In April 2024, Canadian duo Joseph Shabason and Nicholas Krgovich embarked on their first tour of Japan under the banner Shabason & Krgovich. By a stroke of serendipity, Koji Saito of 7e.p. Records paired them with beloved Japanese duo Tenniscoats (Saya and Ueno). What began as a two-week run through Matsumoto, Nagoya, Kobe, Kyoto, and Tokyo quickly became something more—a meeting of kindred spirits that would turn into one of the year’s most enchanting records.
With only two rehearsals, the four musicians discovered an effortless chemistry. Their performances were loose yet hypnotic, balancing fragility and surprise. Anticipating this rare chemistry, Saito arranged a recording session at the historic Guggenheim House in Kobe—a 117-year-old seaside villa turned artist residency. Over just two days, with the Pacific Ocean rolling outside their windows and the occasional train rattling by, the group wrote and recorded eight tracks that would become Wao (out August 29 via Western Vinyl).
Spontaneity Turned Into Song
The record thrives on improvisation and shared imagination. “Departed Bird,” the newly released single, began as an instrumental. Unsure how to finish it, Krgovich pulled a book of Cold Mountain poetry off the shelf, opened at random, and sang the words of page 23 in a single take. Saya instantly affirmed: “So glad to have new lyrics (really suit!) and your voice…”—even noting that page 23 holds symbolic weight in numerology as a number of free expression. The result feels serendipitous, as if the song itself insisted on being born.
Across Wao, the four artists lean into the beauty of the ordinary. Krgovich and Saya shared nicknames for clouds while on tour (“fishscale cloud, dragon cloud, sheep cloud”), mused over mismatched socks in a thrift store, and even sang to Tan Tan, a panda who had recently passed away at Kobe Oji Zoo. These details—seemingly small and playful—become luminous in their hands, spun into melodies that feel timeless.
A Dream Preserved in Tape
The Guggenheim House, with its creaky floors and proximity to the train tracks, made its way into the recordings themselves. You can hear the room, the trains, the atmosphere, all baked into the songs. “To me it adds so much charm and personality,” Shabason reflects. What could have been seen as imperfections instead became part of the album’s pulse—an indelible reminder that this music came from a specific, fleeting moment.
Wao is more than just a collaboration. It’s a document of magic stumbled upon and captured before it slipped away. As Shabason puts it, “The whole thing felt like a dream and was over so quickly I kinda forgot about it until I opened the sessions weeks later. It was clear we had done something special.”
Listen & Pre-Order
🎧 Listen to “Departed Bird” on YouTube 🎶 Pre-order Wao via Western Vinyl 📀 Hear their cover of My Bloody Valentine’s “Lose My Breath”
✨ Wao isn’t just an album—it’s a postcard from a dream you didn’t realize you were part of until you press play.