For Esmé

Documentary filmmaker Chelsea McMullen takes the director’s chair in this anthemic music video from For Esmé, an unabashedly feminist pop band fronted by Toronto-based musician Martha Meredith. The film, conceived and co-directed by multi-disciplinary performance company Quote Unquote Collective, with Israeli choreographer Orian Michaeli, explores the boundary between self-regulation and self-acceptance, combining fluid movement with the band’s poppy and beat-driven sound.
“It is an exquisitely vulnerable performance showcasing the expressive movement of bodies in public spaces”
Speaking of this tender and uplifting project, McMullen explains: “It is an exquisitely vulnerable performance shot entirely on 16mm film, showcasing the expressive movement of bodies in public spaces—revealing the mess of desires and emotions that women are so often taught to swallow and contain.” - Nowness

The songs of For Esmé push the limits of pop to embrace beauty while provoking an honest exchange of identity and inner voice. With electric anthems steeped in bright melody and driven by deeper meaning, For Esmé makes music for this moment. Inspired by lead singer Martha’s personal frustrations as a woman working alongside all-male teams, ‘Doubtmouth’ faces dealing with repeatedly being labeled “too combative” and “too confident” even though those qualities earned her the positions in the first place. ‘Doubtmouth’ is the lead track from her upcoming LP Righteous Woman out this May.

“Over the past few years I’ve worked in four different all-male teams for different jobs and I was exhausted from all the tiptoeing I felt I had to do be heard. I found repeatedly that if I spoke the same way the men on my team spoke, that I would be treated negatively for being ‘too confident’ or ‘too outspoken’ or ‘too combative’ — even though it was precisely these traits that got me those positions in the first place. I have experienced being labeled an ‘angry woman’ first hand, and I am a very level person. I dove into some psych studies and found the results disturbing. In a blind test, when men and women promote the exact same opinion assertively to a group (word for word), subjects overwhelmingly shift their opinions to agree with the man when he speaks, and are more likely to push against and oppose the same view if it comes from a woman. It was a relief to discover this wasn’t in my head, but it was also incredibly frustrating — if the bias runs that deep in both men and women, how do we overcome it?” – Martha Meredith - Klatblut Magazine

For Esmé is the synthy smooth and reflective indie-pop project driven by Martha Meredith. We first got into the Toronto based act after hearing “Make A Sound” off her last album, Sugar. For Esmé have recently returned with “Doubtmouth,” a juicy track about overcoming the gender bias that also marks the first single off her upcoming new LP, title Righteous Woman.

We at Sidewalk Hustle are stoked to drop “For Others,” a new song and video from For Esmé. Directed by Spencer Cathcart, the video features the band playing in a smokey scene as Meredith contemplates in abstract moments. As Martha Meredith explained to us…

"This record was written in the year between my getting engaged and married to my partner of 7 years and friend of 17. It often felt like two paths were diverging in front of me: one for an untethered, wild and outspoken feminist artist, and the other for a grounded, happy and simple life. I wanted and continue to want both, because neither offers fulfillment without the other. It was such a serious time for reflection on what parts of your family tradition you want to bring with you into your own adulthood and what you want to reject. I want all the good parts without the expectations placed on wives and mothers to be these endlessly nurturing martyrs. I want both so badly, I just find it hard to believe in sometimes (‘I’m not a liar, I’m just undecided’)." - Sidewalk Hustle

Everyone has that friend so obsessed with getting a boyfriend that she completely misses the interesting, multi-layered, kick-ass person who’s right in front of her (herself). Ok, we’ve all been that friend. Canadian band For Esmé addresses self-love in their newest track “Modern Love” off 2018’s Righteous Woman.

“I was looking for somebody / to figure me out and come to love me / like I was wanting / I was incomplete / like winning love would justify me,” front-woman Martha Meredith sings into her bathroom mirror. The video for “Modern Love” features a variety of actors dancing, singing, screaming this reminder into the glass: “To make your own damn bed / sleep in it / cause you are the one who’s got to live with it.” It’s an anthem of self-acceptance, a tried and true reminder that ultimately you have to fall in love with yourself before you can receive love from anyone else. “Modern Love” is the Folger’s coffee of music; from the starting beat, it’ll be the best part of your morning playlist. Skip the mirror, grab a cup, and fall into step. - Audiofemme

Co-created with collaborator Dave Thiel and producer James Bunton, and mastered by Mandy Parnell, the record hears frontwoman Martha Meredith delving into what it means to be a modern, progressive woman. In addition to her own lived experience, she also turned to psych studies researching self objectification, female anger, gaze, cat-calling, depression and body image for writing inspiration.

As such, the resulting music is both extremely personal and universal.

"Righteous Woman is about my trying harder to be a better person: Ultimately a person who, when I go to bed at night, I can live with and maybe even love," Meredith tells Exclaim! "That isn't an easy thing for me. I don't think we live in a culture that encourages us and rewards us for being true to ourselves and to each other. It is especially hard on women. The pressure to be nurturing, accommodating and 'chill' while simultaneously juggling impossible standards for beauty, togetherness, selflessness and all the other bullshit is a lot."

She continues, "Social media and the awful realities of the internet and capitalism/globalization don't help. On the flip side, I carry a lot of guilt about my own immense privilege, and I think that makes truth telling difficult too. Throw my wedding into the mix (queue subsequent panic about self-identity, family legacy, and how to have it all) and I had a hell of a lot of things to get to the bottom of. I wanted to get to the bottom of them though, and I tried my best to crack myself open to share them with you."

Listen to Meredith's musical exploration of all of that by streaming Righteous Woman below. The album is officially out May 25. - Exclaim!

