PROGRAMM

There are so many bands and artists falling under the banner of alt-rock or post-rock that it’s incredibly refreshing to come across a band that manages to sound original. Toronto-based Programm is a perfect example of this, and their latest EP Like The Sun is the perfect soundtrack to just lying down and letting the sound wash over you.

Programm is a band that’s incredibly hard to describe sonically – electronic, with flourishes of shoegaze, electronica, post-rock, alt-rock and psychedelia. They’re a five-piece of multi-instrumentalists, and yet somehow, it still sounds like there are way more members. The album was co-produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (METZ, Crystal Castles) and Jakub Soma (a member of the band), while Graham Lessard (Kevin Drew, The Barr Brothers) handled mixing duties.

While the Like The Sun EP is only 4 songs long, it’s not short on ideas. The lead single, which has been making the rounds on Stereogum, is the moody “Like The Sun”. Unlike its namesake, it’s the exact opposite aural equivalent of ‘sunny’ – with a slow, thundering rhythm and the melody is perfectly maudlin. The percussion on “We Barely Escaped” really sounds out, with the bridge of the song erupting into noise. It gets relatively more melodic on the remaining two tracks, “Soft Shadows” and “ZeroZeroZero”.

It might not be a release that’ll get stuck in your head, or that you’ll really want to sing along to, but it’s definitely a great ‘headphones’ record.

3.5 out of 5 stars

The Hand Recordings

Must-Listen Tracks: “Like The Sun” - Confront Magazine

It seems odd to think of summer, like a faded dream long forgotten after this long winter hibernation, but the debut by Toronto’s Programm reminds me that it’s just around the corner.

Their stellar 4-track EP, Like the Sun, conjures up synesthetic memories of rainy summer nights; how the trees crackle as the breeze sways their branches, how the warm smell of rain liberates the smell of summer, how the distant thunder shatters in the far beyond and how the lighting flashes illusory glimpses of shadowy spectres in bedroom corners.

This haunting, sonic atmosphere of warm tempestuousness is how the title track opens, with reverb-laden walls of guitar, gentle drops of kicks and echoed-crashes of snares and Jackie Game’s lush vocals which pierce through the dark shoegazy storm with lyrics of lust, longing and reflections on our temporary existence on this mortal coil.



As the EP progresses, their sound becomes more torrential. On the second track, they begin to trade off the vocal duties with Jakub Soma handling the lead amid a similar shoegazy hailstorm of production which finally lets up, as the sun shines in with Game’s vocals providing a warm contrast, until Soma returns with the mantra and track title, “We Barely Escaped”. They get quite psych with “Soft Shadows”, a steady howl of guitar feedback, fuzzy synths, tribal drums and sparse vocals washed deep in effects. “ZeroZeroZero” opens with a somber chord-progression played on an accordion which then lifts off into a growing static haze of saturated guitars & synths backed by programmed white noise until we are back to the ground with a gentle pat at the piano and a gradual ambient drone, which plays out this sepulchral EP on a very hopeful note.

Like the Sun was released February 17 on The Hand and is available digitally on Bandcamp and iTunes. Look for them at NXNE opening for Zola Jesus at Lee’s Palace on June 17. - Silent Shout

A Weird Tuesday EP Highlight.

Programm’s ‘Like the Sun’ is one of the best EP of 2015 so far. The cover art is indicative of the theme in play: the human figure is faded into the background, with a stark symbol of technology dominating the foreground. In a similar way the warmth of Jackie Game’s vocals retreat in the face of the cold, metallic sounds of synths. On occasion the notes she sings are “flattened”, as if to remind us of how the techno-culture we’ve created bears down on us, flattening our very emotions. The vocals of Jacob Soma, on the other hand, have that Ian Curtis quality of sounding leached of humanity. Soma represents the techno-human, the cog in the machine.

Although disquieting, the music is fascinating. The throbbing synthetic bass and the industrial drones are the rhythms of the modern city. And there is hope. In the extended outro to “Zero Zero Zero”, the piano-like keys twinkle like a remnant of our emotional selves — buried, but never eradicated. - Ride The Tempo

rts & Crafts has teamed with the Scion Sessions for the Field Trip Discovery Series, and having launched the Toronto-based program this spring, there is 7-inch single on the way, along with another show.

