FYF 2017: An Interview With HOMESHAKE

Interview // Homeshake

When I met Peter Sagar in the artist lounge after his set at FYF on Saturday, he was sitting in the shade on the grass, surrounded by friends, laughing, and smoking a cigarette. His calm, relaxed demeanor was instantly detectable. He stood up to greet me with a big smile, and offered to conduct the interview in his trailer on site. “Step into my office…oh shoot, we can’t go in there,” he mumbled as he motioned to his cigarette. “Can we talk in the shade over here?”

"Sunshine is not my friend,” Peter laughed as he searched for shade in the ninety-degree weather. Donned in a bucket hat and large black sunglasses, it was clear that the Montreal-based singer much preferred colder weather. After touring as Mac DeMarco’s guitarist for a number of years, Peter set out to work on a solo project he dubbed Homeshake. Although the artist’s place of residence is known for its rich arts scene, it does not contribute to or effect how he currently works. Peter admitted that when he first made the move to Montreal, the city influenced him because it was culturally a big change from his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. He grew a great deal as an artist in the city, but does not participate in its arts scene.

Having lived in Montreal for a number of years with his partner, Salina — who is the exclusive artist of the Homeshake project, having created all of the flyer, album, and merchandise artwork — Peter has been dedicated to curating unique, downtempo R&B that blends seamlessly with muddled synthesizers, wobbling bass, and airy vocals. Sagar's third album, Fresh Air, which was released on February 3rd, draws inspiration from Ryuichi Sakamoto and Jesse Kanda. When asked if there is anything currently in the works, Sagar eagerly commented that he’s constantly working on new material for Homeshake. I, for one, am definitely looking forward to it.

ELLEN LABBE, DJ & PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR

PHOTOS BY GOLDENVOICE