I needed this greatly this week.

For Esme released a video for their song “Modern Love” from their album Righteous Woman (which I’m still obsessed with) and it couldn’t have come at a more urgent time.

Beautiful women singing affirmations to themselves in the mirror? Yes please.

Now all we need is a Vancouver tour date…please? - 3am Revelations

Song of the Week comes from Toronto band For Esmé's latest album, 'Righteous Woman.' Mar Meredith is the front woman for the band and she sat down with host Gill Deacon to talk about the inspiration behind the LP. - CBC Here & Now

We’ve long subscribed to the music and message of For Esmé, the Toronto-based electronic music project of Martha Meredith. A few weeks back we hyped For Esmé’s brilliant track “Doubtmouth”, which explored Meredith’s struggles to dim herself down in the work place. And now, as we approach the May 25 release of For Esmé’s new LP Righteous Woman, she returns with “For Others,” an equally introspective song about marriage, motherhood, and the concept of love.

We’ll let Meredith take it from here, as it’s her wisdom that provides an intriguing context to this composition.

“My most recent single, ‘For Others’ is a personal unravelling of the gendered legacies of marriage and motherhood, begging the tough questions about the families that we make and the families that raise us,” she writes on Facebook. “About what we carry forward and what we leave behind. A central force in creating Righteous Woman was the anxiety that surrounded marriage for me. No qualms about a future with my best friend and partner of forever @cbierk, but a fear of what marriage means for one’s self-identity.”

She adds: “To be candid, I was also nervous if the glossy, youth-driven, instant gratification, heavy on branding part of the music industry would be able to embrace this part of who I am and what I want for myself. Marriage isn’t super rock and roll. In the end, August 19 last summer was one of the best days of my life. Not just because I got to marry my best friend, but because of LOVE. All around us, intergenerational, inter-family, friends that are family, family that are friends. Dancing my hardest to ‘I Feel Love’ under the stars and letting the song and my body say everything I needed to (shout out to Saxsyndrum for the special late night dance party). The world hardens us so much, and love is everything. This morning I am thinking about love and about gratitude and just hopeful that we can all inject a bit more love into today, and every day.”

Cheers to that. Listen to “For Others” below. - Vanyaland

Fronted by Ontario-born Martha Meredith, For Esme is cementing themselves as a force to be reckoned with their latest cyclone of an album, Righteous Woman. Orbiting around themes of self-objectification, female anger, the male gaze, and depression linked to body image, Righteous Woman is a 10-track mix of radio-worthy pop and metaphorical brass knuckles.

The opening track, “To Love”, establishes the fearless and upbeat tone immediately: an eclectic, 80’s-tinged swirl of drums, synth, and Meredith’s contrastingly girlish vocals, not one track gives you time to catch your breath—in the best way possible. From early album track “I Never Learn” to ending track “Asleep Awake”, the diversity of sound and new play on synth makes each track as incredibly distinguishable as the next.

Commanding, valiant, and wholly refreshing, Righteous Woman is an album for both the casual listener and long-time fan alike. - Canadian Beats

This week, Toronto’s art-pop band For Esmé release the music video for “To Love”, directed by Laura-Lynn Petrick.
First track of their critically-acclaimed album “Righteous Woman”, “To Love” is a visual journey exploring gaze and seeking balance between all of its contradictions. The film objectifies female cliches in order to question their validity with playfulness and sarcasm. To Love intends to create refreshing and powerful narratives within societal normalizations of femininity. For Esmé epitomizes the reclaiming of the gaze, and the video illustrates frontwoman Mar Meredith’s evolution from object of male desire to principal subject of her own narrative. - Canadian Beats Media

Wrapped in a cheerful, dreamy electro-pop melody with driving beats, the message could not be any clearer! Great song, fantastic lyrics and perfect for now and always, “Doubtmouth” by Toronto-based singer/songwriter For Esmé. The artist says about the first track of her upcoming album “Righteous Woman” (5/25):

“I hate confrontation — probably more than anything. Unfortunately, I find it is an unavoidable and increasingly important part of being a woman who stands up for herself. When faced with it, I find I over analyze, overthink, and work too hard to justify my feelings of discontent — full of a fear that I will be labeled too much of something: too confident, too opinionated, too naive, too demanding, a bitch. I’m struck by how much less men seem filled with those same fears in return.”

Something even the most confident women struggle with, hence the anthemic chorus resonates beautifully:

Too tired to tiptoe between
Too much this and too much that tonight
Too bright a light
To be dimming myself down for you

… and with that resolution dazzling, listen to “Doubtmouth”, our Song Pick of the Day. - Glamglare

The project of multi-talented artist Martha Meredith, For Esmé, returns with a taste of forthcoming new LP, Righteous Woman. "For Others" is a synth driven lurker from the Toronto natives.

The competing synths are backed by steady percussion and an understated guitar riff, with Meredith's enthralling vocals reflecting on the struggle of being a mother and pursing her career in music. The tune is accompanied by the below message, expanding on Meredith's thoughts;

Determined and affecting in its unravelling of the gendered legacies of marriage and motherhood, 'For Others' offers no clear answers in considering the families we make and the families that raise us, instead softly reflecting on what we carry forward and what we leave behind.

Very much like this track the album Righteous Woman is about women and their battle for acceptance in a male-dominated world, with Meredith taking influence from her ongoing work with Toronto Women in Music. This is sure to be an album chock full of electronic wonders with thought provoking and relatable lyrics. I'm excited. - Indie Shuffle

Martha Meredith aka For Esmé introduces her album Righteous Woman. In this project, she explores progressive and feminist views in a way that causes you to question certain traditional values. She does it in a way that doesn’t undermine some of the positive traits of the traditional view and yet she critiques certain aspects of it. She shares her viewpoint with respect and does not badger or condemn anyone.

