Picastro: “Exit” – A perfect soundtrack for the approaching void

Picastro celebrates the release of their newest record “Exit” out in 2019 on Brooklyn label Sleeping Giant Glossolalia (Growing, Mick Bar, Insect Ark). Led by vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Liz Hysen with Nick Storring, Matthew Ramalo (Khora), and Germaine Liu, Picastro has been an active force in Toronto’s music scene for over 10 years.

On “Exit” Hysen plays with the roles and expectation of the creator as the central voice of their artistic out put. She systematically removes herself from her own stories, inviting guest male vocalists to contribute their take on her vision. The record features a slew of guest vocalists including Jamie Stewart (Xiu Xiu), Tony Dekker (Great Lakes Swimmers), Adrian Crowley, Caleb Mulkerin (Big Blood), Alex Mackenzie (Petra Glynt), and Chris Cummings (Marker Starling).

While the music still sits in continuity with the bands previous work, Hysen relinquishes her role as singer and storyteller, even adopting male pronouns in her writing. Letting these alternative versions run wild Picastro explores how the music and narrative mutates with different voices at the helm.

Picastro has appeared on the BBC, WFMU, VPRO Dwars at numerous festivals including SXSW, CMJ, Rhaaa Lovely, Tanned Tin and recorded sessions with La Blogotheque and the Daytrotter sessions.