The Diviners

The Canadian duo **Angine de Poitrine** champions authenticity and risk in their live performances, where every note is improvised and the connection with the audience is paramount, despite the inherent limitations of their format.

The world of music is full of proposals seeking to break molds, and the duo **Angine de Poitrine**, hailing from Quebec, Canada, is a prime example. With a sound that evokes other dimensions and a stage presence that defies convention, this duo has carved out its own niche in the musical scene. In a recent interview for the American magazine **Guitar World**, their guitarist, **Kun de Poitrine**, has dissected the keys to their proposal, from influences to the audacity of their live shows.

## The Echo of Pogre and Math Rock

The music of **Angine de Poitrine** draws from sources that many pogre rock aficionados will instantly recognize. Although **Kun** confesses he has never been a devoted listener of the British band **King Crimson**, he admits to a strong influence from 70s pogre rock—a genre that he and his bandmate, drummer **Krec**, devoured.

The lack of internet access during their childhood in a rural setting forced them to explore through second-hand shops and libraries, leading to a deep immersion in records that they played until they were saturated.

The discovery of odd time signatures came through **Frank Zappa** and his track "Zomby Woof," included on the album **"Cheap Thrills."** That riff, which still fascinates him today, marked a turning point. But if there was one band that deeply influenced their youth, it was **Gentle Giant**. Listening sessions of old videos of **Soft Machine**, **King Crimson**, **Genesis**, and **Zappa** at Krec's mother's house shared one common denominator: a fascination with **Gentle Giant**. What attracted **Kun** and **Krec** to this band was that blend of awkwardness and genius, a "freak" air combined with musically brilliant ideas. **Gentle Giant's** track "Just the Same" is cited as a perfect example of how the band maintained the groove, even in odd time signatures, highlighting the guitar parts and accents that, according to **Kun**, sound "tremendously pleasant."

## Riffs that Inspire and Challenge

When asked about their three favorite guitar riffs of all time, **Kun's** answer is as personal as it is revealing. The first is everything that makes up "Legs" by **Massacre**, a band associated with experimental rock. The chord pogre, the superimposed melody, the bass line, and the guitar tone are described as "candy for my brain." A second choice is "Reptilia" by **The Strokes**, where the energy with which the sixteenth notes are picked on electric guitar stands out. Finally, he mentions the guitar work in "Pin It Down" by **Madison Cunningham**, an album he listens to frequently and which appeals to him through its tone, low tuning, and overall delicacy.

These choices are not mere anecdotes; they reflect a particular sensibility toward melodic construction and the expressive power of the guitar.

## The Live Balancing Act: Bass, Guitar, and Loops

The question regarding the difficulty of simultaneously handling bass and guitar, coupled with the constant manipulation of tones and the creation of loops with his feet, is one of the pillars of **Angine de Poitrine's** proposal. **Kun** clarifies that he does not play both instruments at once; his double-necked guitar allows him to switch quickly and frequently between bass and guitar to build sound layers. The complexity, according to him, lies less in the intrinsic difficulty of the musical phrases and more in the orchestration of pedals, the adjustment of saturation and volume levels, and the physical limitations themselves.

The irony arises when **Kun** describes a hypothetical performance scenario: playing with a mask, in darkness, with flickering lights, without peripheral vision, fingers covered in acrylic paint, and suffering from heat exhaustion. In those conditions, yes, it would be "extremely difficult." But the band's philosophy is precisely that: embracing the absurdity of the situation, laughing at it, and simultaneously offering a show that makes the audience smile, laugh, and, if possible, dance.

For **Angine de Poitrine**, music is also a form of "spectacle," a performance that goes beyond mere sound.

## The Audacity of Improvisation

The idea of performing entirely live, without pre-recorded tracks, is what **Kun** calls their "freak show." For him, authenticity lies in the real-time execution. If they started relying on pre-recorded lines, the line between a live performance and a recording would blur dangerously. "If you're going to do that," he argues, "ditch the guitar, start messing with filters and effects, and set up a DJ booth."

Total improvisation is the heart of their proposal, although they acknowledge it is a "risky and imperfect" method.

When an error occurs, the strategy is to erase it before it repeats while trying to maintain the phrase and communicating with **Krec** through body language, indicating the need to repeat sections or that the error has been corrected and they can continue. **Krec**, for his part, must remain vigilant not to lose intensity or miss these signals, waiting for the right moment to resume the song's course. This method, though risky, is what maintains the spark and the fun in their performances. If it ever became easy, they would seek a way to complicate it again to preserve that essence.

## The Limits and Intimacy of the Duo

Performing in duo format presents, without a doubt, significant limitations regarding arrangements. **Kun** admits that it can sometimes be frustrating. However, the formation of the duo was not a premeditated decision but a natural consequence of their musical connection. "We play together because we connect musically. And since there is no one else, we adapt to it and that's it," he explains.

With the passage of years, the search for a third member becomes increasingly complex. The dynamic between **Kun** and **Krec** has solidified into a close unit, developing their own way of doing things. The creative space they share has an intimate character, especially after more than twenty years together. Compatibility is not limited to music; sharing the same sense of humor and artistic vision is fundamental. **Kun** confesses that at this stage, there is a certain antiestéticar of "shaking up or breaking that space," describing their duo as "fossilized," in the sense of a consolidated and durable structure.

The proposal of **Angine de Poitrine** is, ultimately, a celebration of controlled imperfection, artistic audacity, and genuine connection with the audience. Their music, far from being a mere succession of notes, is an experience that seeks to provoke emotions and reflection, all wrapped in a halo of mystery and originality.