Alright, off to cdmx to explore a new project—The Cryptids—many years in subliminal gestation.
Gracias el ROOM ! ~~~
The Cryptids is the two-headed collaborative project of Canadian musicians Bry Webb and Steph Yates. Webb, well-known as front person to storied rock and roll band The Constantines, has released four solo albums to date with Idée Fixe Records, including 2023’s stunner Run With Me. Yates, formerly a driving force behind sparkle-punk duo Cupcake Ductape and spook-pop band Esther Grey, has in recent years been performing delicate compositions as Cots, with two releases out on Boiled Records and Arts & Crafts México.
As individual performers, Yates and Webb have established distinctive compositional identities. And while their individual projects are often uniquely melodic solo-voice-and-guitar, The Cryptids is decidedly rhythm-focused, featuring Yates and Webb each playing drums and percussion, with minimal melodic elements beyond their patterned and harmonizing voices. Their sound involves both improvised and composed rhythmic play, distortion, minimalism, polyrhythmic percussion and vocal work, drone, punk, post-punk, experimental and found sound elements.