“To Love” is the first track on the album. Mar’s voice is immediately captivating as she expresses her frustrations about loving someone who ended up leaving her even though she made it easy for him to love her. It’s a critique of men who don’t know how to keep a woman who is strong and confident. A woman who freely gives her heart without undermining the other person.

Halfway down the album, she sings about the agony of being seen as a child-rearing object. She portrays the woman who refuses to be defined only as a mother; only as someone who is made For Others. It also explores other deep emotional themes, and it is the first song in which the percussion section is quite audible. It’s a clever production in that sense because there is something about a strong drum beat that helps the heart connect to its emotions, and this song is filled with emotions.

Doubtmouth follows “For Others”. It’s my favorite, so I had to mention it. It is reminiscent of 80s music, and it’s definitely a girl power track. She sings about speaking out as a woman. It’s about the kind of woman who won’t dumb herself down but speaks as the intelligent person she is. The idea that women are strong; women are confident; women are intelligent; women are assertive reverberates throughout the track.

At the end of the album is a short and simple production that is unapologetic and is meant to awaken the woman who has mindlessly followed the status quo. Asleep/Awake is about the woman who is learning from her mistakes. Conformity caused her to fall asleep, but now she has awakened to her worth. Ideally, this woman has listened to the entire album from the first track to the last. She has considered what Mar has to say and now she is awakening to the righteous woman that she is. Her worth is not defined by what society says about her but by whom she is created to be. This woman will only find her worth when she searches the deep things in her heart and stands up for herself as a virtuous and righteous woman.

Musically, the entire album is a delight to the ears. Most of the songs veer towards a synth-pop sound while others sound like electric funk, notably in the song “To Hate”. In “Small Talk”, the production sounds like a mashup of different tracks. At one point it also sounds like there are animal noises as if she recorded that portion on a farm or while camping in a forest. I especially liked the song “Didn’t Ask” because of the end. Here the music sets the mood for the story she tells about a man who cat-called her while she was riding her bike. I was so moved by the song’s message that I sent her a note on Facebook and gave her a compliment. She responded quickly and with kindness (I didn’t tell her I was reviewing her album). Two thumbs up to you For Esmé! - Audible Addixion

Latest Single: Small Talk

Favourite Restaurant: The Ace, Skyline & The Federal

Favourite band as a teenager: Metric & the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Favourite band now: Today it’s Land Of Talk but it depends what day you ask me…

Guilty Pleasure Song: I am trying not to feel guilty for listening to things and just embrace that I like what I like, but my play count on Carly Rae’s E-mo-tion and Paramore’s After Laughter might surprise some.

Live Show Ritual: I try my best to find some time to spend alone in some relative quiet. It can be hard to do on tour but I think it’s really important to get my head in the right space. I usually get ready in some grimy bathroom and then do vocal warm ups in a weird corner or hallway somewhere that I can get away from people. I’m a social butterfly with a quiet talking voice and have had to train myself NOT to go socialize with everyone right before I sing. It’s hard to resist but it saves my voice.
Favourite local artist:

The Highest Order

Sneaky Dees nachos, pasta from Terroni or a superfood salad from Fresh?

I’m a sucker for the original Terroni on Queen and religiously order the Rigatoni Arcobaleno.

Queen or College St?

Queen… it’s been my haunt for a long time! I especially like it around Parkdale.

Trinity Bellwoods or Highpark, Riverdale or Kew Gardens?

Transitioning to a High Park lady cause Bellwoods is too much — but I have really fond memories of Bellwoods from when I first moved here.

EP or LP?

LPs — we can’t let them die! I don’t believe the attitude that people don’t have the attention span. Full albums are everything to me.

Early bird or night owl?

Inconsistent — I love peaceful mornings but I love going out dancing as well as writing late into the night. Usually I’m both, so also usually tired.

Road or studio?

Road — I’m usually past the self-dobut by then. I love people’s emotional reactions to my lyrics and when people dance — it’s the best reward.

Swiss Chalet or Roti?

Roti. - Toronto Guardian

Righteous Woman is electronic folk music. For this album, For Esmé’s Martha Meredith is clearing fronting the band and the album is her concept album. It is a feminist album, but rather than a political stance, she is using the feminist framework to write about herself. She is not dictating, but trying to relate and explain her inner thoughts and emotions.

This is the first For Esmé album since 2015’s Sugar, and their third. While Sugar was a very dance-oriented, fun album, Righteous Woman is clearly the most personal album Meredith has written to date. Musically, it is very electronic, and very danceable. The music draws one in, and Meredith delivers the lyrics. One can only hope people are listening as they dance.

Righteous Woman is an album, not a collection of songs or even a collection of singles. It flows as an album, in many regards each song builds on the last. Not so much a story, but it does reflect a woman discovering, or maybe rediscovering, who she is and her place on this earth.

The album kicks off with “To Love”, a remarkable song with some very strong vocal performances from Meredith. This is followed with “I Never Learn”, then “Small Talk”, which paves the way for “To Hate”. But Meredith does not want to stay in a negative zone, so the rest of the album is a roller coaster ride through emotions and thoughts. She is not easy on herself and she implicates herself throughout. Yes there are obstacles for women, but where does she fit in? This is not victim blaming, but rather empowerment.

Working with Dave Thiel, who plays on the album and co-wrote some of the songs, and producer James Bunton, who also contributed to writing, Meredith has the perfect soundtrack for her strong lyrical content. This is electronic, danceable music with introspective lyrics and meaning.

