Even in our moments of deepest despair, we’re subconsciously laying the groundwork for what lies ahead. That’s the emotional space Toronto electro-rocker Trak occupies on his new single, “Dust & Ashes”: a crossroads between the wreckage of yesterday and the mystery of tomorrow, where our surest compass is an indomitable will to move forward that we may not even know we have.
With all the raw honesty his skill as a composer and performer will convey, Trak embodies a character who’s feeling “suffocated” by “the ashes of the past”—while at the same time experiencing the sensation of his skin being seared by “the heat from the future.” Sounds like a real no-win situation—except that the “heat” in question might not be a smothering, extinguishing force, but rather an inner fire that imparts the warmth to stay alive and carry on.
The music is appropriately urgent yet somehow also reassuringly symmetrical, with Trak’s emotional vocal keening over a percolating, arpeggiated submelody that sounds almost like a tortured vibraphone. It all builds to a dramatic crescendo that pulls the utmost from the vocalist/keytarist and his newly added cadre of supporting musicians: violinist Tina Sol, drummer Stephan Loebus, guitarist Alejandro Herrera and backing vocalist Kat Valisolalao.
“Dust & Ashes” plays a pivotal role in a long-form science-fiction story Trak began telling on his debut album, Enter the Purgatory, and is carrying forward onto his upcoming EP, The Last Flare. It’s the tale of a space traveler who, as the song begins, has been separated from his soulmate through an act of self-sacrifice and is questioning the choices that have led him there. For Trak, rendering such wounded moments of the heart in song is a highly positive, even cathartic process.
“I’ve always gone to music composition to express sadness, fear, doubt and any negative thoughts,” he explains. “These feelings are the one that create the most meaningful songs and beautiful melodies.”
Just don’t think it’s all a mere academic exercise, because solitude is and always has been a genuine leitmotif for this artist. Since his days growing up in Nice all way through to his momentous relocation to his current home base of Toronto, he’s remained a genuine introvert. For proof, just take a look at his onstage presentation, in which he unfailingly hides behind a face mask that makes him look like a futuristic cousin to The Phantom of the Paradise.
Through it all, his stabilizing influence has been music. Having inherited his father’s appreciation of Genesis (the band, not the Old Testament document), he acquired his first synthesizer at age 13 and immediately set about crafting his own original tunes. (We won’t mention an earlier, aborted attempt to learn classical and jazz piano). Before long, the young visionary was appearing at his high-school talent show, playing three synthesizers at the same time in a performance inspired by Jean-Michel Jarre.
Since then, his development as a writer and player has been an ongoing handshake with developing technology, including the latest up-to-the-minute home-recording software and composing platforms.
The result was Enter the Purgatory, an ambitious electro-opera inspired by the myth of Orpheus’ descent into the underworld. The Last Flare is a more cosmically minded song cycle that Trak says will also reveal a distinct evolution from his electro roots to a fuller rock sound. Due in February 2025, the EP will follow the single’s lead in showcasing a newfound emphasis on live instrumentation, while retaining the dramatic flair of Trak’s more solitary, operatic influences. Having explored the full parameters of electronic music, he’s now focused on carving out a space where live-band energy and the electronic pulse of a DJ set will blend seamlessly. (Ever restless, he’s also planning on yet another major geographical upheaval—a move to Barcelona—in the new year.)
“The ideas behind my music are simple: make music a long-lasting product instead of a short-term phenomenon,” Trak says. “Today’s music is more focused on being catchy and trendy, instead of focusing on the emotions and the message. I want people to explore their musical tastes and connect more with what they listen to.”
In other words, there’s a third alternative to the scars of yesterday and the cloudy skies of next week: the comforting embrace of the eternal. See you there. And don’t forget to kick the “Dust” off your shoes.
