* En anglais uniquement
Experimental rock trio
BIG|BRAVE formed in Montreal in the late 2010s and began playing minimal folk music together before steadily evolving toward a heavier sound on subsequent recordings.
Robin Wattie (guitar, vocals), Louis-Alexandre Beauregard (drums), and Mathieu Bernard Ball (guitar) self-released their debut five-track EP, An Understanding Between People, in 2013, and their debut long-player, Feral Verdure, appeared in 2014 on Build a Fort. For their sophomore effort, the trio signed to Los Angeles experimental metal label Southern Lord. Released in 2015,
Au de La incorporated elements of drone, a style they shared with labelmates
Sunn O))), but also merged post-rock details into the resulting work. Canada's rich experimental rock tradition was felt on that record and its follow-up, 2017's Ardor which, like its predecessor, featured artists from post-rock label Constellation. The album comprised three tracks that each ran over 11 minutes, and included guest spots from
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra's
Jessica Moss on violin and
Godspeed You! Black Emperor's
Thierry Amar on contrabass. By 2019's equally expansive
A Gaze Among Them, Beauregard had been replaced by
Loel Campbell on drums. However, by the time of the sessions for April 2021's
Vital,
Campbell had, in turn, been replaced by Tasy Hudson. Later that year, the band collaborated with Rhode Island's
the Body on the folk-inspired, Leaving None But Small Birds. ~ Bekki Bemrose