Enigmatic Japanese-Canadian virtuoso Saya Gray has announced a new EP, previewed today by lead single "AA BOUQUET FOR YOUR 180 FACE."
QWERTY II is due March 28 on Dirty Hit. It follows last year's QWERTY EP, as well as Gray's spellbinding 2022 full-length, 19 MASTERS — a Great Canadian Album You Might Have Missed that year.
The artist describes the EP as “a collection of ideas and collages stuck together as the yin to the yang of the first half," which was something as a statement of artistic intent for the Toronto-born-and-raised multi-hyphenate, a storied touring bassist who has also worked as Daniel Caesar's musical director.
Gray added that the skittering, bass-led new single is "about a spooky moody boy with a 180 face.” As characteristic of one of her compositions, it shape-shifts throughout — including but not limited to a whimsical harp interlude — while returning to the lyrical oddities that wax profound with repetition: "I bent over backwards so many times / I turned into a golden arch for you to walk through," she sings.
Watch the Jennifer Cheng-directed video for "AA BOUQUET FOR YOUR 180 FACE" below, where you'll also find the EP tracklist.
QWERTY II:
1. .. YOU, A FOOL
2. 2 2 BOOTLEG
3. AA BOUQUET FOR YOUR 180 FACE
4. DIPAD33 / W . I . D . F . U
5. ! EDIBLE THONG
6. ! MAVIS BEACON
7. RRRate MY KAWAII CAKE
