As part of Winterlude’s “Sax in the City,” Ottawa’s self proclaimed future-folk duo Bosveld expanded their usual two-man line-up to a quintet in Lansdowne Park’s Horticulture building.
“They’ve really been honing their craft,” said Eric Burant, a friend of the band who has seen them play multiple times.
Burant said the show they played at Winterlude was his favourite so far.
“I thought they sounded like the National,” Burant said.
Normally, Bosveld comprises of frontman Théan Slabbert on vocals and acoustic guitar, backed by Jeremy Mulder’s ethereal saxophone and synth lines. At the Winterlude show, the band added special guests Pascal OfLaki, JF Beauchamp, and Franck Shepherd. The new members added drum fills, trumpet harmonies, and bass lines.
“We’re trying to keep things fresh,” Mulder said. “The fluidity of Bosveld is a great thing—regardless of whether it is a solo show, a trio, or a quintet, the songs simply take on another form.”
“Bosveld will continue to be an ambiguous entity,” added Slabbert, who writes all of the band’s material.
Slabbert said he uses the term “future folk” to capture his desire to integrate live-sampled acoustic instruments with electronic textures.
“It’s an interesting idea, and something of a juxtaposition of old and new, traditional, and progressive,” Mulder said.
According to the band’s website, “bosveld” is an Afrikaans word that means “vast field,” and is meant to describe their music’s sonic landscape. This fall, the band will be releasing their debut LP Veldbrand. The website notes Veldbrand is Afrikaans for “fields of fire.”
Slabbert said Bosveld’s upcoming show at Mugshots on Feb. 7 will likely be the last opportunity to hear a “front-to-back taste” of Veldbrand until the album’s release party.
