Les Cooper

On his debut solo album, Noise, Toronto, Ontario-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Les Cooper is stepping out on his own with eight tracks that delve deep into his sonic toolbox, creating a stunningly textured listening experience grounded in thought provoking songwriting.

For over two decades, Cooper has been regarded as one of Canada’s leading music producers, earning Juno Awards for his work with The Good Lovelies, and further Juno nominations for albums he produced for Jill Barber and Madison Violet.

With Noise, Cooper has finally allowed himself to push the envelope with all of his creative faculties. After laying down basic tracks with some of Canada’s most in-demand session musicians, Cooper describes his process as reassembling them almost like Lego pieces until, in most cases, the final songs were unrecognizable from the original takes.

Against this shape-shifting musical backdrop highlighted by Cooper’s skill with electronic treatments and string arrangements, the effect of listening to Noise can be both soothing and unsettling, depending on one’s state of mind.

In all, Les Cooper’s Noise is a stunning first impression of an artist who has long been comfortable in the background, but is now poised to reveal the full extent of his talent.