Righteous Woman is a great album, and one that deserves to be heard. - Spill Magazine

Admittedly, this playlist has gotten us in trouble before because we don't really do a "male vocalist" playlist to balance things out.

The strongest argument for carving this out as a separate category is that with ~15 "best of" playlists, the vast majority of the songs are male vocalists. This is most-likely influenced by genre-stereotypes (eg, psychedelic rock and hip-hop don't have many female vocalists leading the vocals).

And so, because female vocalists often carve out a unique sound of their own, we've made it a bit of a tradition to share our favorite songs in which they take center stage. - Indie Shuffle

For Esmé hail from Toronto, a city perhaps best known for rugged indie rock a la Arts & Crafts.

Defiantly individual, the trio have decided to head in a different, fresh direction. Crisp, minimal wave inspired synth pop, For Esmé have an artful touch on every manouevre.

Working on fresh material, Clash is able to unveil the video for 'YOU'. It's a bold return, with the production amped up into proto-techno levels – little wonder, given that Toronto sits just across the water from Detroit.

Akin to Robyn's more conceptual side of even British newcomers such as Vaults, the group's synth pop abandon is matched to an artful aesthetic.

The video itself has a dream-like, Lynchian quality – check it out below. - Clash Magazine

The album Righteous Woman is a concept album. Meredith is a feminist, the album developed partially due to Meredith working with the organization Women In Music. “The first song I wrote for the album was “To Hate”. I was doing some work with Women In Music in Toronto. The song is a stance on politics and the apathy in the world. My producer sent me the instrumental track and the lyrics came quickly. James called me on my privilege and lived where it was going. I was encouraged to keep going by bandmates”.“Then I started working on “For Others” and I realized where the album was going, openly feminist. Actually super feminist work, but also showing vulnerability.”
The first single from the album, “Doubtmouth” comes with an interesting video. “The idea for the video came from my photographer. We needed some new pictures, suggested we do a slow motion video with the lyrics. She had brought a bag of fruit, and she said just eat this grapefruit, like you are eating your feelings. I thought it was funny, but you know grapefruit represents women in weird ways, and the video turns that on its head. It was an easy video to make but I she kept telling me to take bite, even though I was still chewing on a piece.”

Meredith has studied psychology at university and comes to this project with a solid knowledge base and also a lived experience. “I don’t speak for all women, and I continue to grapple with my own white privilege. But I am happy it is resounding with women. The process writing the lyrics and music was tough and I am being super vulnerable on this album.”

For Esmé (the name comes from a story by Meredith’s favourite author J.D. Salinger) has always released its music on its own record label. Righteous Woman is no exception. Being on her own label allows a great deal of freedom for Meredith and the band. “I am the creative director for my own work. I grew into that role. This album is my baby, my project, and although I hate conflict I stand up for myself. It allows me to do the music I am interested in. The new album is an album, for example. People kept saying ‘release singles’ or an EP or whatever. But I wanted to release this concept album. The songs go together like a real journey. I am a diehard LP girl.”
This spills out into her live performance as well. Meredith has put together a touring band, as opposed to playing with a couple of people who play recorded tracks. “It is a fully live show, with two women on board. In total it is a five piece band. The first show is at The Drake on May 31, and I am so excited. Even rehearsing is awesome. When you are playing to a track it is not flexible. No jamming, no exploring the song, it is very limiting”.

“I have also been working with a vocal coach. I want to understand my voice better. I was always a choir girl in high school. She is an awesome, she says thing like ‘say it like you want to say it to your ex’. I want to find my true voice, more self trust too.”

Although the album is very politically charged and feminist-based, Meredith is very clear about her intentions and lessons learned. “In the music business, it is different for women, there are obstacles and it is still a male dominated business. But I don’t want to be labelled a white privileged woman who is just complaining. I want to be constructive. By doing this album I realized my own culpability in myself as well”

The album title Righteous Woman is an important title for Meredith. “In the 1990s I was listening to strong women, Fiona Apple, Ani DeFranco, No Doubt, and I think they were Righteous Women. But it also describes the kind of woman I want to be. You know, when to speak up, when to shut up, a Righteous Woman.” - Spill Magazine

“I had to resist quoting the “Powerpuff Girls” narrator, mostly because sugary sweet is not truly what “Sugar” was going for. It’s something to applaud a band for—throwing a curve ball to surprise listeners. Empowering, feminist, and poppy enough to dance to, this record is a gem.” – Dustin Ragucos - Ride The Tempo

When For Esmé’s lead vocalist Martha Meredith sings “I’m going to get out of my head / more, I want more, give me more,” on the album opener, “Be A Light”, she speaks for all of us. Sugar is the soundtrack to a commentary on 21st century life, where documenting a special moment is just as important as the moment itself. With lyrics examining the social psyche of the Instagram/Snapchat generation and the unquenchable, self-obsessed desire to sanitize and craft the perfect public image, For Esmé manages to package these concepts in a reverb-heavy, 80s-yet-modern sonic soundscape.

There’s a definite industrial influence on the first part of “Franny & Zooey” – which could actually be two different songs – with a detour into upbeat, bouncy Chvrches-esque synth pop. After that however, the sound jumps from very 80s-styled synth pop (“The Same Thing”), moody atmospherics (“In The Night Air”) and electro-influenced indie (“You”). While everything sort of generally falls under the rubric of synth-pop, the eclecticism on Sugar sets them far apart from contemporaries. The arrangements are unique, the songs are layered and are unified by Meredith’s versatile and strong vocal performance.

