Nothing’s holding back moody band Unbuttoned
Foursome’s free-ranging styles include rock anthems and futuristic R&B music
What’s the deal? Toronto quartet Unbuttoned is a close-knit pack of friends whose relationships date back as far as their junior high school days in Caledon, which might explain the unique musical language in which they converse.
On the band’s just-released sophomore album, Liquid, the band blurs the lines between futuristic soul and R&B, dreamy acoustic folk, anthemic rock, free jazz, psych and abstract electronica, more often than not blending the complementary voices of Casey Manierka-Quaile and Kamilah Apong as seamlessly and naturally as Unbuttoned as a whole blends its ever-shifting moods and styles.
It’s not the sort of music that’s terribly easy to describe, nor is it always immediately easy to digest; one really has to sink into Unbuttoned and swim around in the vibe for awhile before it starts making sense. Being challenged is rarely a bad thing, though, and such fearless artistic adventurism is exceedingly hard to come by. These cats might reach a few more people if they pushed the songwriting further to the fore, but one gets the impression Unbuttoned is happy making the sounds that Unbuttoned itself wants to hear.
Sum up what you do in a few simple sentences.
“The key is listening,” emails the band, speaking — as usual — in a collective voice. “That is how we move sound when onstage. We are never in one place for too long. Through our music, we shape-shift, learning about ourselves.”
What’s a song I need to hear right now?
“Womxn Cry.” A woozy wee-hours slow-mo house-music anthem to Black female empowerment, and a revealing peek into the anythinggoes musical universe Unbuttoned occupies.
Where can I see them play?
At the Drake Underground on Sunday, Sept. 3, with Bliptor and Myst Milano.