Yes We Mystic

Yes We Mystic

Yes We Mystic is a Winnipeg group that begins as a basement project made by high school friends using borrowed instruments. Over roughly a decade, the band develops into an internationally touring act associated with indie rock, indie pop and art rock, and it is described as moving through several forms, from a conventional band to a performance art collective.

History

The group starts in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and its early years centre on self-made recordings and local development. As its profile grows, it tours internationally and becomes known for elaborate, layered music and an experimental approach to presentation. The band later reworks its identity for the release of its second album, Ten Seated Figures, using an alternate version of the group played by artists and actors for interviews, videos and live performances. That project also focuses on memory as a theme.

As the band’s long-term rehearsal space becomes House of Wonders, the site grows into a hub for off-kilter indie music in Winnipeg. Around the same period, frontman Adam Fuhr becomes a producer for other artists, including JayWood, Virgo Rising, Amos the Kid and Julien’s Daughter, among many others.

Final phase and Trust Fall

As the band approaches its tenth year, the members move in different directions and consider ending the project. Instead, they enter a final phase built around a set of rules: they aim to make the strongest music they have done and work on one part of the release at a time without knowing the finished form in advance. This leads to a three-part project: the album Trust Fall, an accompanying art piece called Trust Fall Hotline, and a four-song live video that brings back past members Eric Ross and Solana Johannson, making the performance a seven-piece line-up.

Trust Fall is recorded over 36 days at House of Wonders and is produced by Fuhr, making it the band’s second full-length album he produces. The record contains ten songs and is described as the group’s most cohesive and nuanced release, moving between vulnerability and heavier, more forceful passages. It includes guest appearances from Olivier Macharia of Super Duty Tough Work, Chelliot Osuntade of Julien’s Daughter, Leigh Lugosi of Gora, and the full band Virgo Rising. The album is mixed by John Paul Peters and mastered by Cam Loeppky, and it is issued via DevilDuck Records.

Members

The group includes Jensen Fridfinnson, Adam Fuhr, Jodi Plenert and Keegan Steele. Earlier members Eric Ross and Solana Johannson also return for the final live video project.