If you’re looking for an album that’s going to convince you to leave your phone at home the next time you head out into the night, this is most definitely it. - Confront Magazine

Have you ever recorded The A-Team on VHS? Toronto natives For Esmé probably have. In their video for "Make A Sound" the band teamed up with Puncture Design, the people responsible for WayHome music festival, to recreate the nostalgic feeling of a glitchy VHS 80s disco-dream. Much like a normal tape would, the video skips out of rhythm while For Esmé perform against a flickering screen with an electro-pop infused take of moody disco.

"Growing up in the country meant my cable access was pretty limited. I spent a lot of time trying to recreate videos and performances I'd taped or seen elsewhere with my parents' video camera," singer Martha Meredith explains. "Highlights include attempting to write, direct and star in a homemade sequel to Spice World, a very serious attempt to recreate Labyrinth in its entirety, and a pretty impressive lip-sync and air-synth performance to Whigfield’s ‘Saturday Night’". Watch the video below. - Noisey

Toronto three-piece For Esmé, named for the J.D. Salinger story, make electronic pop music that's optimistic and sincere. Their nostalgic palettes, expansive environments, the wide-eyed pose — it's the kind of sound that would have you believe the world is a big place and it's full of possibility.

"I used to subconsciously harbour an idea that for a song to be truly moving," frontwoman Martha Meredith says, "it had to be sad." But with Sugar, Meredith wanted to make songs that could move people by being vulnerable and joyful. "I think our generation spends a lot of time running from our emotions, trying to distract ourselves, and I wanted to capture a feeling that is at once conscious, critical, vulnerable and strong."

Bandmates Dave Thiel and Nathan Crook and producer James Bunton dove down that rabbit hole with Meredith on Sugar (streaming in full below) journeying through those feelings "from self-doubt to euphoria."

On the importance of Salinger, Meredith explains:

Salinger is one of my longtime favourite authors. Something in the particular character of his writing has always resounded in me, like I’m hearing the sound of a familiar voice in my own head. The name For Esmé comes from For Esmé with Love and Squalor, because I always admired the bold charm and precocious nature of Esmé.

With Sugar I wanted to take my ode to Salinger a step further by attempting to capture my most favourite of his stories, "Franny & Zooey." The beautiful thing about writing about someone else’s story, is it gives you a new framework in which to tell your own. Because of that, the song — while probably one of the least conventional on the record — is also my favourite. Writing about Franny allowed me to write about myself: acknowledging privilege and feeling dissatisfaction at the same time - Chart Attack

We are pretty stoked to premiere "You," the latest single from Toronto three-piece For Esmé.

Having released her debut album as a solo artist under the For Esmé alias, singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Martha Meredith has enlisted the help of guitarist Nathan Crook, bassist Dave Thiel, and a spiritual fourth member, producer James Bunton, for this new incarnation of the band.

"You" is taken from the group's forthcoming album, Sugar. As stated on their SoundCloud, the album "is an ode to self-discovery, an album for losing yourself to the beat, and for losing your inhibitions. It’s about being raw and asking for realness, being present in the moment, and ultimately, immeasurably open to joy."

The single is a hypnotic explosion of radiant pop melodies soaked in 80s synths and pulsating percussion. Built around the vocal sample of frontwoman Meredith singing the song's title, "You" has a delightful Swedish feel to it. Hints of Robyn and Röyksopp can be heard throughout, along with a touch of Ladytron, but there's an air of originality with the unique sample, engaging instrumentation, and Meredith's energetic vocal style.

This is one of those songs that makes you want to get up and dance no matter where you are.

Sugar will be released later this year. In the meantime, hit repeat on "You." - Indie Shuffle

Toronto-based trio FOR ESME was one of the best synth-pop groups of the weekend with their dark and moody electronic sound that we experienced at their Barracuda set. Lead singer Martha Meredith’s distinct vocals and memorable lyrics were completely mesmerizing while bandmates Nathan and Dave created some seriously mystical soundscapes that we totally loved. - Bit Candy

Toronto electronic pop trio For Esmé are one of Canada’s best kept secrets. That should change soon.

The group, which we’ve already featured here and on VanyaRadio for their collaboration with Wolf Saga and breakout synth-pop track “Just Yet,” respectively, are set to perform at Pop Montreal this weekend before crossing the border for CMJ in New York City next month.

The soundtrack to this inevitable success is For Esmé’s new single “Make A Sound”, a chill, vibe-casual alt-pop jam that’s the latest off upcoming LP Sugar, which drops October 16. And the song resonates, lyrically, with the need to constantly impress the modern world around us.

“The song is about the endless need in this industry, in this generation, to show everyone how great your life is and how exhausting that is,” says singer Martha Meredith. “I catch myself feeling regret for not thinking to capture a special moment on camera, then catch myself, ‘Why isn’t the moment itself enough?’…”

Get lost in the moments of “Make A Sound” below, and circle the dates of For Esmé’s upcoming gigs. - Vanyaland

For Esme’s single and album covers have thus far featured shattered confectionery galaxies, and their sound on debut album Sugar breaks the bright whorls and colours of sweet electronic pop into similarly dark-edged, fractal constructs that crackle with energy. The Toronto trio, consisting of vocalist Martha Meredith along with Dave Thiel and Nathan Crook, have made an impression on the Canadian festival circuit and blogosphere (Grayowl Point included), and are about to make their mark on the United States with a stop at CMJ in New York as I write these very words.