The 7-inch — which is Vol. 1 in a planned singles series and will come out later this summer — features Fresh Snow's "Blood in the Sun" and Programm's "Like the Sun." The former is a surging instrumental rock cut with fuzzy guitar distortion and psychedelic overtones; the latter is even more shoegaze-y, as bleary six-string fuzz is paired with a steady electronic beat and hazy pop vocals.

The 7-inch will also feature some yet-to-be-revealed contributions.

Both of these Ontario bands will appear at the next Discovery Series show, which takes place on July 24 at Toronto's Garrison. Grounders and Dirty Frigs are also on the bill. - Exclaim

Often enough preconceptions are made regarding musical direction based on the artist’s name alone – and with a name like Programm I quickly had the wrong idea. Programm – which is program with an extra ‘m’ for emphasis seems like the music would be extra digital (whatever that means) and this is where my thought had found a comfortable place to lie. And although my initial take was a bit off it wasn’t embarrassingly incorrect. Programm, just like the name suggests, uses a fair amount of digital accoutrement to spice up their sound but you wouldn’t peg them explicitly electronic. Being both female and male fronted, Programm grafts New Order’s gothic pop and Tamaryn style shoegaze, finally settling on a deeper connection to the latter.

In 2009, thirty minutes outside of Toronto, ON, Programm met it’s early beginnings with vocalists Jacob Soma and Jackie Game, as well as, soundscaper Mark Plishewsky. In efforts to establish who they would later become the trio dabbled in drone and electronic minimalism while embracing their appreciation for post-punk, shoegaze, and krautrock. Many of their influences are heavily illustrated as dissonant guitar and dense synth textures layer silkily over interesting programmed beats. Each member’s multi-instrumentalism helps develop the distinct attributes between each song and although it’s hard to get bored with only four tracks, Programm shows a knack for avoiding monotony.

Minute by minute, Like the Sun demonstrates promise for a band still experimenting with the questions of, “who? and what?” – but in their defense this feels far removed from a freshman effort. The EP’s opener and single, “Like the Sun,” sends carefully crafted mixed signals with lush beautifully shaped dream pop that shapes the message of a pragmatic lover who is afraid of the damage lust creates, “We’re diving into a bed of lust…Just like the Sun.” With unwavering pressure, “We Barely Escaped” builds from drone buzzing to precise, sterile rhythms, spotlighting rife unavoidable tension – here Jacob Soma projects his vocal in a dry but very fitting way, painting a lackluster response to a close call. From here each track continues the streak of finding contrast with the one preceding it, “ZeroZeroZero” is the more deliberate effort on Like the Sun, tying in distorted and affected guitar that cracks in and out as the song disintegrates into a void that is filled quickly with an emotional piano arrangement resolving the narrative’s unease.

Like the Sun is what light listening should strive for – meaningful themes packaged in lush soundscapes, just in time for summer.

Keepers:
“Like the Sun”
“ZeroZeroZero” - Can I May I

Clinic’s 2000 debut full length album Internal Wrangler represented a musical realignment for me. Between late 1998 and mid 2001, my personal life went tits over ass, and it was soundtracked by new and decidedly un-pop artists. By the time “Walking With Thee” and the album it’s named after came out in 2002, life (both internal and external) had been wrangled and wrestled under control, but the soundtrack, remained the same, albeit more pop-friendly than before.

I hadn’t given Clinic very much thought since then until last week when I came across a cover of “Walking With Thee” by Programm that takes the tempo down a notch and turns the terror quotient in the song up to 11. Programm’s version strips any of Clinic’s chart-courting populist tendencies away to reveal a song with dark undertones, and haunting passages. Where Clinic went on Letterman wearing surgical masks to play this song, I picture Programm wearing balaclavas and carrying Grim Reaper-style staffs. And I like it.

“Walking With Thee” is available as a download from the SoundCloud embed above. Programm head out on a short tour with Etiquette this month:

March 25th: The Drake, Toronto ON
March 26th: Baltimore House, Hamilton ON
March 27th: Le Ritz, Montreal QC
Marcy 28th: Silence, Guelph ON - Quick Before It Melts

New from Programm is their latest album offering ‘Like The Sun’ which debuted last month.

