Markus Floats’ Five Constellation Picks
Get to know the composer behind Third Album as Markus Floats tells us about some of his favourite Constellation albums, including records by Jessica Moss, Carla Bozulich, and Lungbutter. Third Album will be available in fine record shops on 21 August, and you can preorder the Deluxe 180gLP and CD editions from select stores now.
Back in April, we shared Markus Floats’ Constellation debut Third Album as an early digital release as Covid-19 turned the music industry upside down. In the months that followed, Markus Floats has gone on to receive widespread acclaim from Bandcamp, PopMatters, Exclaim!, and many more, earning rightful praise for his finely detailed, beguiling compositions.
Those who have been enchanted by the instrumental pieces on Third Album may find themselves surprised by Markus’ widely varied musical oeuvre, and his tastes as a listener are equally eclectic. Take a glimpse into his musical brain with this list of favourite albums from the Constellation catalog, along with Markus’ thoughts on what makes these records special.
Lungbutter • Honey
“You know when you see a band and you’re like, ‘…this totally fucking rips but I wonder if it’s just the physical weight of the sound in conjunction with the immediacy and sincerity of the performance that I’m relating to in this moment?’ And then you get home and listen to a recording and you’re like, ‘Nope, these songs totally fucking rip.'”
Carla Bozulich • Quieter
“I feel like part of what makes Carla Bozulich such an excellent vocalist and musician is her ability to maintain a tension in her voice, and in her songs, that sits right on the edge of comfort. Things don’t resolve like they should, cadences take the long way around, vocal melodies push the chords into weird places. This is a nice album to be able to really hear all that going on because everything is… quiet…er.”
Do Make Say Think • Goodbye Enemy Airship The Landlord Is Dead
“I bought this CD from Hot Wax Records in Calgary a few years after it was released. I was like, 16-17 years old.
I went back the next day and bought & Yet & Yet:
These two albums are, without a doubt, by a long-shot, the albums I have listened to the most in my life.”
Godspeed You! Black Emperor • Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven
“I think it’s hard to understand what this album really is anymore. Like, I know people who have this tattooed on their body. People who have never heard this album know about this album. It’s ubiquitous. It’s like… the Post-Rock Jagged Little Pill. It’s a great record that will be a great record forever.”
Jessica Moss • Pools of Light
“This album feels like studio magic but it’s not. It’s a monstrous compositional achievement. I had the pleasure of seeing this performed live (with accompaniment by Nadia Moss) and it was literally awesome. 1 violin, a bunch of pedals and 1 synth perform this whole thing in real-time. Give it a listen.”
Deluxe LP is a 180gram pressing on midnight ultrablack vinyl in 20pt uncoated paperboard jacket with yellow ink flood on the inside, audiophile black paper poly-lined dust sleeve for the record, and a 12” x 24” art print reproduction on uncoated archival 160m paper featuring an original painting by the artist. Includes DL card. Deluxe 180gLP limited to 300 copies at indie record stores.
CD comes in a custom mini-gatefold 20pt paperboard jacket featuring paintings by the artist. Includes a cardstock inner sleeve for the disc.
Markus Floats’ Five Constellation Picks
Get to know the composer behind Third Album as Markus Floats tells us about some of his favourite Constellation albums, including records by Jessica Moss, Carla Bozulich, and Lungbutter. Third Album will be available in fine record shops on 21 August, and you can preorder the Deluxe 180gLP and CD editions from select stores now.