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Jul 13, 2022 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Kate Young

Later this week, Ontario-based producer and musician MISZCZYK (pronounced Miz-Chik) is set to share his debut, Thyrsis of Etna introducing an expansive work of genre-blending fervor. For his debut album, MISZCZYK fostered a highly collaborative environment, bringing together an array of guest musicians, vocalists, and instrumentalists, including contributions from Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier, Pylon’s Vanessa Briscoe Hay, Motorists’ Craig Fahner, and more.

As MISZCZYK describes, the album feels like a “global village,” with the record acting as a tapestry of sounds, styles, and textures, from around the world. The album is out July 15th, but MISZCZYK has shared an early listen to the record here, premiering with Under the Radar.

Thyrsis of Etna is a constantly shifting record. Over the course of its 16 tracks, it constantly darts in new directions, changing its instrumental palette, and bringing in new sets of collaborators. Most of the tracks are short, and none overstay their welcome, with MISZCZYK and his collaborators allowing just enough time for their sumptuous grooves to sink in before shifting gears.

Though the style they conjure is typically smoky, understated, and loaded with impeccable detail, the range of creative voices in the mix results in something new with each track. “Runaway, I Age” features Nigerian rapper NAI performing over a haze of vintage synth textures, while “The Garden” immediately follows with darting and pulsating post punk rhythms. Meanwhile, “Led Astray” later delivers smokey crooned vocals and thin squawking guitar lines, “On Zuma Beach” detours into stark electronic minimalism and sweet woodwinds, and “End Credits” closes the record with a celestial space-faring epilogue.

Amidst all the stylistic shifts, MISZCZYK explores incredible textural detail with his production, seamlessly melding analog and electronic elements into an ageless psychedelic mix. “Process music really excites me,” he says. “I love getting hands-on with the medium, recording to a four-track, then overdubbing slick-sounding digital effects. Or recording a snare, dubbing it onto a cassette, and then back into my computer. I’ve even bounced vocals through a minidisc.”

Check out the full album below. Thyrsis of Etna is out everywhere on July 15th via We Are Time.

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