The album was co-produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (METZ, Crystal Castles, Diamond Rings) and Jacob Soma with Graham Lessard (Timber Timbre, Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene, Barr Brothers) handling the mixing duties. - indie Minded

Is it possible to call Like the Sun suffocating in a good way? Programm’s specialty seems to be creating pressurized musical atmospheres that never feel oppressive. It’s emphasized by the huge production and layers of sound that make each of the EP’s four songs feel like albums of their own.

Ever since their Volcano Playground days, Programm have impressed with their intense performance, and it’s so enjoyable to enter into this EP with no interludes or buildups. It’s just a straight blast of guitars, drums and waves of synth.

How like the sun the title track is can be debated, but there’s no doubt the song rises as strongly as the centre of our galaxy does. Jackie Game’s vocals carry the song amid the crashing guitars and powerful percussion. As the song continues its rampage, the instrumentation gets even more frantic.

“We Barely Escaped” is an odyssey unto itself, feeling like a story with a beginning, middle and end. This time it’s Jacob Soma providing the vocals as blazing guitars mingle with ominous bass to start the song off. As the song reaches the halfway point, vocals switch over to Game again, and there’s finally the slightest hint of a release of pressure…

Until “Soft Shadows,” that is. Though roughly half the length of the other songs here, it packs no less of a punch. The programming and percussion make this song feel at its densest, and Game’s vocals flit in and out, guiding listeners along for only brief seconds before abandoning them to the darkness.

And finally, there’s “ZeroZeroZero,” a song full of gloom but also a lot more spare. Bringing to mind a computer error, the wail of programming is eerie, but also finally gives a sense of release after a very tense 15 minutes of a wall of shoegaze.

Programm’s debut EP never lets go, but then again, you won’t want to escape.

Top Track: “We Barely Escaped”

Rating: Strong Hoot (Good) - Grayowl Point

Guten Morgen, guten Tag. Mir geht es gut. Danke der Nachfrage. Heute schöne, schwurbelige Musik aus Kanada. Programm, eine Band aus Toronto hat die Tage die 4-Track EP “Like The Sun” veröffentlicht. Zu hören gibt es eine durchaus gelungene Melange aus verträumten Synthie-Pop, Reminiszenzen an die Zeiten von Joy Division, psychedelischer Shoegaze, krautiges Gedröhne, eingängig dunkle Atmosphäre, scheppernde Gitarren, Reverbs ohne Ende und heller Sing-Sang wie aus dem Gefrierschrank. Das gefällt mir, das finde ich ziemlich gut, genauso mag ich es. Die EP gibt es via The Hands Recording. - Schallgrenzen

Programm has released their debut EP, Like The Sun. The post-rock, shoegaze band has four tracks on the release, out via The Hand Recordings. Purchase the EP on iTunes here, and watch the music video for the title track below. - The Permanent Rain Press

The Hand (Canada)

http://programmusic.bandcamp.com/

Toronto band Programm has released their new EP, entitled Like The Sun, and it’s not hard to tell this band loves to create and deliver music in a creative way, with atmospheric song and sensual, edgy music videos.

The band is made up of four members, Jacob Soma (Guitar, Vocals), Jackie Game (Bass, Vocals), Mark Game (Keys, Synth) and Andrew Reesor (Drums). With their love and insight into people, relationships and love, they were able to come together to create an powerful album.

The first song off the 4-track EP, which is also the title track and first release is Like the Sun. It’s haunting, with an overwhelmingly loud alternative electronic sound coupled with long, vibrating riffs. Though the music may come across as dark, there is passion in the lyrics. The music video for the song is exactly how one might picture it to be – haunting in black and white, mysterious and sensual, illustrating the true sense of freedom and lust.

