Toronto electro-dancehall duo Bonjay have just released a "mini-album" called Broughtupsy (Trini slang for "good manners"), and though it's not an out-and-out full-length record, they're promoting it as such. Having originated in Ottawa, they've since won over their new home and many points along the St. Lawrence valley touring corridor. Their first priority now is to expand their circuit.
"The tour is late October to early December," Bonjay beatmaker Pho Swain tells Exclaim! "We're going around most of the U.S. and across Canada."
Their blend of Caribbean vocal styles with edgy beats for the dancefloor would be described as a consummately urban blend by most, but anyone who's seen the energetic duo knows that they can get pretty much any crowd going, especially given singer Alanna Stuart's commanding presence. Still, Pho admits, they will see how it plays out in "odd places like Denton, TX and Northfield, MN."
The group will be busy with promotion for Broughtupsy and beyond throughout the tour. "We have twin videos coming for 'Stumble' [the lead single], two individual versions of the same video," says Stuart. "It's a black and white performance video, like breakdance meets dancehall choreography, we have two different dancers each dancing in their own video and they're reinterpreting the choreography to their own styles, their own bodies."
Both videos can been viewed here.
"On the tour people will start to hear one or two songs from the album," continues Swain. "And remixes are coming in let's say November," to which Stuart quickly counters, "Oh we won't give a date but they're coming for sure, from our friends in Toronto and around the world. We can't just name one or two cause it wouldn't be representative of all that's going on."
Past remixers have included Grahm Zilla (ex-Thunderheist) and Smalltown Romeo out of Calgary.
After this promo sweep comes work on the album proper, but that's not on the agenda until the new year. In the meantime, Bonjay play to their strength as a live act hoping to whip up some of that old "I don't know what the fuck this is but it's resonating with me," as Stuart puts it.
Bonjay's Canadian dates are below, and head to the group's MySpace for the full list of upcoming North American tour stops.
To hear Broughtupsy, which is out now, you can stream the record here on Exclaim.ca. You can also read Exclaim!'s freshly published feature on Bonjay here.
Tour dates:
11/10 Montreal, QC - Il Motore
11/11 Hamilton, ON - This Ain't Hollywood
11/12 Ottawa, ON - Mercury Lounge
11/19 Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
11/20 Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret
11/24 Calgary, AB - Hi-Fi Club
11/25 Edmonton, AB - Starlite
11/26 Saskatoon, SK - Scratch
11/27 Winnipeg, MB - The Royal Albert
12/9 Guelph, ON - The Albion
12/10 Gatineau, QC - Le Petit Chicago
"The tour is late October to early December," Bonjay beatmaker Pho Swain tells Exclaim! "We're going around most of the U.S. and across Canada."
Their blend of Caribbean vocal styles with edgy beats for the dancefloor would be described as a consummately urban blend by most, but anyone who's seen the energetic duo knows that they can get pretty much any crowd going, especially given singer Alanna Stuart's commanding presence. Still, Pho admits, they will see how it plays out in "odd places like Denton, TX and Northfield, MN."
The group will be busy with promotion for Broughtupsy and beyond throughout the tour. "We have twin videos coming for 'Stumble' [the lead single], two individual versions of the same video," says Stuart. "It's a black and white performance video, like breakdance meets dancehall choreography, we have two different dancers each dancing in their own video and they're reinterpreting the choreography to their own styles, their own bodies."
Both videos can been viewed here.
"On the tour people will start to hear one or two songs from the album," continues Swain. "And remixes are coming in let's say November," to which Stuart quickly counters, "Oh we won't give a date but they're coming for sure, from our friends in Toronto and around the world. We can't just name one or two cause it wouldn't be representative of all that's going on."
Past remixers have included Grahm Zilla (ex-Thunderheist) and Smalltown Romeo out of Calgary.
After this promo sweep comes work on the album proper, but that's not on the agenda until the new year. In the meantime, Bonjay play to their strength as a live act hoping to whip up some of that old "I don't know what the fuck this is but it's resonating with me," as Stuart puts it.
Bonjay's Canadian dates are below, and head to the group's MySpace for the full list of upcoming North American tour stops.
To hear Broughtupsy, which is out now, you can stream the record here on Exclaim.ca. You can also read Exclaim!'s freshly published feature on Bonjay here.
Tour dates:
11/10 Montreal, QC - Il Motore
11/11 Hamilton, ON - This Ain't Hollywood
11/12 Ottawa, ON - Mercury Lounge
11/19 Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
11/20 Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret
11/24 Calgary, AB - Hi-Fi Club
11/25 Edmonton, AB - Starlite
11/26 Saskatoon, SK - Scratch
11/27 Winnipeg, MB - The Royal Albert
12/9 Guelph, ON - The Albion
12/10 Gatineau, QC - Le Petit Chicago
