Montreal gold: She’s Got a Habit – Blindfold Test EP (free download)

She's Got a Habit is Martin Rodriguez, Emma Frank and Andy Bauer

I remember sitting down with vocalist Emma Frank and producer Martin Rodriguez a few summers ago at a cafe by my old apartment to talk about a project they were working on. She’s Got a Habit is that project, a production rich, melancholy creep that features the haunting vocals of Emma as the center of attention. Now, this is clearly something that MTL has yet to produce: deep, subtle and soulful vocals backed with strong production and great songwriting. Comparisons to Little Dragon certainly can’t hurt this solid team, but I believe their unique sound can only grow into something much more powerful and engaging than it already is. Please check them out and let me know what you think. We’ll be watching them rise to the top…

The Montreal-based electro-acoustic sextet She’s Got a Habit started with a Craigslist posting. Scrolling through the classifieds one night, Emma Frank stumbled across an ad looking for “space funk vocalists” to collaborate on world domination. On the other end of that posting was Martin Rodriguez, a producer guitarist who had recently relocated to Montreal from New York City. After the initial emails and mutual excitement, Martin appeared at one of Emma’s shows and introduced himself. The two set up a session and immediately hit it off. In between recording what would become their first single, “Call it Love,” they began fleshing out ideas for a project that would blend the swagger of hip-hop with the raw, acoustic energy of jazz and indie rock. Incorporating the live drums and production styles of Andy Bauer, Martin’s longtime friend and production partner, the project quickly took shape. Now, with the release of their first EP, BlindfoldTest, the group’s distinctive sound is gaining a following propelling them to an upcoming tour across Canada and the U.S. this summer.

download the EP here – shesgotahabit.bandcamp.com