The vocals and melodies in the songs disappear with the sound of guitars, creating a splash of sound where no instrument was distinguishable from the other. The EP is very imaginative, inspirational and artistic, creating a shoegaze kind of sound that is very clever. - Lithium Magazine

Prepare yourself for the trip of a lifetime as Toronto’s own Programm has come out with a spanking new EP… and it’s chilling. This album takes the meaning of psychedelic to the next level. Since forming in 2009, Programm has taken a step further into the hypnotic world of indie-electronic music, and it’s all heard in their four-track EP. According to their official Bandcamp page, the group formed by “love at first site, and obsession at first listen.” The chemistry is undeniable. Like The Sun was co-produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (known for METZ, Crystal Castles, Diamond Rings) and Jakub Soma, with guru Graham Lessard (Timber Timbre, Broken Social Scene) polishing it all off with his mixing. Heavily ridden with sensual vocals of female lead Jackie Game and male partner-in-crime Jakub Soma, now add in Mark Plishewsky on the keyboard and the solid drumming of Andrew Reesor and Steve Reble, and you’ve got yourself the recipe for magic. And magic is what you sense in the first 10 seconds of their single “Like The Sun.” A solid bass-driven tempo starts off the song, creating the feeling of the beginning of a journey. Now add in another layer of drums and the soothing voice of Jackie with the lyrics, and you’re immediately sucked into a calm. Anticipation is consistently added throughout the song, with layers upon layers of drums and guitar slides that create almost an exotic feel to it all. Staying true to the title, the song then fades just like the sun…which brings you to the next track. “We Barely Escaped” begins with more of an upbeat tempo, using the snare drum and minimal notes to maintain the idea of this journey. Vocalist Jakub then goes on to paint a picture with lyrics, juxtaposing lines such as, “the sound of your voice soft in my ear,” accompanied by heavy snare-drummed crescendos. Towards the end, Jamie enters with sultry vocals, acting as the soother to an air of urgency that had been building throughout it all. The final effect is relief. Just when you think you’ve heard it all, “Soft Shadows” once again awakens the senses with resounding drums and ambient sound effects, more dark and mysterious than ever before. Working with the title, Programm is able to create musical shadows within a melody layered by its vocals, yet never losing the pounding tempo that keeps the darkness alive. Ending sooner than you’d like, you are then brought to the end of the adventure: the finale. It begins with a synthesized sadness soon followed by the voice of Jakub. The beauty of this final song is how the minimal vocals allow for the melody to tell the full story. It keeps that drum-ridden beat and electronic effects consistent throughout the whole album, yet puts more emphasis on a melody built through a piano and one guitar. Amidst crescendos and decrescendos, we finally reach the last few seconds of the song. At this point you’re left feeling almost hopeful, with just the right amount of time to reflect on the musical adventure you’ve been taken on, fading out to a peaceful stop. Programms’s Like The Sun will give you chills and perception with each track. If you’ve been looking for musical exploration that provides rejuvenation and healing, don’t miss out on this EP! The Full release will be on February 17 via The Hand. Until then, take a look at their first single “Like The Sun” and experience the heat for yourself. - See more at: http://www.bestfan.com/blog/2015/02/album-review-programm-like-the-sun-ep/#sthash.2I6Nqb5T.dpuf - Best Fan

Programm's debut EP is not nearly as heliocentric as its title suggests.

Although it deploys signifiers belonging to more traditionally sunny music, the titular "Like the Sun" is less a sunny pop than an Icarian tale about the scorching lessons of romantic maturation and lust. As singer Jackie Game sighs lines like "We're diving into a bed of lust," and an infinite drum machine ricochet clap chugs along, the track progresses steadily into a wilderness of shoegaze and synth pop, detonating layers of tremolo-picked guitars and shimmering synths that accumulate in a gigantic sounding climax, only to drift away in a back-to-dreary-earth fadeout.

The song is typical of the meticulously layered song crafting on the EP, but it's also markedly more upbeat in terms of style and lyrical subject. "We Barely Escaped" is a claustrophobic post-punk recollection Jacob Soma delivers in a monotonous ramble. There's a more inviting passage sung by Game later in the seven-and-a-half-minute epic, but it's Soma's repeated title line that gets the final say, and the way the word "barely" is emphasized doesn't seem coincidental. "Soft Shadows" is a cold wave short cut that plays out like a quest to find a lover amidst the throngs of a throbbing nightclub that is only rewarded with a middle finger upon completion, while "ZeroZeroZero" is like the futile requiem of a sad robot shutdown procedural, all gloomy compressing bellows and pistons.

It's anything but a warming ray of sunshine, and the space of an EP doesn't allow the ideas much room to breathe, but Programm find enough space on Like the Sun to leave a strong artistic impression and plant a promising flag in this brave new world of post-everything sounds. (The Hand) - Exclaim!