The record is lushly produced from the get-go: opener “Be A Light” trades tight overdriven guitar with toothy pads and synth bass burbles as Meredith’s airy voice floats overtop the track’s energy. As a vocalist, she echoes the timbre of recent work by Metric’s Emily Haines, but trades in a more lyrical style that sits a few notches lower on the rock and roll dial. There’s a gravity to her delivery, a sense of purpose and confidence. Even on dreamy, swaying tracks like “Selwyn” (frankly a bit of a letdown despite its scintillating swirls of strings and pads) she is not as overtly treble-forward as synthpop frontwomen like Megan James or Lauren Mayberry, leaving more space for the band to explore. This helps the album’s lyrics take their well-deserved share of the focus: single “Make A Sound,” for example, wraps pointed observations about digitally narcissistic cultural archetypes around a slinky, brooding bassline built for dark dancefloors. When she finally reveals the inspiration behind the album’s title on closing track “In The Night Air,” Meredith puts none too ambiguous a point on it: “so sick of the sugar / that I’m supposed to lay / over everything I say.” The whole song is a compelling, sneaky turnaround of tonight’s-gonna-be-a-good-night pop tropes: it finds its wandering heroine on the late walk home with keys pointed out like claws held against the circling dark.

The sonic cues throughout Sugar are planted firmly in dark progressive new wave of a distinctly 80s vintage, while also playing with influences culled from more current electronic production trends (listen to the mix of distinctly gnarly, industrial opening rhythms and howling reverberation that opens “Franny & Zooey” for instance, and that same song’s use of tubey kick and tom samples pulled straight from classic Roland drum machines that have defined the sound of modern deep house.) Those toothy industrial sounds return on “You” to solid effect, adding layers of shoegaze-inspired fuzz to its crisp discotheque pulse and loping bassline.
Sugar gives fans of modern electronic pop a lot to like. With its focused, literate and unironically committed approach to the genre’s soundscape, It’s as grounded and solid a record as anything that has come out this year from bands who have already graduated to headliner status.

Sugar will be released on October 16. - Grayowl Point

Relative newcomers For Esmé play gorgeously cosmic, chill-and-sultry electro-pop forefronted by Martha Meredith's bright vocals and rounded out by Dave Thiel and Nathan Crook. Single Just Yet has been making international blog playlists, including the official blog of Garage Clothing, alongside new Grimes and Tame Impala tunes. Fine company to keep. Check 'em out at Sneaky Dee's on Friday (March 27) and Canadian Music Week (dates to come). - Now Toronto

It is currently the evening of Friday, October 16th, 2015, and today is For Esme’s release for their new album Sugar. As I write this, they’re likely setting up their gear and preparing sound check for their show tonight at Drake Underground. I’m in the unfortunate position of having to work tonight, so all I can do is imagine. With that said: I dim the lights, put my headphones on, close my eyes and press play . . .

The album starts light, fading with anticipation into an ethereal sounding reverse recording and tremolo synth and builds into the steady and strong rhythm of the first song “Be A Light”. The song eventually explodes into a huge bridge with strings, synths, guitars and who knows what else. Lyrically, the writing is simple, honest, authentic and optimistic. The major/minor key changes in the vocals of “You” is something that is seldom heard in today’s pop music but works astonishingly well to set the intended tone for the song.

The album as a whole is reminiscent of only the best of 80’s electro pop, with incredibly colorfully broad soundscapes blended with the genuine and sweet vocal stylings of vocalist Martha Meredith. I’m looking forward to seeing how the band will perform the songs live, and jealous of those who were able to attend the album release at the Drake.



Read more: http://www.infectiousmagazine.com/album-review-for-esme-sugar/#ixzz3zEc1gbya - Infectious Magazine

Toronto electronic outfit For Esmé have just released this slow burning atmospheric gem, 'Just Yet'. Martha Meredith's crisp, clear, powerful vocals and incisively uplifting lyrics are perfectly aligned alongside a deep deliberative beat and topped off by propulsive, layered swirls and washes that end up reaching clarion call like synth nirvana. 'Just Yet' is off the trio's forthcoming new album, Sugar out this Spring/Autumn. This is outstanding. - Indie 30

Toronto’s For Esmé make soul-searching electro-pop created for the walk home from the after-party: you’re still pumped with energy from the excellent night, but also introspectively going over the events in your mind. “Just Yet,” with it’s infectious vocal hook of “I finally found a way!” tells us that we should just ignore that nagging doubt that maybe we said the wrong thing to the right people, and embrace honesty and self-acceptance.

Co-produced by James Bunton (Light Fires, Ohbijou), a Silent Shout superstar in his own right, the track is Robyn-esque in its alterna-poppiness especially with the ever-present pulsating arpeggiated bass line.

2015 seems poised to be a big year for the band with a performance at the inaugural WayHome festival and the release of Sugar, their sophomore record which is due out later this spring. Based on the strength of “Just Yet,” we have high expectations for more triumphant introspection. - Silent Shout

Toronto three-piece For Esmé are gearing up to show off their live chops at NXNE in their hometown this week, but before they take the stage, the band have offered up a new live video for their latest single "You" — and Exclaim! has got your first look at it.

The footage was filmed at Revolution Recording and features an impressive barrage of colourful, psychedelic projections that build as the song intensifies. The rainbow lights provide the perfect backdrop to the group's dancefloor-friendly electro-pop vibes and serve as a promising look ahead to the band's upcoming festival gigs.

You can catch For Esmé live in person at the Horseshoe Tavern on June 17, as part of a lineup that includes Jacco Gardner, Moon King and Lower Dens. They'll also be taking the stage at this year's inaugural WayHome Festival in Oro Medonte, ON. For now, though, get a taste of what you can expect by watching the new live clip for "You" in the player below. - Exclaim!

