Oliver Ghoul – Five Questions With

Photo Credit: Charlotte Rainville

Oliver Ghoul shares his debut single, “Glue,” along with an accompanying music video

Montreal’s psychedelic psychiatrist, Oliver Ghoul, is sharing “Glue,” a weird and trippy love song for fans of ‘60s psychedelia and lo-fi music. The track finds Ghoul depicting himself as a lovestruck stalker in his own apartment, his emotion-riddled body a “leaky monkey suit” while he surveys his wife from behind a plant.

This bittersweet and lush psych-pop tune is what Ghoul calls a “Scooby-Doo take on a love song.”

“People are complex. Relationships are complex. Life is complex. Feelings are complex. It’s important to embrace the contradictions, the absurdity of life and who we are as human beings. I’d rather not ignore that part of being alive!”

Watch the video for “Glue” below and learn more about Oliver Ghoul via our Five Questions With segment.

Care to introduce yourself to our readers?

I’m Oliver Ghoul from Montreal. I’m a multi-instrumentalist and sonic tinkerer who also happens to work full-time as a psychiatrist. Since 2019, I’ve been working on songs designed to take you on a psyched-out journey of musical escapism. Expect a fuzzy, nostalgic, and dreamlike blend of sounds past.

Tell us a bit about your most recent release.

“Glue” is my first-ever single, and I couldn’t be more excited to finally have it out in the world. If you’re into blissed-out, cartoony mischief, definitely give it a spin. It’s a swirling, gooey and creepy (yet silly) ode to my wife, as well as the first full-length song I ever wrote. What you hear on the final track is actually layers of recordings spanning three or four years, with elements from both before and during the pandemic, so it feels like a time machine when I listen to it now. I’ve always been quite self-conscious about lyrics — aren’t we all? — but “Glue” marks a turning point for me in that regard, and I am proud to be able to profess my love for the mysterious, faceless beauty in the stunning music video by my talented friend Benjamin Bensoussan. Needless to say, this track is quite dear to me. I hope you’ll love it like I do… but differently.

Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?

I know better than to wait for the muses to squawk. I am constantly on the lookout for inspo. Every time I have a quirky thought or daydream, a riff or beat, I jot it down or voice-note it. I lean heavily on my musical heroes and am always looking for inspiration in the music I listen to, the books, movies, and art I consume. But no matter how strong my ideas and plans may feel, they all fall by the wayside when I start picking up my instruments. It really varies from track to track; a whole lot starts with the drums (my first musical love!), but I also write with guitar and bass quite a bit. The right effect can blow my mind and give me a eureka moment: sometimes, right then and there, I’ll hear the melody and can visualize the song’s themes and loose narrative.

Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?

I have nothing scheduled at the moment, but I’m deep in thought, trying to figure out how to bring Oliver Ghoul to the people. Live looping? Full band? Time will tell…

What’s your goal for 2023?

Oh, baby, I’ve got an EP coming in the spring and a debut album waiting in the wings. I’m also working on some new stuff. I’m really excited to see what 2023 will bring. Just to put some feelers out into the world, I’d love to collaborate and explore writing with others, and I’d really want to add brass and strings to the party. Right now, it’s mostly a one-ghoul show, but I’m lonely! Be my friend, please.

Connect with Oliver Ghoul:
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram

Jenna Melanson

I’m Jenna, the founder and editor of Canadian Beats. I have had a strong love for Canadian music, which started many years ago. I have a passion for promoting these talented Canadian bands and artists, and that’s how Canadian Beats came to be.

Canadian Beats has grown to become more than media, and what a journey it’s been.