Post Valentine’s Day and pre Chinese New Year we have a dozen new Canadian albums. Three-time JUNO nominee Melanie Durrant from Toronto gives us exquisite R&B/soul album Anticipation. Montreal’s Punchline 13 dishes out the rock on Cut the Rope. Exceptional Montreal singer-songwriter Michael Feuerstack releases The Forgettable Truth. Winnipeg’s Ashes and Dreams serves some delicious alternative music on Heart of Stone.

Multiplatinum rapper Drake surprises with new album If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. He has landed 22 tracks on the Hot 100, not counting all those in which he is credited as a featured artist. Hamilton’s folk pop team Whitehorse reminds us to Leave No Bridge Unburned. We welcome PEI to the party with one of the province’s most known artists Tim Chaisson whose new album is called Lost in Light, sort of a sweet mishmash of country, pop, and folk. If you want blues, we’ve got it thanks to Toronto’s Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar and album Send the Nightingale.

More alternative music comes to us from Montreal’s fine Bent By Elephants with new album The Shore, Vancouver’s Twin River with Should the Light Go Out, and Eric Chenaux with Skullsplitter. Besides Drake, this week’s highest profile artist is JUNO nominee Marie-Pierre Arthur with some very good pop/rock on Si l’aurore. The album debuted on iTunes at #11.

Dance band Le Couleur releases new EP, Dolce desir which we talked about here. Like the Sun is an industrial shoegaze EP from Whitby, Ontario’s Programm.

As always, we’ll pick a couple of these and review in detail over the next few days. - Canadian Music Blog

When experimenting with multiple genres, it can often be difficult for artists to find the right combination that flows seamlessly together. Toronto band PROGRAMM appear to have figured it out.

Packing a hefty punch and an array of lush, haunting electro-psychedelics, the quartet’s debut EP Like the Sun, which was co-produced by Alexandre Bonenfant, who has worked with the likes of METZ, Crystal Castles, and Diamond Rings, dropped earlier today. Of the band’s genre bending exploration, multi-instrumentalist Jacob Soma had this to say: “Everyone has their own ideas about how songs should be but Alexandre guided our vision, made it sound as good as possible, and even worked with the arrangement a little bit. He gave us a lot of creative space and the right kind of guidance at the right time.”

Having recently signed with indie label The Hand, it seems as though a weight has been lifted for the band. “We were doing everything before,” says Soma. “It became an enormous amount of work and that takes over your life. Now we can just spend all of our time playing shows and we can devote more time to writing music and not be on the business side of it.”

With three of the band’s members originally hailing from Whitby, Ontario, the transition into the Toronto music scene was a huge step for PROGRAMM. “We played for quite a few years for some semi-empty to empty rooms but we’ve always kind of had good luck,” he says, something the band largely attributes to the help of their first manager Steve Rudley. “One of our first Toronto shows was at this tiny little bar called The Press Club,” says Soma. “I messaged [Steve], he happened to see it and he came out and decided to manage us; I don’t know how often that happens.”

After playing their first post Like The Sun show at The Great Hall here in Toronto this past Friday, Soma says the band’s live performances will make fans realize they aren’t strictly a shoegaze band. “Our shows are definitely very atmospheric but we have some pretty fast songs too that people might not be expecting.”

PROGRAMM is currently in the process of writing their second EP but be sure to check out Like The Sun for yourself as well as the accompanying video for the EP’s title track below! - Anchor Shop

When I first listened to Programm’s single Like The Sun, I was instantly hooked to the enthralling vocals, the simplistic beat of the drums and the cool electric guitar. The Toronto based band is definitely on Novella’s radar for the Canadian music scene. The quartet band is comprised of Jacob Soma (Guitar, Vocals), Jackie Game (Bass, Vocals) Mark Game (Keys, Synth), and Andrew Reesor (Drums).

Today, Programm released their anticipated EP, Like The Sun, through the Canadian record label The Hand Recordings. Their debut EP was co-produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (METZ, Diamond Rings) and mixed by Gragam Lessard (Timber Timbre, Kevin Drew, Broken Social Scene). Programm’s impressive debut mixes electronic with the shoegaze subgenre that styles the tracks with a futuristic vibe.

