WOLF SAGA

Eight years into the story of Wolf Saga, electropop polymath Johnny Saga is ready to debut his self-titled LP. A 2018 JUNO Masterclass Finalist who was named RBC Canada Emerging Artist in 2017, Saga’s dreamlike synths dynamize as they soothe, offering a matured take on the affable bangers of the 2010s—MGMT, Daft Punk, Justice and Boyz Noize come to mind, with the wisdom of a decade in between. Wolf Saga was named to honour the spirit of the wolf—a loyal protector of loved ones that holds special meaning in Saga’s Ojibwe culture. With this album, generous in its wisdom and lavish in its fun, Saga is on a quest to give listeners a reason to dance, but jokes that it’s not all bottle service and strobe lights. By juxtaposing serious subject matter with rave-y rhythms, Saga’s mission is to inspire cognizance. The album’s songs, guided by the unwavering presence of Saga’s father, who passed away in 2019, were inspired by important causes, such as Black Lives Matter and support for Indigenous land defenders. As Saga was readying the LP, he discovered an old demo reel from his father’s acting days. In the reel was a clip of his father saying, “it’s been about eight years,” an alignment too precise to be coincidental. Saga borrowed the clip for the introduction of the album’s opening track, which he titled, appropriately, “Eight Years.” Saga wants listeners to pay attention. He also wants to ignite our imaginations, comfort our memories, and to help us envision a resilient tomorrow.