Montag sounds like the precise moment a memory crystallizes. Antoine Bédard crafts a world where glitchy electronic pulses coexist with the organic warmth of a string quartet. It is music that feels both technologically advanced and deeply human, characterized by a shimmering, crystalline quality that evokes the stillness of a Canadian winter. The songs often feel like small, precious objects found in an attic, dusted off and brought back to life through modern processing.
What makes Montag distinctive is the seamless integration of high-concept sound design with accessible indie-pop sensibilities. By recording and cataloging orchestral instruments and then looping them through his laptop, Bédard creates a 'digital chamber' sound. His vocals, delivered in both French and English, are hushed and intimate, often sounding like a secret shared between friends. The inclusion of fan-contributed field recordings and found sounds adds a communal, lived-in texture to his otherwise polished studio work.
Start with the album 'Going Places'. It represents the peak of his collaborative era, featuring lush contributions from M83 and Amy Millan, and perfectly captures his ability to turn travel and transition into soaring, melodic electronica. If you prefer something more stripped-back and atmospheric, the 'Hibernation' EP offers a beautiful, instrumental-leaning exploration of his signature winter aesthetic.
Antoine Bédard (born c. 1978) is a Canadian electronic musician, best known for his recordings under the stage name Montag. Originally from Montreal, he sings in both French and English, and is currently residing in Montreal again, after a stint in Vancouver, British Columbia. He recently completed a tour with The One AM Radio and Lymbyc Systym. Sometimes referred to as a "laptop musician", he received a grant from the Quebec Arts Council to record and catalogue orchestra instruments. He uses the database—with the sounds sometimes looped and processed—in his live performances, along with his own keyboard playing. On his 2005 album Alone, Not Alone, he collaborated with hip hop music producer Sixtoo. His 2007 album, Going Places, includes collaborations with M83, Ida Nilsen, Ghislain Poirier, Final Fantasy and Amy Millan. For the title track, he spliced together sounds that fans from around the world had sent in to him; he credits 70 contributors. An openly gay man, Bédard's song "Best Boy Electric" is a boy-on-boy duet that tells of the romance that prompted his move to Vancouver. He won a 2008 Jessie Award for Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition, for his contribution to a production of 4.48 Psychosis. In 2012, Montag released one single a month, all released by Carpark Records. Each single were accompanied by a music video.
Shares layered dense, orchestral arrangement, bedroom production (production style); indie pop, electronica, chamber pop (subgenres)
Shares wistful, nostalgic, dreamy (moods); winter, snowfall, solitude (atmosphere)
Shares nostalgic, wistful, dreamy (moods); indie pop, dream pop, chamber pop (subgenres)
Shares breathy, gentle, harmonized (vocal style); nostalgic, wistful, bittersweet (moods)
Shares nostalgic, wistful, dreamy (moods); breathy, gentle, harmonized (vocal style)
Shares indie pop, dream pop, chamber pop (subgenres); nostalgic, wistful, dreamy (moods)
Shares indie pop, dream pop, chamber pop (subgenres); nostalgic, wistful, dreamy (moods)
Shares indie pop, dream pop, chamber pop (subgenres); nostalgic, wistful, bittersweet (moods)
Shares nostalgic, wistful, dreamy (moods); indie pop, dream pop, chamber pop (subgenres)
Shares snowfall, winter, dream pop, tender (atmosphere)
Shares indie pop, dream pop, tender, breathy (signature)
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