Support local music and purchase the EP on iTunes. Check out their music video for Like The Sun below: - Novella

Coined as the Toronto-based 'quartet of kindred spirits', Programm have truly something ineffable and new to offer the music scene at large. Their sound, as heard on debut single "Like The Sun", ranges somewhere from shoegaze with personality to electronic with an abundance of both melody and organic expression. Today, the foursome are ready to release their debut EP, entitled Like The Sun via The Hand, and it's something to pay attention to.

Co-produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (METZ, Crystal Castles) and Jakob Soma with mixer Graham Lessard (Timber Timbre, Barr Brothers), Like The Sun runs four tracks in length, and proves lush on a multiplicity of sonic fronts. The heavy percussion heard on songs like "Soft Shadows" and "Like The Sun" anchors both the murmuring bass as well as the reverb-saturated guitar swells.

On the other hand, "We Barely Escaped" and "ZeroZeroZero" narrow in on a more minimal approach, with sweeping electronic synth and melodic riffs. It feels spacey yet cohesive, bringing new meaning to the approach of multi-instrumentation. - EARMILK

There’s something really special happening on Programm’s debut EP, Like the Sun. There are moments where you are taken back to 1970s Germany and the birth and height of krautrock or late-70s Manchester during the rise (and unfortunate fall) of Joy Division. Then there are moments of blissful delirium, as Programm returns to the present with a shoegaze-y, dream-pop tune. The conceptualization of the EP is brilliant, focusing on sounds and music that move us emotionally and stirs the imagination.

The EP opens with the title track and lead single. With the infectious haziness of Coves and the psychedelic pop of FURS, the track is sublime. It’s a track that makes you believe you are floating in space or being transported to a new dimension.

We’re reigned back in on “We Barely Escaped”. It’s a trippy, Joy Division-esque tune that mesmerizes with the deadpan vocals of Jacob Suma. At about he 4 1/2-minute mark, the song transforms into a gorgeous, dreamy tune as Jackie Game’s lush voice flutters softly against the shoegazing guitars. The track is spectacular and stirring, creating different feelings over 7 1/2 minutes.

“Soft Shadows” is a brief track that can best be described as melodic krautrock. It blazes with the guitars of Faust, but they are balanced out by the soft, almost tepid voice of Game. It’s like two forces working against one another, yet it all works and does so with aplomb.

The track that may best reflect the album’s title is “ZeroZeroZero”. The 6 1/2-minute track is orchestral space rock that closes quietly, leaving you feeling like you are suspended in space with nowhere to go – kind of like George Clooney in Gravity (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

This is just a taste of what is to come from the Whitby, Ontario now Toronto-based quartet. Like the Sun is a tremendous debut, and if they can top it, this band will be the brightest star shining in the sky.

Programm is Jacob Soma (guitar, vocals), Jackie Game (bass, vocals) Mark Game (keys, synth), and Andrew Reesor (drums). Like the Sun will be released tomorrow (Tuesday, February 17) on The Hand Recordings. Check the band’s Bandcamp site and iTunes to get this fantastic EP. The title track is below, both the video and just the audio. - The Revue

Toronto’s Programm have shared this stunning video to accompany the release of their debut EP ‘Like The Sun’ . The moody music is synth-heavy, reverb-packed and trippy. - Backseat Mafia

Today marks the premiere of “Like The Sun”, the alluring debut single from Programm. The band is a quartet of kindred spirits from Toronto, Ontario, united by their mutual desire to seamlessly blend their musical tastes into something new. While their music seems out of time and place, drawing from the familiar pools of krautrock, electronic and shoegaze, the result is nothing short of a futuristic expression of the current day. Lush space and heavy drums make themselves at home among pulsing electronics and squelching guitars in Programm’s unique view on the world.

The video for “Like The Sun” was directed by Amos Leblanc, and perfectly complements the song’s precarious beauty, as minimalist drum programming anchors low-end bass murmur, before deftly harnessed guitar reverb swells to a haunting, dulcet chorus.

“Like The Sun” appears on the band’s debut EP of the same name, which is due for digital release February 17 via The Hand, and was co-produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (METZ, Crystal Castles, Diamond Rings) and Jakub Soma with Graham Lessard (Timber Timbre, Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene, Barr Brothers) handling the mixing duties.

