Goodwood Atoms

Vancouver experimental fellows Goodwood Atoms have unveiled a new song entitled "The End," which seems like a counterintuitive thing to name a piece of music if it wasn't for the fact that this song is great. Slow-burning electronic percussion crests into several waves of spiralling guitar leads over the song's runtime, with vocalist Francis Hooper's falsetto guiding the way through the churning arrangement.

"Sometimes a song can completely transform when you play it consistently over a period of time," explains the band. "You feel compelled to change lyrics, rearrange parts, and write new melodies. This happened for us with 'The End', which was a work-in-progress for about a year. The final product is very different from our original demo. Fittingly, the song is about how this very kind of process is a part of life—allowing old ideas and old feelings to die and new ones to be born." Stream "The End" below. - Noisey

If you’ve ever wondered what Half Moon Run would sound like with Alt-J’s left-field production and Sigur Ros’ mighty rumble, GOODWOOD ATOMS is your answer. Straddling the line somewhere between these three indie-rock heavyweights, the Vancouver-based four-piece is firmly in a lane of their own. While previous releases found the band embracing a folkier sound, their latest string of singles have seen them explore a wider sonic palette. This is particularly apparent on their single, “Into The Bay,” which is an effortless blend of folk, pop, rock and electronica.

To accompany its release, the band have given the single some well-deserved visuals, which we have the great pleasure of premiering for you today. Directed by the group’s lead singer, Francis Hooper, the video is a heavy, heart-racing effort that features a variety of clips from the band’s adventures through the mountains near their native Vancouver. It, like the music itself, captures the beauty and intensity that can be had when digital meets analogue. - Indie Current

Vancouver’s GOODWOOD ATOMS just released a haunting synth-rock new track called “Dreaming About.” Fast-paced but stained with darkness, “Dreaming About” is all folk melodies when it comes to vocals and prog-rock patterns backing it up with a wall of synths. Check it out below.

Here’s what bassist/vocalist Joey Pooley had to say about the new track:

It wasn’t much more than a drum loop and a vocal track when I brought it to the band, and we were able to craft it into something really sonically rich but also fun and danceable. It has a straightforward pop feel that’s different from most of the other tracks on the record, which are more dark and nuanced. But it works because its themes are a bit darker. It’s kind of bittersweet in that way. - All Things Go

There's nothing I love more than a good balance between acoustic and electronic instruments. It always makes for a super satisfying, dynamic sound, and Vacnouver-based GOODWOOD ATOMS prove that with their new track, "Tech Know," premiering here today. Acoustic guitars strum and drums clash while airy keys pluck away and create an ethereal atmosphere. Comprised of Francis Hooper (vocals/synth/acoustic guitar), Joey Pooley (vocals/bass/synth), Dawson Verboven (electric guitar), and Justin Banmann (drums/keys), the group works together to take you into their melancholic world. It'll make your heart drop in your stomach.

"'Tech Know' meditates on what it means to be human in an increasingly technological world," the band says on the message behind the song. "It's a theme we've always been drawn to. This was actually one of the very first GOODWOOD ATOMS songs which we sort of 'rediscovered' and reworked when demoing our new album. The way the song progresses, you can almost hear our evolution as a band over the last few years from a more driving, acoustic guitar-heavy approach to a more ethereal sound rooted in electronic instrumentation." - Baeble Music

Why do we like this?
Helllooo, Canadia! And more specifically, Vancouver. It's nice to hear good music coming out of your lovely city.

This song had me on my toes for the first minute or so. Then, once the drumming kicked in and the tempo picked up, it whisked me away to a land of auditory pleasantry. Ha. Apologies for the fluffy words. What I mean to say is that this song is good.

Keep an eye out for these guys. They're looking to release a new album in 2016. - Indie Shuffle

ancouver’s Goodwood Atoms blend indie folk, indie pop and electronic music into delicate, ethereal, and enticing soundscapes that seduce the listener. Influenced by Radiohead and Alt-J, the band formed back in 2014 and by 2015 had won FACTOR’s Juried Sound Recording program, which is funding the work on Goodwood Atoms’ debut LP that is scheduled for release in November. Today, we’re sharing the group’s new single “Into the Bay”.

