All Roads Lead to Austin: Wake Island

Wake Island is a two-piece band manoeuvring between genres, crafting songs that mix minimal techno beats with 90s rock/pop influences, the result of a long evolution and introspection.

The band is comprised of Philippe Manasseh (vocals, synths) and Nadim Maghzal (drum machines, guitar), both Lebanese immigrants who met serendipitously while studying in Montreal in the early 2000s. One of them came to study finance and eventually filmmaking, while the other got himself a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology. It was through their fascination with the local music scene that they threw themselves into a series of musical projects.

In 2016 came their sophomore album Out, a work of self-aware transition, a vehicle for personal and spiritual awakening. It was followed by the Sentimental Animals (EP) in April 2017, a first collection of dance tracks that was to set the new tone for their upcoming third album.

Now based between Montreal and New York, Wake Island’s main focus is to reconcile their Arab roots with their North American sense of belonging, offering songs that testify to a truly unique perspective on modern life in Western societies. While deep-diving into their core energy, the band forged a personalized approach to music production, one that interweaves minimal dance floor techno and melodic elements, with vocals, synths and guitars remaining the crux of the music. Wake Island is an ever changing live experience guided by a visceral inventiveness which has become an instrument in its own right. Their third album is due out late in 2018.