Programm is Jacob Soma (Guitar, Vocals), Jackie Game (Bass, Vocals) Mark Game (Keys, Synth), and Andrew Reesor (Drums). - Northern Transmissions

Check out some electrifyingly fresh music from Toronto’s Programm, the single is called “Like the Sun” and it comes from their forthcoming EP of the same name; the EP drops on Feb. 17th 2015.

If you want to check out Programm live in concert make your way to the Long Winter Fair this Friday Feb 13th at Queen and Dovercourt in Toronto. - Sonic More Music

Before It Melts featured an earlier incarnation of the band (with only a single final consonant in its name) back in 2013, so it took a few mouse clicks before I realized that Program begot Programm.

All ill will faded within of seconds of hearing “Like The Sun”, though. Like a low-lying thunderstorm, the song’s rumbling rhythms and riffs will reverberate right through you, while flashes of mournful melody light up its dark and maudlin skies.

Programm is Jacob Soma (Guitar, Vocals), Jackie Game (Bass, Vocals) Mark Game (Keys, Synth), and Andrew Reesor (Drums), and their new EP, Like The Sun, is out digitally on February 17 through The Hand Recordings. - Quick Before It Melts

The visuals in the Amos LeBlanc-directed video for the title track from Programm‘s Like the Sun EP perfectly match the song’s shift from a minimal intro to a swelling chorus.

The Toronto band came together thanks to their desire to bring together electronic music with Shoegaze-style guitars. Like the Sun is out on February 17 via The Hand. The EP was co-produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (METZ, Crystal Castles, Diamond Rings) and Jakub Soma. Graham Lessard (Timber Timbre, Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene, Barr Brothers) mixed the EP.

Programm will play The Great Hall in Toronto on February 13 as part of the Long Winter Program. - Hanging In The Back

Programm has released their debut single, “Like The Sun,” taken from their upcoming EP of the same name, out February 17th via The Hand Recordings. The Toronto post-punk quartet also released a music video for the song. Stream and purchase “Like The Sun” below! - The Permanent Rain Press

Here’s a gorgeous black and white, intimately shot music video from blossoming band Programm. Hailing from Toronto and about to drop their debut EP, “Like The Sun”, Programm have released their haunting, spacious, synth and reverb heavy title track.

The EP is produced by Alexandre Bonenfant who has also worked on albums for Crystal Castles amongst others.

The video juxtaposes wide outdoor shots in natural surroundings with intimate, sensual bedroom close-ups, and is tactile, emotive and glorious.

“Like The Sun” is out on the 17th February. - Earbuddy

Toronto peeps Programm used to be known as Volcano Playground, but it looks like they’ve been hard at work since those days trying to bang their sound into shape for the big time – or at least bigger time than the underground shows I used to book them for. They’ve got a new EP dropping next month and they just put the title track’s music video on the internet for everyone to gander at. Admittedly, their sound has lost a bit of its homespun colour since the old days, but the loss is offset for the most part by amped up No Joy-esque shoegaze stylishness. - Gold Soundz

Today marks the premiere of “Like The Sun”, the alluring debut single from Programm. The band is a quartet of kindred spirits from Toronto, Ontario, united by their mutual desire to seamlessly blend their musical tastes into something new. While their music seems out of time and place, drawing from the familiar pools of krautrock, electronic and shoegaze, the result is nothing short of a futuristic expression of the current day. Lush space and heavy drums make themselves at home among pulsing electronics and squelching guitars in Programm’s unique view on the world.

The video for “Like The Sun” was directed by Amos Leblanc, and perfectly complements the song’s precarious beauty, as minimalist drum programming anchors low-end bass murmur, before deftly harnessed guitar reverb swells to a haunting, dulcet chorus.

“Like The Sun” appears on the band’s debut EP of the same name, which is due for digital release February 17 via The Hand, and was co-produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (METZ, Crystal Castles, Diamond Rings) and Jakub Soma with Graham Lessard (Timber Timbre, Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene, Barr Brothers) handling the mixing duties.

Programm is Jacob Soma (Guitar, Vocals), Jackie Game (Bass, Vocals) Mark Game (Keys, Synth), and Andrew Reesor (Drums). - Northern Transmissions

Toronto’s electronic-psychedelic band, Programm, premieres new video for their debut single “Like The Sun.”

