A pinch of Lynch

Toronto’s Slim Twig subverts
the American narrative

TRAWLING FOR THE TROUBLING: Slim Twig

By JACK OATMON

Twenty-year-old Torontonian Slim Twig is the son of two filmmakers and the producer of a disturbing distillation of loose-lipped rockabilly and laptop lo-fi. The drawn-out, drawl-laden chants on his new EP, Vernacular Violence, explore the darker side of Americana, making him an ideal candidate to perform at this week’s David Lynch theme party, In Dreams. He spoke to us about the forbidden themes and voyeurism that his music shares with Lynch’s films.

Mirror: Your music has a really psychedelic swamp rockabilly thing going on, and there’s definitely a lot of that happening in David Lynch films.

Slim Twig: Lynch is a really huge creative hero of mine. I was excited to be asked to [play at In Dreams]. There’s this strange, American backroads thing in his films. He plays with those archetypes in a kind of subversive way that I feel akin to. The structure of a film like Blue Velvet follows this American narrative, but subverts it. I feel a connection to that.

M: I was listening to Vernacular Violence and thinking about David Lynch, and what popped into my head, because we’re in Canada, was this scene in Fire Walk With Me where Laura Palmer goes across the border to this greasy swingers club and there’s this crazy, super-raunchy cello.

ST: Yeah, that song [“The Pink Room” by Angelo Badalamenti] is a big influence on me, so I’m glad you pointed that out. There’s a droning quality to it. Lynch even helped compose some of that music and I feel like there’s something of that process that maybe I’ve stumbled upon as well—if I can be so bold as to say so.

M: You said it’s subversive. David Lynch is all about exploring the parts of peoples’ minds that they repress.

ST: A lot of times, that’s what I’m trying to do, explore a darker part of my mind that exists within most of us, but is really troubling. I try to personify those troubling feelings and sing from that perspective. It’s an interesting way of exploring a character, and it’s a little bit of a thrill. It feels like you shouldn’t maybe be exploring this territory. Another theme in Lynch’s films is sort of, “Maybe we shouldn’t be seeing this.” Like, there’s a scene in Blue Velvet where they’re in the apartment and it feels very voyeuristic.

M: Voyeurism is such a relevant concept right now, what with the data flying all over the wires everywhere.

ST: Yeah, there’s something about the act of looking that’s kind of intrusive.

M: How do you approach production? Your sounds often have a sort of resonating quality—there’s a particular style.

ST: I think the focus has never been a technical thing for me. It’s more a textural thing, and what pleases my ear. As to how you’re supposed to record things, I have no idea and I don’t really care. I have a taste for things that are grittier or rougher. Sounds that some might find intrusive or irritating. I try to incorporate some of that into pop music. No funds and very little gear. Or at least, that was my approach on Vernacular Violence.

WITH SALLY PARADISE, LOLO CRUISE
AND RED BATS WITH TEETH AT BLUE
DOG MOTEL TONIGHT, THURSDAY,
SEPT. 18, 9 P.M., $7