It takes a powerful presence to master the harp. Still thought of as a rare and unique instrument, understated rather than heart-seizing, and its sound almost always described as “angelic and haunting” (not that there’s anything wrong with that), it’s tricky for the harpist to not get conquered by their instrument of choice and find a signature sound. For Montréal-based plucker Sarah Pagé, tweaking the common conventions with prepared effects and virtuosic playing has landed us lucky listeners with some truly stunning and ambitious experiments.
The thrilling harpist, who rigs her instrument with homespun pickups, microphone manipulation, and a variety of slides, fans, pedals, and bows, will release her debut solo album Dose Curves on October 11 through Backward Music (pre-order). Today, we are delighted to premiere the second single from Dose Curves, “Stasis.”
With a résumé that boasts memberships in a broad bundle of groups (the rootsy Barr Brothers band, the modern chamber ensemble Esmerine, the Celtic trio Bùmarang) and diverse collaborations with Patrick Watson, Joni Void, and the late Lhasa de Sela, Pagé’s debut solo features songs seasoned over several years of refining her unique techniques, as captured on tracks like Dose Curves first single “Ephemeris Data” and on the ravishing Kyoka Tsukamoto-directed video for “Stasis” below.
Dose Curves tracklisting:
01. Dose Curves
02. Stasis
03. Lithium Taper
04. Ephemeris Data
05. Pleiades