While at WayHome Festival this past weekend, AMBY met up with our friends in For Esmé. Comprised of Martha Meredith, Dave Thiel, and Nathan Crook, we spoke with the electro dream-pop trio to discuss their forthcoming record Sugar, high school mischief, favourite dance moves, and the eighties. Enjoy our exclusive video below! - A Music Blog, Yea?

Toronto nouveau nostalgia art-pop act For Esmé have just released a hazy 70s inspired new video for their synthy smooth delight “Make A Sound”. Made in part with Puncture Design (the creatives behind WayHome) the video is a VHS dream that sends the band back in a time machine. As singer Martha Meredith explain…

Remember staying up to catch something special airing on late night television? Maybe something you weren’t supposed to be seeing? Remember scrounging around for a VHS tape you could record it onto? So often I accidentally recorded over something else, or there were glitches in the tape. We’re taking you on a trip back to the days before youtube, where your only chance to hold onto an iconic TV moment was to record it yourself.
This video I think represents a timelessness that we long for and I hope this prompts us all to enjoy a little more of “the moment”.

Check out the throwback video above.

For Esmé’s record Sugar is out now. Grab it today via bandcamp. You can also catch them at SXSW, March 19th at Barracuda Backyard playing the Pop MTL showcase. - Sidewalk Hustle

Across a large field at the WayBold tent, Toronto's For Esme went on later than expected due the cancellation of Tobias Jesso Jr, and they worked a Churches/Metric kind of vibe with the sartorial sensibilities to match. Led by singer Martha Meredith, the trio played energetically enough to get a dance-off happening in the crowd, and their commercial sound could take off if they're able to strengthen their hooks and find a unique way to stand out. - Now Magazine

For Esmé describes themselves as an artpop adventure from Toronto and we’re loving this track from one of our Canadian bands to watch in 2015. - Garage Clothing

I’m absolutely smitten with For Esmé and their latest single, “Just Yet”. This Toronto based trio makes expertly crafted electro-pop crowned by the incomparable vocal presence of vocalist Martha Meredith. “Just Yet” is a deeply emotive and deceptively infectious song; its shimmering synth washes and soaring chorus are too perfect to resist.

Meredith and bandmates Dave Thiel and Nathan Crook have been working with producer (and QBiM favourite) James Bunton on a sophomore album called Sugar, due later this year. For Esmé have also been tapped to play the inaugural WayHome Music and Arts Festival. - Quick Before It Melts

Video featured on MUCH Music, in heavy rotation. - MUCH

Best Electro Organic Dream Pop
Thanks to Nathan Crook for the heads up that For Esmé’s set time had been changed, we were happy to not miss their set and we love a little hometown Toronto music. They put on a fun, high energy show with great crowd interaction. - See more at: http://www.thereviewsarein.com/2015/08/03/the-10-best-things-i-saw-at-wayhome-2015/#sthash.NbwbXI16.dpuf - The Reviews Are In

Ontario music fans have been buzzing since the Bonnaroo-affiliated WayHome Festival announced it would be heading North and taking up residence at Burl’s Creek in Barrie. The lineup has some international heavy hitters, including headliners Sam Smith, Kendrick Lamar, and Alt-J in addition to indie darlings like Hozier and Vance Joy. There is also plenty of homegrown talent on the bill, such as The Sheepdogs, Hey! Rosetta, The Rural Alberta Advantage, and many others. Of course, the names in particularly large font at the top of festival lineups normally garner the most attention—but what about the little guys? Just because their names may be written in smaller font, it doesn’t mean that they should be overlooked. Every act has to start somewhere, and in this week’s artist feature, we are starting from the bottom (of the WayHome Festival lineup). Take a look at: For Esmé.

Toronto electro-pop three-piece For Esmé released their first self-titled album in 2013, and now the band is gaining some serious momentum. 2015 looks like it’s going to be a massive year for them, with the release of Sugar, their sophomore record due out later this spring, just ahead of their performance at WayHome festival in July. The first single from their upcoming second album, “Just Yet”, was released earlier this month, and it is an exciting and exceptional preview of what is sure to be a strong album. For Esmé is electro-pop that is a little more Regina Specktor and Lana Del Ray than it is Crystal Castles. Somehow managing to be beautifully-ethereal and infectiously-dancey at the same time, For Esmé's unique sound is poised to take them far this year. Make sure you keep an eye on their Facebook page for upcoming tour dates and check out their single below, because this band is going places and you are definitely going to want to say that you “knew them before they were famous”. - Nu Lab

For Esmé is an electro / dream-pop trio out of Toronto, Canada. Brand new in 2015 is their track, “Just Yet”. The song glides over and through an electronic atmosphere together with the vocals of lead singer, Martha Meredith.

If you Live in London, Ontario you can catch For Esmé live at Call The Office with Ivory Hours, Wolf Saga (who are also going to to Canadian Music Week) and Texas King on April 3.
Get Tickets | Facebook Event

If you’re planning on going to Canadian Music Week in Toronto from May 1-10 you’ll be able to catch For Esmé perform “Just Yet” live along with a handful of other songs. - Indie Underground

The cover art for “You”, For Esmé‘s new single features a shattered rainbow-coloured sucker set against a stark, black backdrop, like a kaleidoscopic Death Star exploding in the depths of space. I imagine the shock waves and reverberations of this combusted confection rippling throughout the universe, much the same way “You” sends its synthy sine waves spiralling out in every which direction. Cloaked in spot-on pop melodies and designed to get you dancing, “You” is deadly sweet treat that by rights should go supernova this summer. - Quick Before It Melts

For Esme
Classical electronica? Chill wave synth pop? Their sound is hard to put your finger on. But however you see fit to label them, the unique sound of Canadian band For Esmé is distinctly their own. SharpHeels spoke with lead singer Martha Meredith at SXSW to discuss everything from her artist vision to DIY marketing techniques.

