Montag

Clearing the cobwebs off his desktop before the release of his new full-length, Antoine Bédard, who is a Quebecer once again, explores winter textures on his self-produced Hibernation EP. Going Places, from 2007, saw Montag collaborating with M83, Beach House and others to bracket his pop and electro influences. This seven-track (plus one bonus number) mini-album leans more on the digital sketchbook side, with vocals on only a couple of pieces. "Nord" is a recurring title, split over three tracks, and has a wistful elegance that begs for a long lens shot, of the "lone female figure skater on frozen pond" ilk. The rest of the vintage keyboard thematics are likewise soft focus and at times, a little uninspired. The standout is "Inner Thought About Kuujjuaq," the aforementioned bonus track, a vocal performance that nicely fits the current trend of music that explores an '80s sound that actually never existed. It's a nice little timewaster of a download but by April you'll be ready for something warmer to help you forget the winter.