graftician

with special guest Kimmortal

HISTORIC THEATRE|8PM|JUNE 14 2019

Soft Cedar Presents: the album release of Graftician’s new record Mandarins. 

Graftician is an experimental art-pop project fronted by Roxanne Nesbitt. Graftician’s sound is a dreamlike blend of drum machine samples and field recorded textures woven into pop melodies. The songs draw from a wide range of influences including jazz, electronic and experimental music all unified by Nesbitt’s soulful voice and provocative lyrics. Also an accomplished designer, Nesbitt crafts intricate stop-motion collage videos for all of her songs and performs live with vivid videos synced to samples.

Roxanne was born in the Canadian prairies to a Trinidadian mother and Canadian father. She grew up and studied classical double bass in Edmonton before relocating to Vancouver to study architecture. Classical music and architecture never fit right but do inform Roxanne’s diverse art practice as a composer, songwriter and instrument designer.

Graftician’s third album ‘Mandarins” features Joshua Zubot on violin, John Kastelic on viola, Ridley Bishop on clarinet, some beats from Smileswithteeth aka Gabriel Gutierrez and a few verses from local queer hip-hop icon Kimmortal.

Graftician pushes aural boundaries…leading the mind through a maze of unexpected sounds.”—Discorder

Kimmortal is a queer filipinx second generation settler based on unceded Coast Salish Territories aka Vancouver. Recognized as “a voice to be heard” by Exclaim magazine, Kimmortal has been making waves with their multifaceted approach to music. Incorporating song, visual art, rap and frequently collaborating with poets and dancers, Kimmortal strives to make an impact with their live performances. Their new album “X marks the Swirl” arrived 5 years since their first album “Sincerity” (2014).

Kimmortal’s music and art have been featured on CBC’s show “Exhibitionists”, the Queer Women of Colour Festival (San Francisco), Kultura Filipino Arts Festival (Toronto), Junofest 2018 (Vancouver), SXSW (Austin, TX), and Rifflandia (Victoria, BC). Kinmortal has recently collaborated with local bipoc dance and fashion collective Immigrant Lessons in a new production called “X marks the Movement” which debuted excerpts at Push Festival 2019. Kim has share stages with amazing artists including Ruby Ibarra, Saba, Shad K and Saul Williams and just this past year, Kimmortal’s single “I’m Blue” made it to top 20 music videos in the country via CBC.