Originally formed in 2011, Yes We Mystic is a five-piece folk rock band from Winnipeg. Its sound is at once sombre and yet variably forceful – the introspective vocals of Adam Fuhr oscillate between brooding and spirited, while the eclectic instrumentation of Keegan Steele (mandolin, ukulele, percussion), Solana Johannson (violin), Katherine Walker-Jones (banjo) and Zachary Rempel (cello) provide diverse crescendos and energy. On Floods and Fires, the dynamic shifting of tones is mostly successful. Fuhr quietly muses “When we look back to what is here/And what is not/I see the monument/Whose time you say has come” on “These Roads”, after which a burst of violin and drums inject life and rhythm to completely transform the song. This five-track affair is merely a sample, though. Look for more Yes We Mystic in the coming months.

Published in Volume 68, Number 2 of The Uniter (September 11, 2013)