Goodwood Atoms says, “‘Into the Bay’ is a song about boundaries. We create boundaries to make sense of the world—boundaries between truth and fallacy, between good and evil, between who we think we are and who we think other people are. But at the same time we seem to be constantly in search of ways to be freed from the constraints of these boundaries, if sometimes only for a night. Into the bay is about the dichotomy between these two states of mind, or these two competing impulses.” - PopMatters

Anticipating the July 2016 release of their debut full-length album, Goodwood Atoms continues to evolve their sound, a style that’s been compared to electro-indie masters like Half Moon Run and alt-J. Their 2014 EP marked the beginning of the relatively young band’s discography, and since then they’ve been plugging away on their upcoming record, with the welcomed support of FACTOR funding. Stopping by Toronto to play at Canadian Music Week, the Vancouver-based group took a few minutes to chat with QUIP about their new tunes, producing, and, of course, being musicians in Canada. Check it out.

Laura Eley: Tell me about what you’ve been up to since the release of your 2014 EP.

Francis Hooper: It’s been a lot of refining what flavor we actually want to become; honing-in on that color palette of what would make it in on this first album has had many phases. I feel like with this last batch of songs we wrote, everyone’s put in their vision and its starting to feel really great. The producers are a huge factor; they’re basically another part of the band, and you can learn so much from them. Working with Nygel Asselin, who worked with Half Moon Run, was awesome, too. I think we just needed to figure out what we wanted, and he was really good at showing us all the options. A few of the songs on the album are self-produced songs.

Dawson Veboven: We were lucky enough, too, to work with Shawn Cole who’s an awesome producer in Vancouver. We’ve been blessed to work with multiple people.

LE: Can you talk about your upcoming album?

FH: There are kind of different themes in terms of genres; it wouldn’t be condensed into one, but we definitely have acoustic elements mixed with electronic elements and the feels go from sorrow, heavy moods to its Saturday night and we’re ready to let it all loose.

DV: It’s an amalgamation of all those things; the first EP was mostly Joe and Francis, and then Justin and I joined the band, and our working relationship and friendship have gotten really strong, which creates a different dynamic.

LE: How do you feel about self-producing music vs. having a producer involved?

Joe Pooley: We have a lot of production talent in the band; Francis is very talented on the production side, and Dawson and Justin also have experience in that area, so there are a lot of voices in that process. When we work with other producers, it can be a struggle against their influence. When something is self-produced, you can trust your own vision a little bit more. Then again, sometimes you need to give-up that control and open yourself to somebody’s else’s input – we’ve seen both sides of the coin, and finishing-up our album, it’s going to be a bit more self-produced. We’re looking forward to exploring that.

LE: How important are lyrics to your music?

FH: It can feel right when you’re writing, but as soon as you start playing the lyrics, and trying to connect them to the music, it just feels overthought. I think the tendency for us is to go with whatever feels the most natural; it becomes more of a tone poem, and you’re left to create the meaning of some of those words put together, as well. Anything that’s super rich and connectable, as soon as the words become a definition of a feeling, it doesn’t feel good. But, if it feels right to sing and, if instead of writing it down I can hear it the next day, I know it’s a good lyric. I find if it doesn’t click, if it’s not like an ‘F-YEAH!’, then you can leave it on the backburner and keep jamming. Sometimes when you play live, that nugget can come out of ‘that feels great – that’s the one we’ll go with’.

LE: Can you define a “Canadian sound” in regards to indie music?

FH: When I think of a Canadian sound, I think of more of an Eastern sound, that sort of twang and play on our language. Kathleen Edwards is a good example of just enough twang. A lot of people have actually told us that we have a very Canadian sound, but I’m not really sure where that stems from.

DV: The older stuff had more fiddle in it, which probably connected people to the idea of foot stomping and Tom Connors. I would say from a lot of the people we know, Mike Edel is a great representation of Canadian folk.

LE: Being a musician can be a grind. What keeps you motivated to make music?

FH: There are a few facets; the community side of the music and the social side are extremely powerful. Coming to see friends and family that we haven’t seen in a while — it’s a social bond thing. And, music is a way for us to transcend, and later in life, know where we were at during that point in our lives.

JP: Music is what I’d be doing anyways, I’ve always been drawn to it. It was just like ‘you may as well be doing something you enjoy’. - Quip

Hold on tight because this dream is blasting off and taking you with it. Vancouver’s GOODWOODATOMS explode a swirling explosion of infectious riffs, grooves, and beats in “Dreaming About”. It is a weird and wonderful ride that any fan of early Everything Everything will enjoy. “Tech Know” slowly brings us back to earth for a bit… kinda… or are we still dreaming? - The Burning Ear

Set on a couple acres of farmland in Brackendale, the Revival Festival will feature grassroots music, from bluegrass to reggae, in an intimate setting this weekend.

