Respire: 2024’s Best Fusion of Music and Social Commentary

Respire returns with the new album Hiraeth that proves to not only be a metallic banger, but a reminder of the dire world we reside in every day.

---

Respire Returns From The Great White North!

Life is short, when you take the time to ponder the brief blip that your life registers on the timeline of history. Your existence is fragile, brief and it can be ripped away in an instant. Your societal position can change just as quickly, from prosperous to destitution.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to be a bummer right off the bat like that. But as a species, we honestly take a lot for granted. We expect to wake up every day to the same accommodations we have taken for granted.

Please don’t fret, we will be getting to the Respire album soon. My ramblings have merit when it comes to the overall context. Let me continue to opine for just a moment, I swear it will only hurt a little.

Nick Hexum from one of my favorite bands, 311, says we should always “wake up with an attitude of gratitude”. That may sound like hippie woo-woo nonsense, but I agree with him. Life is precious and we should look around to realize how good we have it.

Respire offers you to take a look at the world with a different set of eyes with their new album, Hiraeth. The world is not ok, and it might be time to admit just how messed up things have become.

Canadian collective Respire is back with their latest album, Hiraeth, a follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2020 album, Black Line. Known for their unique blend of metal, screamo, and orchestral elements, Respire has carved a niche in the post-post music scene with their powerful and evocative sound. But Respire is more than just a band; they are a voice for the marginalized and a call for social change.

Hiraeth is not just an album; it’s a letter to the disenfranchised. The album serves as a tribute to immigrants who have uprooted their lives in search of a better future. It’s a raw and emotional exploration of the immigrant experience, the challenges, the hopes, and the resilience.

This is a sensitive topic in almost every country right now and has been for a while. Whether you are in the UK, the USA, or a war-torn country… this is relatable. Everyone has been an outsider at one point or another, but do you remember how that felt?

But Hiraeth is also a call to action. It challenges listeners to confront the global crises we face, from immigration to social inequality. The album urges us to awaken to the fragility of our existence and embrace our shared humanity.

Toronto post-everything collective Respire has been a pioneering force in the Canadian underground scene for ten years, building a cult-like following over three critically acclaimed LPs and four international tours.

Drawing inspiration from the expansive soundscapes and egalitarian songwriting of iconic Canadian bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Broken Social Scene, 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.

The seven-member collective’s DIY ethos has remained unshakable, the fruits of their dedication to self-reliance, creative autonomy, and community-building ever present in the Toronto musical landscape through New Friends Fest and its parent collective, New Friends DIY, co-founded and co-organized by two of its members.

---

Respire’s History of Political and Social Commentary

Respire has always been a band with a message. Their music is deeply intertwined with their political and societal views, which focus largely on immigration and shared humanity. This is a hopeful and positive spin that is mostly missing from heavy music.

This commitment to social commentary is what sets Respire apart. They are not just creating music; they are using their platform to raise awareness and inspire change in the world. The music may sound like organized chaos at times, but the message in the lyrics is crystal clear.

Bands that use their music to push a message are rare these days. I have often wondered during the current state of affairs where the RATM-like bands are, as they certainly have a place now in the world. Where are the passionate cries for change?

There are a few bands tackling the harder subjects, but Respire does it in a way that hits you right in the chest. We honestly need more content like this in our world. Take a good look around you, and ask if everything is really ok.

Specific lyrical themes explored in the music of Respire include the immigrant experience, hope, a better future, societal privilege, shared humanity, the fragility of existence, and collective crises. These subjects we can all understand, especially these days.

---

The Evolution of Respire’s Sound: Producing Hiraeth

Over the years, Respire has evolved their sound, blending various genres to create a unique sonic landscape. Their music is heavy and intense, yet it also has moments of beauty and vulnerability. This dynamic range reflects the complexity of the issues they address in their music.

There’s beauty right before a wall of heavy noise, a metaphor that seems heavy-handed at first. But the sound absolutely works well with the lyrics. If Hiraeth was meant to be an experience, then Respire nailed the assignment.

Respire’s musical style is a fusion of black metal, emo, and orchestral elements. You are in for a treat if you have never heard of the band before since the sonic elements can be almost overwhelming at some points.

Respire reminds me of the band Circle Takes The Square, which are old buds of mine from Savannah. The bombastic heavy metal elements are often blended with psychedelic swirls from violas and horns, along with clean vocals mixed with screams.

Tokyo Speirs has a guest spot on this album, playing a myriad of different instruments that compliments the already complex sonic landscapes that Respire creates. His multi-instrumental talent adds so much to the already dense production.

Respire’s latest offering, Hiraeth, is a testament to the collective’s ambition, genre-defying style, and maximalist approach. Despite the newfound distance between members in Toronto and Austin, TX, Hiraeth was meticulously crafted over four years through a continuous exchange of demos and sheet music, culminating in a transformative farmhouse writing retreat.

Passing ideas back and forth can be a challenge for any band. Hell, it can be hard to create an album if every member of the band is in the same room for months! Imagine having a long-distance relationship with your creative process.

The band spent six months producing the album, with the invaluable contributions of recording engineer Sean Pearson, mixing and mastering engineer Jack Shirley, and numerous collaborators.

Following the storming intensity of 2020’s Black Line, Hiraeth finds Respire returning to a more introspective and melancholic sound, punctured by triumphant and anthemic moments. The album serves as a tribute to those who have uprooted their lives and their families in search of hope and a better future.

The positive message may seem like a strange dichotomy when listening to the music from Respire, at first. But these are serious subjects that affect so many people across the world. Sometimes a loud scream into the void is effective.

It also serves as a cautionary tale to those who remain complacent, falsely secure in the privileges of their illusory societal positions. Never have these issues been so prevalent in our society as now. people choose a side, and stand on “their” side from that point on.

Living in a bubble of privilege must be nice. To people that live in that bubble, the world has barely changed in the last few years. Well, Respire has a lot to say to those people who operate in a fog of willful ignorance.

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.

---

Wrapping Up…

Respire was not a band on my radar until our publicist sent me the album last week. I had no idea what to expect, but I was surprised that Respire had somehow passed my Spotify recs. This band is my cup of tea, like a louder Animal Collective.

The music is awesome, with a little bit of something for everyone that enjoys heavy, experimental music. But the lyrics are where the knife cuts deep. Songs like “The Sun Sets Without Us” are a stark reminder of how alone we all really are in this world.

That being said, this album is not some sad dirge. The album that Respire has created might seem that way at first, but it also motivates self-reflection when you read the lyrics.

I recommend listening to Hiraeth all the way through upon the first listen. The track order works like an ebb and flow of tidal soundscapes. Respire, if you see this, you have earned a new fan.

Respire will be embarking on a short US Tour starting in September. Dates can be found below, and tickets can be found here. Definitely check Respire out live if you get the chance!

---

Credits

Respire is:

Egin Kongoli – vocals, guitar, synthesizer, piano
Rohan Lilauwala – vocals, guitar
Darren Scarfo – vocals, guitar
Travis Dupuis – vocals, drums
Ben Oliver – bass guitar
Eslin McKay – vocals, violin, viola
Emmett O’Reilly – vocals, trumpet
 
With guests:
Tokyo Speirs – piano, synthesizer, glockenspiel, music box, vibraphone, additional strings
Andrew Moljgun – saxophone
A Paradise. – vocals (on “Distant Light of Belonging”)

---

Tour Dates 2024

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