The band’s debut EP, produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (METZ, Crystal Castles, Diamond Rings) is set for digital release Feb 17, via The Hand. “Like The Sun” was directed by Amos Leblanc, and complements the song’s driving rhythm, minimalist drums and heavy reverb. Watch the hauntingly beautiful “Like The Sun” below: - Anchor Shop

Programm have been playing in and around Toronto for years, and the fruits of their labour have finally arrived with an upcoming EP co-produced by Alex Bonenfant, who’s worked with local staples like Metz and Crystal Castles. With their new music video “Like The Sun,” Programm have nabbed director Amos Leblanc who they’ve worked with before to create another solemn and majestic black and white short film. The stark imagery plays well with the four-piece's bold bass and shimmering guitar lines and Jackie Game’s buoyant, grandiose vocals. But I just can’t shake the feeling that I’m watching a fashion commercial set in post-apocalyptica. - Simone Zucker

Programm are set to release their debut EP Like The Sun on February 17 via The Hand. - CHARTattck

Programm will be releasing an EP called Like The Sun on February 17th. It’s produced by Alexandre Bonenfant who’s worked with METZ, Crystal Castles, Diamond Rings. Check out the video for the title track which features the band at scene views in black & white. The track itself is very dense and heavy with reverb to give you a taste for what’s in store. - Ride The Tempo

Need some darkness on this Tuesday? A while back, the 4-piece darkpop group, Programm, released the intense, emotional, and adventurous Like the Sun. Rumbling rhythms, wicked guitar riffs, and shadowy vocals with just a “tinge” of light. We are excited for their new release coming February 17. - Synth Pop Rocks

Here’s a gorgeous black and white, intimately shot music video from blossoming band Programm. Hailing from Toronto and about to drop their debut EP, “Like The Sun”, Programm have released their haunting, spacious, synth and reverb heavy title track.

The EP is produced by Alexandre Bonenfant who has also worked on albums for Crystal Castles amongst others.

The video juxtaposes wide outdoor shots in natural surroundings with intimate, sensual bedroom close-ups, and is tactile, emotive and glorious.

“Like The Sun” is out on the 17th February. - Earbuddy

Programm featured in CMJ Feb. 2015 mixtape - CMJ

Today's free song comes from Programm. The Toronto-based outfit are gearing up to release their debut EP, Like The Sun, later this month and have shared its first offering, the title track. Blending elements of krautrock, shoegaze and electronic, the four-piece create sweeping soundscapes from lush, reverb-laden guitar riffs, pulsating synths and drum machines and singer/bassist Jackie Game's soothing vocals. Stream and download the track above and watch its accompanying video below.

"'Like the Sun' began as a fairly straightforward song about lust and longing," the band explains. "As a band we tend to take simple ideas and broaden them with dense, surreal production. Once we started hearing the addition of heavily compressed delayed drums, layered guitars and pulsating synths, the song really quickly took shape, and became a bit of a creative turning point for us."

Like The Sun is slated for a February 17 release via The Hand. - PureVolume

Programm — “Like the Sun”

The two styles straddled by Toronto band Programm — post-punk and shoegaze — are both genres defined by their distinct guitar tones. Yet it’s the competition of percussion, both live and programmed, that comes to define the quartet’s dark, slightly industrial debut single, “Like the Sun.” - Flavorwire

4. Programm – “Like The Sun” (Dir. Slavelabour.co)
Music-video directors do not have to overthink things. Sometimes, all you need is a drone camera and a craggy mountain range and some crisp black-and-white cinematography and maybe a star who holds your attention for five straight minutes. - Stereogum

Toronto quartet Programm have shared a video for the title track off their upcoming debut EP Like The Sun, produced by Alexandre Bonenfant (METZ, Crystal Castles, Diamond Rings). It’s a rich, lushly spaced track with simple drum sequencing, low-end synth bass, and heavily reverbed electric guitar power chords, and Slavelabour.co and MuchFACT have partnered on an equally rich, picturesque set of visuals. Beautifully shot in black and white, the video is filled with images of waterfalls, rocky cliffs, and luscious forests with a minimalist quality which perfectly accompanies the song. Check it out below. - Stereogum