Sleep may be Kirty’s favorite pastime. “It’s just the way I’m built,” she says. “I’m an insanely vivid dreamer.”
“She sleeps 14 hours a day,” adds Matthew Angus, Kirty’s partner in life and music.
Kirty and Angus are the duo behind Fast Romantics, a Toronto-based outfit that once had as many as six members. These days, it’s just the two of them carrying the load. Over a dozen years, Fast Romantics have made some noise in their home country, though they’ve gained little traction in the United States. It’s a familiar plight with Canadian bands—even more so post-COVID.
“It’s almost impossible for us to tour in our own country the way things are now,” says Angus. “It’s all these logistics. We want to play in America, and every time we do, it’s so well-received.”
Which brings us to “Smoke + Lightning,” the latest single from Happiness + Euphoria, Fast Romantics’ darkly melodic, sonically lush fifth LP, which is set for release September 29 on Postwar Records. In authentic vinyl fashion, the album is divided into two distinct sides—the duality a nod to the emotional nuances of the couple’s lengthy personal relationship. Written (for the most part) and sung by Kirty, “Smoke + Lightning” is track five, capping off the more anthemic “Euphoria” side, which was mixed by producer Dave Schiffman (Killers, Haim). The more introspective side B (a.k.a. “Happiness”) was mixed by producer Marcus Paquin (National, Arcade Fire).
“The essence of the song is very me,” says Kirty of “Smoke + Lightning.” “When I get into these grooves when I’m sleeping a lot and having these vivid dreams, it kind of feels like I’m living this life at night, waking up and having this entirely different life during the day.”
“The song is based on a dream Kirt told me about one morning,” says Angus. “After she told me, I said, ‘Kirt, you’ve basically just described what happens in the Book of Revelation.’ Kirt’s not a biblical person, so she was like, ‘What’s that?’”
MAGNET is proud to serve as an advocate for one of our favorite Canadian bands with the video premiere for “Smoke + Lightning.”
—Hobart Rowland
