Chiiild

Montreal-based collective Chiiild combine the raw emotional push of R&B with elements of groove-friendly indie rock and textural electronic production for a sound they dub “synthetic soul.” The band began touring and releasing songs in 2019 and issued an EP the following year. Their debut album, Hope for Sale, arrived in 2021.
Led by producer and musician Yonatan "xSDTRK" Ayal, Chiiild first appeared as a guest artist on British singer/songwriter Daley’s 2017 track “Careless.” The group contributed to production work with other artists as their own songs came together, working on tracks with Usher, Diplo, and others. Their first single, “Count Me Out,” arrived in the summer of 2019, a woozy blur of Tame Impala-styled psychedelia, R&B falsetto vocals, silky strings, and alien synth eruptions. Second single “Back to Life” featured singer/poet/activist Shungudzo, and both songs appeared on Chiiild’s 2020 EP Synthetic Soul. Featuring highly streamed tracks like “Awake” and “Sleepwalking,” the group’s full-length debut, Hope for Sale, came out in July 2021 on Island’s Avant Garden imprint. A pair of singles, “Bon Voyage” and “You Get Me (A Final Word),” appeared the following year. ~ Fred Thomas