Being an electronica musician can be a challenge, especially when a computer crashes.
That was what had Toronto based electronica musician Adaline pulling out her hair while doing interviews with to advance her upcoming tour, which stops by the Slice, May 30.
“It’s terrifying, you have 17 computers and 45 chords and if something isn’t hooked up right it all fails,” she said. But my music is song based, so I’ll sing the whole set a cappella if I have to,” said Adaline.
Of course she has backup computers, but they don’t make a crash any less difficult to deal with.
She has just released her latest album “ Modern Romantics,” and even had her song “ Say Goodbye (I Won’t Even) featured on the Grey’s Anatomy mid-season finale last year. Another song “Sparks” was featured in practically the next episode.
She can’t wait to bring her show on the road.
“ My first Cd in 2008 had a little bit of electronica, it was more orchestral and weeping, but for this CD, I wrote it with the show in mind,” she said.
“There is more of a European, electronica feel. I wanted to make it a good show to see,” she continued.
She tested it out at a couple shows in Vancouver and Toronto, but this will be the first tour on “Modern Romantics,” which was released in late 2011.
“It’s fun. I have samplers and software and have learned how to use them. A lot of people just plug in their iPods,” she said. She will be touring with a bassist as well as s a drummer who also has pedals to trigger samples, while she will be singing and laying keyboards.
She observed a lot of electronica acts tour with a plethora of programmers and technicians.
“I really have to do everything myself,” she said.
In a addition to love songs she also explores themes of modern romantics in her lyrics.
“I reflect on a lot of people reflecting on the Romantic movement of the eighteenth century,” she said.
She spent three months with Hawksley Workman on her CD.
“I learned a lot for him. He’s very quirky. He likes to experiment he’ll do whatever he wants and doesn’t really care what anyone thinks, he’s going to do it anyway,” she said adding he definitely influenced the direction of “Modern Romantics.”
“I found that really inspiring.”
She is looking forward to playing the Slice, May 30.
“People can find electronica to be a little scary, but it is very accessible, song based show. The audience can come and find something they like,” she said.
The show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.