The small music and cultural arts festival, with a capacity of around 300 people, has a roster of 15 B.C.-based musicians, as well as yoga classes, sustainable food vendors and arts collectives and designers showcasing their work. The festival runs from Friday to Sunday.

The event’s founder, Benjamin Wise, a Vancouver-based actor, bartender and musician, launched the Revival Festival at Squamish Valley Campground last July. This year it has moved to a more secluded location on a patch of private land.

He wants the atmosphere to be synonymous with the name “Revival” – a revival of grassroots music, old friendships and the core values of love and acceptance.

During the day, a communal grill and beer pong will be set up. The acoustic guitars will come out at sunset while festivalgoers get ready to camp out overnight.

“The first years of music festivals are the best, before they become more open to the public. Everyone is really connected, really open” said Francis Hooper, frontman of the Goodwood Atoms, a Vancouver-based indie band with a blend of ethereal folk and electronic-inflected grooves that will perform this weekend. They are giving a preview of their new album, Great White, that is set to release next month, including the single “The End.”

Alongside the Goodwood Atoms will be the likes of Silva Sound, Purple Soul,
Tonye Aganaba, Alex Maher, Imur,
The X Presidents and The Bottom Shelf Bourbon Trio.

“This year, Ben has used his massive network to cultivate a great lineup. It’s the cream of the crop,” said Hooper, who is the brainchild behind the Juniper Room, an underground studio and performance venue in East Vancouver.

Having the festival at a farm in Brackendale will allow the bands to play later into the night, until acoustic guitars are brought out to the campsites to wind down the event.

Omar Khan, a Vancouver-based solo singer and songwriter who sifts through pop, R&B, soul, hip hop and folk, is performing at the festival for the first time. He will be playing songs from his new self-produced album, Filthy Rich, that will be coming out in two parts on June 24 and in mid-July. He will also have an acoustic set.

“The first single, ‘Filthy Rich,’ is about living within your means and finding the richness in the simple things in life. A lot of people in our generation are ‘dirty broke.’ They have no money but still act rich,” he said. Like many other performers and festival goers, Kahn will be camping overnight at the festival.

Wise, who also organized the Revival Festival last year, said the event is self-sustainable and his goal is to not leave a carbon footprint. For more information, see www.therevivalfestival.com. - Squamish Chief

GOODWOOD ATOMS

Last up was GOODWOOD ATOMS, a perfect choice for the closing act. The moment they took the stage audiences started going wild, singing along to their first song Red Wine, Old News. The band’s boy-next-door look was contrasted with their rainbow lighting, belly-dancer, and beyond excited fans.

GOODWOOD ATOMS brought us energy in boatloads, and the environment in the venue reflected it. By the end of their first song a full mosh-pit had erupted. Crowd-surfing throughout the set wasn’t uncommon, and there was no shortage of dancing in the room. This was the first band of the evening that had the hair on my arms raised by their bass.

While all incredible bands, GOODWOOD ATOMS definitely stole the show in regards to audience participation.

While GOODWOOD ATOMS wasn’t allowed to play the encore audiences desired, they’ll surely be playing them at future sets to come. - Geyser Music

Sometimes, a group comes along that is equal parts talent, passion and sincerity. This is one of those times. Vancouver, meet Goodwood Atoms.

Two summers ago, musicians Francis Hooper and Joe Pooley were on the hunt for a jam space to fuse their artistic energies. After stumbling across the perfect sound house, their process began organically—a couple of beers, a good conversation and letting the music flow.

“We would just hang out and jam together,” bassist Pooley said. “Working on the seeds of songs and developing them, growing them over time.” Creativity came spontaneously as a result of being in caught in a moment, with nothing forced nor preconceived.

“Sometimes you get into these deep conversations,” guitarist and lead vocalist Hooper continued. “And it just naturally ends and then you pick up the guitar. It’s cool, because it’s a reflection of the talk.”

