Blue Hawaii

Blue Hawaii

Blue Hawaii is a Montréal electronic duo formed in 2010 by Raphaelle Standell-Preston and Alexander Cowan, who also works as Agor. Standell-Preston is also a member of the dream pop group Braids. The pair work within electronic music, and their output is associated with dream pop, chillwave, lo-fi, ambient and experimental styles.

Formation and members

The group begins in Montréal and remains active from 2010 onwards. It consists of Raphaelle Standell-Preston and Agor. The project starts alongside Arbutus Records and other Montréal acts in early 2010.

Albums and sound

The debut album, Blooming Summer, appears in 2010 and is recorded after the duo travel through Central America. It features dense female harmonies, tape-saturated synthesizers, guitars and drum machines, and reflects a sense of warmth and novelty.

In 2012, the duo makes Untogether. Recording begins on New Year’s Day in Vancouver and continues intermittently until summer in Montréal. The album has a more spacious production style and is made while the two are apart physically. Its themes include belonging, self-awareness, delicacy, communication and the tension between separation and community.

Later direction

After the first album cycle, Standell-Preston returns to Braids while Cowan moves to Europe and develops further into dance music, electronics and production. Blue Hawaii continues as a collaboration shaped by these separate paths.