Martha, who was initially the only member of the band, has a very natural inclination towards artistry, but is less comfortable with the business side of the music industry. As one of the many fierce female artists resisting label interest to maintain her artistic rights, getting familiar with the music side of the business is something she says she had to learn how to do pretty quickly. When she was still the sole member of For Esme, in fact, she was the entire business behind the band. The hard work is obviously paying off, however — Martha was named one of Indie Shuffle’s top female vocalists of 2015. - Sharp Heels

Massive track here from Toronto band For Esmé who sound little like CHURCHES meets Robyn. Expect intense hardcore emotive synth pop. Just Yet is taken from forthcoming album Sugar. You can check the band out at the forthcoming WAYHOME festival. - Black Pastic

For Esmé, latest single “Just Yet” is light and fluffy with heavy dynamics. Progressive electro-pop sounds that heartbeat rhythms to a sweet and intriguing vocal; it's smooth- sultry poetry with a deep message. Getting ready to release their second record Sugar this spring; Nathan, Martha and Dave have already given us a glimpse into what's next, and we love it! While keeping their story’s tale, For Esmé stays warm and gorgeous with combinations of synths, fuzz and pulses. See them March 11 @ the Piston and March 17 @ the Lakefield College School. - The Deli Magazine

I was streaming some LYON tracks on Youtube and I sort of stumbled on For Esmé by accident but I’m seriously digging their latest tune “Just Yet”. There’s something about this that seems so effortless. - Ride The Temp

Toronto electro pop trio For Esmé have recently given us a new song and video (“YOU”), another glimpse into their forthcoming album due out later this year. Poised between nouveaux and nostalgia, reality and the sublime, “YOU” is about being present in the moment, and ultimately, immeasurably open to joy. The video amplifies the feeling of losing yourself to the beat, and letting go of your inhibitions.

Take a look. - Indie Music Filter

“Just Yet” is the hypnotic, synth-pop song from Toronto’s For Esmé. The song blends the infectious quality that drew people to Alvvays while mixing in the ethereal beauty of synth-pop artists like GEMS, Coves, and Lowell. - The Revue

For Esmé is an upstart trio out of Toronto who were kind enough to drop off their new single, ‘Just Yet’, in our inbox a couple days ago. Upon clicking play I was met with a Chrvches like mix of deep synths and percussion that slowly melted around singer Martha Meredith’s seductively captivating vocals. Effortless is not a word I use very often, but it describes Martha’s performance perfectly. If you are in Toronto this summer, you can catch them at WAYHOME Music Festival, if not you may stream the song below and check out the official visuals, here. - Site Of Sound

Great new song from Toronto band For Esmé. “Just Yet” is a beautifully crafted electro track with glorious vocals by Martha Meredith glowing above synth waves. The title is totally infectious.

Meredith and bandmates Dave Thiel and Nathan Crook have been working with producer James Bunton on an album called Sugar, due later this year. - Discover Tunes

For Esmé is Toronto-based band that is giving us some real deep electronica feelings right now.

The band consists of three friends, Martha, Nathan and Dave, who all met through a mutual friend.

Dave filled in last minute for a show in Montreal and enjoyed playing with For Esmé so much that he packed his stuff into the tour van the next morning and moved to Toronto.

The echoey vocals from Martha on their debut track ‘Just Yet’ are accompanied by lush pulsating beats. The track has been co-produced by James Bunton.

Sounds like: Chvrches, The Naked and Famous, Priest, MS MR, Robyn, Lilt, Prinze George, Purity Ring, GEMS, Vogue Dots, NONONO, Mt. Eden - Indietronica

Toronto based trio For Esmé, have released one stunning electro pop single.

This is ‘Just Yet’ and sees shimmering synth lines set fire to some irresistibly emotive female vocals.

From the start, the deep rumbling bass electro warns you of the forthcoming surge in capacity. Their dynamic sound simply doubles and then triples in beauty and grandeur .

‘Just Yet’ sounds like it belongs on the soundtrack to Drive, and so my finger is stuck on the play button. - Music Unmasked

Electropop project from Toronto For Esmé recently released their first single “Just Yet” and it is a gem of a debut. The band — the title of which derives from J. D. Salinger’s short story, “For Esmé—with Love and Squalor” — is comprised of Martha Meredith (Vocals, Drum Machine, Synths), Dave Thiel (Bass) and Nathan Crook (Guitar, Vocals). According to Meredith, they wanted to make pop that “pushes the envelope through poetry, reflection and some dark undertones” (oh hay).

“Just Yet,” off their forthcoming album Sugar is a lyric-driven piece with deep synths, pulsing percussion, and immersive soundscapes — all with polished production thanks to producer James Bunton. Their sound is already drawing comparisons to CHVRCHES and Robyn, so needless to say we’ll be looking forward to the record’s release. Check out the official video below. - Poetry In An Empty Coke Can

This Toronto based Electro-Pop Trio is setting trends and making beautiful music. “Just Yet” will put you in a retrospect state of mind. It is the first single released from their forthcoming album. Do yourself a favor and jump on their bandwagon now. - The Buzz Inbox

For Esmé is a Toronto band composed of Martha Meredith, Dave Thiel and Nathan Crook. For Esmé’s music has a very whimsical and almost eery sound (in the best possible way). Their song Just Yet, just oozes cool and makes me feel like a total hipster. Their sound almost reminds me of Blue Foundation but with more EDM beats. Their first album, Sugar, will be released this spring and it’s the kind of band that you just know will get really big really fast, so definitely check them out if you ever get a chance. - Milkshop