The Montreal electro scene has never been livelier than it is today, and Genevieve Ryan Martel aka Ryan Playground is a perfect representation of this creativity in the Quebecois capital. Signed to Ryan Hemsworth's label Secret Songs, the Canadian caught the eye with a short 8-track album in 2016, Elle, and now with 16/17 she should confirm her reputation as an exceptional songwriter.
Ryan Playground gave her all for this album, to the point that she delayed its release by several months due to "anxiety", as her writing was so intimately linked to a personal relationship which was coming to an end. The emotion is clear from the off, on the superb opening folktronica ballad Empty Pool, on the scrapes on Worryland or in the voice mixed in amongst the guitars on The Time To. All these tracks are carried by airy ambiances somewhere between folk guitars, pop style tunes, and electronic breaks and beats. Either way, when this much talent goes into writing songs that touch the heart, who cares what instruments are used? DJ, producer, songwriter, singer, Ryan Playground can do it all: just hop on board. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz