About

Oncle Jazz, the independently released third full-length album by Montreal’s Men I Trust (and first featuring full-time vocalist Emma Proulx), is the all-time best selling item under the “Canada” tag on Bandcamp. Yes, the percentage of music listeners who buy their music from Bandcamp (let alone buy music at all) is relatively small. There are myriad possible reasons why critics and tastemakers let this forward-thinking and brilliantly crafted album slip by without any consideration. Perhaps they were distracted by the flashy Charli XCX album released on the same day. It is fitting though: after all, many future classics were ignored or met with indifference at the time of their release, only to be lauded ten years down the road once every band on earth is influenced by it. Oncle Jazz is deceptively immersive. It is packaged as a passive listening experience and likely appeals to those who are looking for a passive listening experience, but its genius is that if you choose to look beyond the veneer, this is an album that rewards active listeners far more than most Spotifycore ever could. 

Men I Trust belong to the same pop music continuum. Instead of roughing up the formula, they smooth it out completely. Synths and guitar licks colour the songs on Oncle Jazz, and Proulx’s understated but relentlessly catchy melodies are endearing, but it is the historically underappreciated bass that keeps things interesting. Jessy Caron is like a more tasteful and pedestrian Thundercat. His playing is the soul of the album and he is the band member most likely to show off his moves. Proulx’s lyrics are thoughtful, modern and often as beautiful as they are funny. You wouldn’t know it without the lyrics in front of you though — just like everything else on Oncle Jazz, the amount you put in is the amount you get out of it. Oncle Jazz’s length may seem daunting, but I assure you, this is no bloated Drake record. The whole thing flies by in an instant because it doesn’t demand your undivided attention the whole way through. Its strength is that no matter where or when you tune out, you get a sense of satisfaction whenever you tune in. 

Men I Trust are a sign that ambient music, a niche genre since day one, has become an essential part of the modern pop music equation. The music they make is as ignorable as it is interesting and it is made all the more interesting because of it. Oncle Jazz will prove to be a defining album of the times. — (via Dominionated)

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Label: Not On Label (Men I Trust Self-released)
Format: 2x Vinyl, LP, Album, Repress
Reissued: 2024 / Original Release: 2019
Genre: Pop
Style: Indie Pop, Dream Pop, Chillwave

File under: Alternative / Indie / Pop

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