkles with brighter, peppy instrumentation.

Buildings and Food is the moniker of Jen K. Wilson, an independent avant-pop artist, whose music emanates endearing Stereolabesque charm. With her album Quick Beat Save slated for release on November 2nd, she whets our appetite with charismatic synth minimalism, as espoused on this lead track.

Stereolab is not the only band that comes to mind when listening to Buildings and Food. Easily Ladytron can be mentioned, as well as Lali Puna, Vive La Fête, and Tying Tiffany.

Influenced by glitch, classical music, and pop, Buildings and Food is Wilson’s first solo musical project. Trained in classical piano and visual arts, Wilson spent many years playing guitar and drums in various indie bands before embarking on a career as a visual artist. She has recently returned to music, getting her hands dirty with her DAW and finally playing keyboards.

In 2015, Wilson had a strong impulse to begin recording again, creating music that represents a significant departure to anything previously released through other projects. Thus was born Buildings and Food.

“This release marks a return to music-making for me, after a long tenure as a visual artist. While working on these recordings, I was greatly inspired by the early demos of Glenn Tilbrook and early Squeeze recordings, A.C. Newman, Jimmy Tamborello/Dntel, Daft Punk, and The Rural Alberta Advantage,” says Jen K. Wilson.

“I enjoyed mixing in analog sounds to the primarily digital tracks I created for these recordings, building loops and using found sounds, then adding guitars, percussion and sometimes vocals.”

Quick Beat Save will be released on CD on November 2nd. Available via online stores and streaming platforms, such as Spotify, it can already be ordered via Bandcamp.

LYRICS
I thought I could slow to reverse
When I held the mirror to the stairs it wasn’t 1959
Now I take those oil pasted papers
Paste it on my mind
The fountain’s always troubled
and then it’s back to mind
I wanted to slow to reverse
When I held a mirror to the object
I could almost see myself
All of those broad strokes and barely visible outlines
would lose themselves to me
And then it’s back to mine
Now it stopped pouring out like it was always
meant to be and time is slow
Lifting a piece of semi-transparent paper

CREDITS
Composed by Jen K. Wilson
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jen K. Wilson at The Music Room
Drum programming, percussion, loops, keys, guitars, vocals by Jen K. Wilson
Cover artwork by Jen K. Wilson based on the painting She Lingers Between the Lines from the Reconstructing Fables series

TRACK LIST
1. Slow to Reverse 3:47
2. Quick Beat 4:39
3. Motherwell on the Stairs 5:11
4. 1979: Pennies and Pluto 4:01
5. Food Court 4:29
6. Rewind the Dog 4:07
7. On the Lino 4:41
8. Air Weight End 2:44

BUILDINGS AND FOOD
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