Spending six months meditating on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean is not conventional for an artist, but DenMother is not your typical artist.
The Fredericton-based artist released her album I Chased The Water on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Experimenting with whispered vocals, spoken poems over light synths and atmospheric-produced melodies, DenMother said she is leaning into her raw and vulnerable side.
“One day you’ll go to one spot and you feel fear because you can’t see anything, it’s just fog … then the next day, you go to the same spot and the sun’s shining and bouncing off the surface of the water and it’s just a completely different safe feeling.”
DenMother delved deep into sailor lore and ocean mythology, a fascination kick-started by learning about an island near St. Andrew’s where a ship of 70 sailors died.
She also took an interest in the tragic romance of the Victorian era, noting its associated dramatic expressions of sacrifice via throwing oneself into the sea.
Her connection with the ocean allowed her to work through her personal issues.
“There’s something so cleansing about water and the ocean specifically,” she said.
The sounds and themes of I Chased The Water are a clear departure from the previous album Frantic Ram, which she described as industrial metal.
DenMother explored the themes of quiet rage, sexuality and tragic romance through alternative electronic music while making her latest album.
She intended her new album to be stark and stripped down, allowing the lyrics of each song to take the spotlight for listeners to revel in their poetry.
Born in Ontario, DenMother relocated to the Maritimes in 2009. She has found her home in New Brunswick and reflected on how her music has evolved as she has travelled.
“When I moved [to New Brunswick], I immediately felt a sense of community and family within the music scene that I just love,” she said.
She is beginning another project that builds on this foundation of meditation she found while creating I Chased The Water. DenMother is no longer afraid of delving deeper into silence and vulnerability in her music.
“I learned how to not be afraid to have my voice front and forward,” she said. “It was a really intimate album for me to make.”
DenMother’s music has scored five nominations for the MusicNB Awards, as well as a 2022 nomination at the East Coast Music Awards.
She has released seven albums since 2016 and is known for her fascinating performances at the FLOURISH Festival.
On Nov. 1 and 2 DenMother will be playing at the PERISH Festival, a sub-festival of FLOURISH. The performance will be at The Cap in downtown Fredericton.
