Sometimes you just need to go out and create something. It’s a natural enough urge that is probably universal to the entirety of the human race and manifests in countless ways. If that sounds vague, it’s because it is. It’s the inciting instinct that has manifested everything from dad jokes to the whole of civilization and, given the right circumstances, it can snowball into something sometimes unexpected. That seems to be the case of Nowhere Club, the Halifax-based collective who have released “Broadcasts from Nowhere,” the tip-of-the-iceberg compilation album representing something vast and nebulous that defies description.
The members of Nowhere Club describe their work as a “radio-themed amusement park,” and that might not be too far off. With a mix of styles as eclectic as the ones they have strewn together in their compilation album, Broadcasts from Nowhere, giving the release a listen ends up feeling something like buying a ticket to a theme park and trying out every ride.
Largely lumping themselves under the expansive umbrella of lo-fi bedroom pop, the massive 37-song compilation places artistic merit and quality above any real need for self-definition. More than anything, the album is shockingly good, especially considering its almost random nature.
The collective was founded by artist Outside Hire, otherwise known as Seth Maclean. Maclean put out a call in March to attract musicians and visual artists for his project and had no trouble finding enthusiastic contributors, who would go on to spend their months of quarantine working on Broadcasts from Nowhere together, along with its zine and legendary(?) amusement park.
The results of the compilation suggest that the collective seem to feed off one another’s creativity. Not only does the concept behind the project involve having every aspect of the release being decided by someone else, they went so far as to have each track name was selected by one member, and given to another musician to write. The process is further embellished by visual artists who create a companion piece of artwork for each track appearing in a digital zine.
It seems like a lot of moving parts to expect such consistent quality from, but then again, The Beatles were always better together, while keeping each other on their toes.
“It’s crazy how it’s all come together,” says Maclean. “I think it was a lightning in a bottle sort of thing finding the right people, all of which were all-in and wanted to contribute as much as possible.
“We’re just 30 people who send some songs to each other through a google drive. Anyone can do this, and I encourage it. Make that group chat with your friend group and ask each other what you’re capable of doing and just MAKE something. It’s just so crazy to think we live in the era of peak engagement and nobody is truly engaging with one another. That’s why we have to break this thing down and build it again.
“We NEED a network of support. The whole thing has been backwards for so long that none of us realize how easy it can be. Just pool your resources, outsource different aspects of your projects and share the same spaces regardless of how different your art is.
“It had me thinking, wait, what if everyone was involved and you’re not making a project for you, or a band, or a business. What if we all made this thing together, share the responsibilities and come up with song names for each other. We all come from different backgrounds with contrasting followings, maybe this method could be more effective to build engagement and merge our fanbases… and it’s working. It warms my heart to see kids from back home (Pictou county, for me) getting praised for their work on this record from people that I look up to. That’s the magic of this whole thing.
At the end of the day, I just wanted to see artists I stan work with other artists I stan.”
While the project puts an emphasis on underground artists you may not have heard of among those artists are a few familiar names, although masquerading as side projects. We’re seeing representatives of June Body and Sore Loser manifesting in new combinations and as solo acts.
More than providing a platform of support for themselves and their fellow artists, Nowhere Club have chosen to contribute all proceeds to the Loveland Therapy Fund, which helps black women and girls by covering their therapy costs up to $200, making getting help more accessible to them.
“Once the songs and the artwork for companion zine started to trickle in, we started the discussions of how we’d put it out and what we could do as a unit,” says Maclean. “We all agreed that we wanted to find something we were all passionate about to steer our funds and efforts into. We knew early on it would be a fundraiser but it wasn’t until recently that the right organization stood out to us.”
And Broadcasts from Nowhere is only the first trip around Nowhere Club’s expansive merry-go-round.
“We’ve been working out the concept for the next one between us. we’re hoping for a new influx of members and keeping the thing fluid and constantly changing. The concept for this record was radio, we plan for the next to be film… and so on.”
Nowhere Club are:
Ashley Sketch @ashley.sketch (Halifax, NS)
Baby Seitan @coolsideponvo (Halifax, NS)
Bayhand @khupa (BC)
Bucky Manny @buckymanny (Montreal, QC)
Coufal.tv @coufal.tv (Denver, CO)
Dunner @sonicdeff (New Glasgow, NS)
Empty Chairs @connorjamesexoh (Halifax, NS)
Faye @jonbaillie20 (New Glasgow, NS)
Foie Gras @jessemacpherson (Halifax, NS)
Glendale Avenue @avenue.glendale (BC)
Geese @micurrie, @soreloserband (Halifax, NS)
Gonk @whatswith.andy (Halifax, NS)
Jaire @jarredlbrown (New Glasgow, NS)
Jazz Codrington @jazzcodrington (Halifax, NS)
King Tiers @kingtiers (Denver, CO)
KW @katiewayn (Halifax, NS)
Misewell @misewellofficial (Halifax, NS)
Mute.fx @mute.fx (TX)
Nixim @nixim_music (Halifax, NS)
Outside Hire @ozyhire (Halifax, NS)
Raf Finn @raf_finn (Montreal, QC)
Rume Kover @rumekover (Halifax, NS)
Shelley @shelleybandofficial (Halifax, NS)
Shennn @shennn.sln (Halifax, NS)
Slime da Garbage Mane @slime_dagarbagemane (PEI)
Teflon Cash @micurrie (Halifax, NS)
Tessa Frey @tessislife (Halifax, NS)
Thomas Delaney @thomasdelaney_ (New Glasgow, NS)
Victor Beaumont @shuteyehfx (Halifax, NS)
Worried Hands @worriedhands (Toronto, ON)