Respire
RESPIRE’S NEW ALBUM HIRAETH OUT NOW VIA DINE ALONE RECORDS
RESPIRE’S NEW ALBUM HIRAETH OUT NOW VIA DINE ALONE RECORDS
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR IN SEPTEMBER
“It swirls together harsh screamo, melodic emo, metallic fury, uplifting horns, and more… it’s very triumphant…” – Brooklyn Vegan
“… anthemic…” – Exclaim
“… a wonderfully diverse, thought-provoking and inspiration album.” – Ghost Cult
July 26, 2024, TORONTO – Respire, the Toronto-based, self-described “post-everything” seven-piece whose music Treble Zine adeptly described as “a work of obliterating intensity” coupled with “soul-rending emotional delivery,” and Stereogum dubbed “glacial post-rock beauty,” have released their new album, Hiraeth, via Dine Alone Records (listen here).
“The album serves as a tribute to those who have uprooted their lives and their families in search of hope and a better future,” explains Respire, collectively. “It also serves as a cautionary tale to those who remain complacent, falsely secure in the privileges of their illusory societal positions. Hiraeth is a manifesto of the immigrant experience; a call for all of us to embrace our shared humanity, awaken to the fragility of our existence, and confront the crises we face collectively before it’s too late.”
Crafted over four years through a continuous exchange of demos and sheet music, Respire spent six months producing Hiraeth, with the invaluable contributions of recording engineer Sean Pearson and mixing and mastering engineer Jack Shirley, and numerous collaborators.
In the lead up to today’s release, the band shared a pair of clever videos: the “Distant Light of Belonging” featuring candid footage of the band that spans their time together, and “The Sun Sets Without Us,” a darkly comedic spoof that sees news anchors begin to lose their composure as they relay the onslaught of bleak news that continues unabated.
Hiareth is streaming now with limited-edition vinyl variants available here
Respire’s North American tour kicks off on Sept. 12 with tickets for all dates on-sale now.
Respire tour dates:
August 1 Toronto, ON The Royal Theatre
September 12 New Brunswick, NJ TBA
September 13 New York, NY Gold Sounds
September 14 Richmond, VA Dark Days, Bright Nights Festival
September 16 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Roboto Project
September 17 Cleveland, OH The Winchester Music Tavern
September 18 Columbus, OH Dirty Dungarees
September 19 Indianapolis, IN Healer
September 20 Chicago, IL Reggie’s Music Joint
September 21 Detroit, MI TBA
September 22 Toronto, ON St. Stephen-In-The-Fields Church
Photo credit: Danika Zandboer
Respire has been a pioneering force in the Canadian underground scene for ten years, building a cult-like following over their four critically acclaimed LPs: Hiraeth (2024), Black Line (2020), Dénouement (2018), and Gravity and Grace (2016). The seven-piece band is Egin Kongoli (vocals/guitar/synthesizer), Rohan Lilauwala (vocals/guitar), Darren Scarfo (vocals/guitar), Travis Dupuis (vocals/drums), Ben Oliver (bass guitar), Eslin McKay (vocals/violin/viola), and Emmett O’Reilly (vocals/trumpet). Respire pushes the boundaries of heavy music, intertwining intricate, uplifting orchestral arrangements with the intensity and urgency of emotional hardcore and the desperation of black metal.