Synthcake
Biography
Hailing from the moody mountain coast of Vancouver BC, Synthcake is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Lana Pitre and has been her stage name since 2009. Synthcake released her debut EP Musicophilia in 2011; that same year, she was featured in the Georgia Straight’s “Best of Vancouver” roundup of local talent. Performing as a quartet with triple synths and live drums, Synthcake became known for interactive shows featuring a haunting brand of dark synth-pop, performed against a backdrop of psychedelic set design, punctuated with creative costuming- and sprinkled with whimsical details like edible synth cakes. These unconventional and high-energy shows garnered attention and brought Synthcake the opportunity to perform at a diverse range of events, from parties and music festivals to ritzy galas at elegant venues. Her follow-up album, Molding Through Seasons, was released in 2012.
Synthcake’s songs are as textured and nuanced as the emotions that inspired them. Lana revels in using her synthesizer as a means of exploring new, imaginative realms within her music- creating soundscapes that transport the listener into a smaller world that exists inside a single feeling. The result is a song that is not simply heard, but felt: layered vocal harmonies give way to blunt isolated phrases; a circus orchestra crescendos into a frenzy resembling the intricacies of human madness; sounds morph into one another- yet the anchor of Lana’s distinct vocal brings cohesion and familiarity. In 2016, Lana was awarded a five-week artist residency at The Banff Centre to polish her skills as a songwriter and work on new material. During her stay, she began exploring her desire to integrate new sounds and styles into Synthcake’s repertoire.
In 2016 Lana moved to Montreal, taking on the challenge of exploring and immersing herself in a new local music community. The raw, bubbling and connective arts scene in Montreal is a perfect backdrop for Synthcake’s new growth- one that is driven by Lana’s desire to create a haven; to encourage one’s strangeness to come out; to celebrate connectedness. A new Synthcake release titled Hooray is set to be released in 2020, and will showcase Lana’s work on her new ideas and inspirations.
Listen
Press
" 'Musicophilia' will drag you into depths of pop you didn't even know existed."
"After one particularly zippy, drum-heavy song that had the crowd losing their shit, the group started offering free download cards, which had people pushing to the front to grab theirs.... Lana Pitre’s sultry, velvety voice can make you forget all about that deranged clown that’s after you."
"Synthcake is one of the coolest new bands to emerge from Vancouver."
Shows
No upcoming shows at this time