About
MAQLU
Label: n/a
since circa 2008
Hailing from Vancouver, Canada’s LaLaLand of weirdos with a long history of birthing electronic and synth-driven rock artists, it’s not surprising Maqlu ended up finding her inspiration in synthetic tones, distorted samples and experimental motifs. Fans have described her music as “a beautiful abomination” while reviewers have said Maqlu’s music is “a breath of fresh air in the electro scene” [James Wright of Soundsphere Magazine] and “an orchestration of foreign, unsettling industrial rock” [Tom Harrison of The Province].Maqlu’s debut EP, Blood, was unleashed on April 30, 2010, receiving airplay from as far away as Australia [4ZzZ in Brisbane] and charting in several markets across Canada, most notably as the #1 Electronic Album at CJAM FM in Windsor for two weeks in September 2010. The follow-up, Black, followed suit and bested its predecessor, charting on several electronic top ten charts across Canada and hitting #6 on !earshot‘s national electronic chart for November 23, 2010. A single from Black, “Whore,” found its way onto ExploreMusic’s podcast as the Indie Track of the Day for November 16, 2010.
A third EP, Haze, was released digitally at the end of April 2011. Maqlu released a CD version of all three EPs, blood.black.haze in the summer of 2011.
Maqlu also has a hand in experimental noise, improvisation, and minimalist orchestral compositions in projects such as The Maqlu Tarot and her new Monday Nite Noise series.
While Maqlu is definitely well-rooted in machine rock and abrasive experimental works, her earliest musical memories are the slick electro-pop of artists like Duran Duran and Depeche Mode, and these influences are bubbling up to the surface more and more. Songs like “Manifest” from Haze are built from tightly written pop structures and hooks providing a counterbalance to the more sinister synths layered on top.
Live, Maqlu tends towards very stripped down, minimalist renditions of her songs, with only a couple of synths and vocals over a drum machine.
On Hiatus
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Railway Club
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