Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session: Cold Specks

Cold Specks | Photo by Katie Tapman for WXPN

Joining us in the studio for this Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session is Cold Specks, the Canadian group led by singer Ladan Hussein. On earlier albums, Hussein dabbled in menacing folk and piercing guitar rock, but on Fool’s Paradise her tone is brooding and delicate. With longtime bassist/producer Jim Anderson and drummer Josh McIntyre providing the dark electronics, Hussein performs three selections from the album in this session.

The performance begins with “Wild Card,” a pensive shuffle that showcases Hussein’s immense vocal range. Next comes “Solid,” which served as the lead single for Fool’s Paradise. The track recalls the early recordings of Massive Attack with its atmospherics and snappy beats. Closing the session is “Void,” which takes the feeling of “Solid” even further into near-industrial territory.

Listen to Cold Specks’ Indie Rock Hit Parade session below and check out some of Katie Tapman’s photos from the studio: