Population II experiments with electronic sounds on the new EP Gimmicks

Population II returns with Gimmicks, a new synthedelic rock EP out today on Bonsound. As of April 24th, Gimmicks will be available on vinyl, with the EP Serpent Échelle, previously only available on cassette and digitally, on the B-side.

Gimmicks arrives almost exactly one year after the release of the album Maintenant Jamais, which was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. Praised by Pitchfork, which gave it a score of 7.6, and by the French magazine Rock&Folk, which granted it four stars, the band's third effort also caught the attention of KEXP, Brooklyn Vegan, Stereogum, Creem, CBC Music, and many others. Meanwhile, Population II also toured extensively throughout 2025, in Europe, the US, Canada and Mexico.

Blending vocal and instrumental tracks, Gimmicks is a companion piece to the Montreal band's latest full-length. It's an extension of the electronic sounds we explored on Maintenant Jamais, with tracks like “13 1 3 1” and “Poudreuse Blues”, explains Pierre-Luc Gratton. Even though we added upright piano and fuzz bass to some of the songs, our number one rule for this project was: keyboards and synthesizers, first and foremost! This is why they decided to ditch the guitar completely on these new songs, once again demonstrating the extent of their versatility.

Rhythmically, the use of a drum machine allowed the musicians to push their own boundaries and take this exercise in style to a higher level. It made us rethink our rhythmic habits and add bursts of intensity by experimenting with timbres and sound dynamics. The result is an EP at times unsettling, at times dreamy, but perfectly calibrated, where constraint gives way to ingenuity, freedom, and friendship. Although prog and krautrock fans will recognize the influence of Syrinx, Tangerine Dream, and Cluster, Gimmicks is, above all, the affirmation of a band capable of looking back to move forward.

About Population II

Population II is a band dedicated to its disengagement, constantly working on refining their imposing, yet unpretentious sound. A trio consisting of singer/drummer Pierre-Luc Gratton, guitarist/keyboardist Tristan Lacombe and bassist Sébastien Provençal, Population II are masters at both improvised madness and sophisticated composition, delivering heavy psychedelic rock infused with feverish funk rhythms, a hint of jazz philosophy, a burst of energy reminiscent of punk's early days, and a love of minor scales that harkens back to the roots of heavy metal.

Their sources of inspiration are diverse and not limited to music: the Detroit garage rock and psychedelic funk scenes of the late 60s, the Canterbury scene of the same period, the German experimental rock of the 70s, and Miles Davis’ eclectic era collide, bound together by the swampy decor of their hometown of Pointe-Calumet and, above all, by the deep friendship and undeniable chemistry emerging from its three members.

The roots of Population II go back a long way and are inextricably linked to its members’ teenage memories. After years of jamming to the point of developing a sense of telepathy, the trio began recording a handful of independent releases that soon caught the attention of the independent label Castle Face Records. Thus was born À la Ô Terre, released in 2020.

They returned in 2023 with their sophomore album Électrons libres du québec, this time released on Bonsound. A little more straightforward than its predecessor, the record reflects a natural progression of the sound the trio established on their previous releases, showing a sharp sense of songcraft and the undeniable expertise of their instruments.

On a creative spree, Population II struck again the following year with their EP Serpent Échelle in the spring, and a split EP with local punk act Mulch in the fall. With this prolific sequence of releases, the band laid the groundwork for Maintenant Jamais, a third full-length album on which they stir up their various formative influences with sophistication, resulting in fourteen catchy, transgressive tracks. Released in March 2025, the album was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize the same year.

Although Population II has kept busy touring internationally, sometimes supporting bands such as OSEES, SLIFT, and Frankie and the Witch Fingers, and playing at festivals like Levitation and Hipnosis, their creativity remains just as strong. After teaming up with You Doo Right and Nolan Potter to release the collective, improvised effort You II avec Nolan Potter in the fall of 2025, they return this spring with Gimmicks, a new EP that predominantly features keyboards and synthesizers.

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