Fernwood hip-hop group inspired by our neighbourhood’s spooky side
›› Toni Hiatt
On the Halloween evening of 2013, the three members of the future hip-hop project cAthedrAls joined other neighbourhood folk around the warm glow of the annual Fernwood Community Bonfire. Exactly one year to the day, the trio, made up of Harold Hejazi (MC Magicus Carpetus), Toni Hiatt, and Dan Godlovitch (OKPK), have released their debut 6-song self-titled EP.
The majority of the EP was recorded and mastered in the home-studio of OKPK, a few blocks from Fernwood Square. All having inhabited Fernwood at various points during the album’s creation, they share a strong kinship to the neighborhood, which fosters the growth, artistic and otherwise, of its community members.
Through textured beats, carefully crafted lyrics, and ethereal vocals, the album guides listeners through spectrums of light and dark, exploring the roles of these dualities in the human experience.
Everything found on the EP can be traced back to that memorable night, when after the bonfire they set off into the misty night with photographer-friend Dani Proteau, to snap some Halloween-inspired group photos. There is something very inspiring about living in Canada’s most haunted and supernatural city. Anyone who has taken a walk through Victoria at night will be able to hear that haunting experience in cAthedrAls’ sounds. Cross-reference the historic buildings and spooky history, with modern day musings on magic, spirituality, and consciousness, and you end up with this album.
CAthedrAls would like to acknowledge Fernwood for being part of their process. From vibrant community members, to spooky bonfires, and ever-flowing Cornerstone coffee, they could not have done it without you.
You can hear the EP at soundcloud.com/cathedralssound and contact them at cathedralssound@gmail.com.