A couple of recruited friends here, a Craigslist ad there and the band was complete. The Vancouver-based line-up now includes Jay Goto on guitar, Dawson Verboven on fiddle and special effects, and Justin Banmann on drums. All talented in their own right, each member brings something unique to the table. Hooper has a wild howl that is otherworldly; melodic and beautifully raw, his voice is a soulful accompaniment to his acoustic guitar and the band’s predominately string-driven sound. Verboven adds an element of whimsy with his fiddle and spacey electronics while Pooley is a master on his bass, providing a solid backbone to Goto’s blistering guitar riffs. Carrying the rhythm of it all is Banmann, with his skilled and precise drumming. Diverse in their dynamics, Goodwood Atoms come together in harmony, taking listeners on a magical, musical journey into their atmospheric world.

More so focused on tone poems and evoking a feeling rather than a narrative, the band uses words and sounds to conjure different images and ideas, creating a mood in a marriage of the past and the future, grassroots and electronic. They cite Amon Tobin, Radiohead and The Beatles as inspiration, but their influences have a varied range from rock to punk to even classical music. Right now, the boys are smitten with British indie rockers alt-J, particularly with their inaugural record, An Awesome Wave. “The way it’s crafted,” Hooper gushed. “It’s just…” He trailed off and Pooley finished the thought, adding “A masterpiece.”

The five-piece has just released their own debut, a five-track EP called Together, To Get Her that showcases their well-rounded musical chops. ”Red Wine, Old News” is a sophisticated knee-slapper laden with earthy undertones, energy-driven acoustic strums and cosmic highlights. Slowing things down is “I Know, She Knows,” a haunting number laced with tribal breakdowns that brim with emotion. Listen to it once and it’ll be in your head for days. August will also see a compilation of cuts recorded live at Mushroom Studios—the iconic space where the likes of Heart, 54-40, and, rumour has it, Led Zeppelin once called their temporary home.

Goodwood Atoms is currently waist-deep in this year’s BC PEAK Performance Project, a program put on by radio station 102.7 The PEAK and designed to educate, promote, develop and launch the careers of some of British Columbia’s most talented musicians. The top three artists will perform at the PEAK Performance Project Finale Concert in November, where first place takes home $102,700. “Its really created a community,” Hooper said of the experience. “Being a part of this project has been really, really inspiring.”

And the best part? These guys are 100 per cent genuine. “I think that’s what special about the band,” Pooley said. “We are all just really passionate about music and making music. That’s the only real driving force behind what we do.”

Download Together, To Get Her for free on Goodwood Atoms’ website. - Vancity Buzz

I was blown away by the opening act, Vancouver's GOODWOOD ATOMS. I have no idea which parts are supposed to be capitalized and which are not, and going to their website, www.goodwoodatoms.com is of no help to me in that matter. But, I love the images they have managed to capture through some of their shows on the site as well as the Vancouver flavor. I wish I didn't have a wedding to attend on the 16th of August or I would be going to Cates park to check them out- and you should!!

These guys are full of energy and I am not about to try and define their style. I will state that perhaps it is a certain indie/folk-rock that is welcomed these days with what they say is suggested influences from... ah never mind. Check them out and don't think that that this one video is enough to judge them from. - Live Music Van BC

On Thursday, April 16th at The Roxy Cabaret, Nimbus School of Recording & Media hosted their 7th Nimbus Recording Competition Finals. After outstanding performances from all 4 finalists—Lovecoast (Nanaimo), GOODWOOD ATOMS (Vancouver), Night Argent (Pasco, WA), and The Carlines (Victoria)—GOODWOOD ATOMS was given the highest amount of votes and awarded the grand prize.

Over the past several weeks, 144 artists and bands from around the world entered the competition. The acts were each individually adjudicated by Nimbus Music Business students. The four finalists were selected based on originality, song and music composition, vocals, and overall strength of their EPK. Previous winners of the competition have included Raquel Cole, We Hunt Buffalo, Cobra Ramone, and Randy Ponzio.

GOODWOOD ATOMS is a spacey build-up folk-rock band that originated from Vancouver, B.C. The band weaves acoustic guitar and dreamy vocals into otherworldly soundscapes, held together by a rhythmic backbone that guides their songs: http://www.goodwoodatoms.com/.

GOODWOOD took home the first place prize of $500, as well as the much-coveted single produced and mixed by Shaun Cole (Wanting Qu, Half Moon Run, Bend Sinister, Said The Whale, etc.). The single will be released on Business Class Records, distributed via Universal Music Canada. Second place was awarded to Night Argent who went home with the Beelzebuzz Pedal from Union Tube & Transistor ($300 Value). The Carlines came in third place with a $100 Long & McQuade Gift Certificate. - Canadian Musician