Cola

Cola, the Montreal-based trio of Tim Darcy, Ben Stidworthy, and Evan Cartwright, presents their third record, Cost of Living Adjustment (C.O.L.A.). While the band is defined by "tasteful minimalism," this new album marks their most maximalist and collaborative work to date, functioning as a "deepening" of their collective DNA.

A distinct shift on C.O.L.A. is the move from Darcy’s signature sprechgesang toward a focus on pure melody, where vocals carry the same weight as the intricate instrumentation. From the lush, "chopped & screwed" vibes of "Hedgesitting" to the dusky, crystalline guitar lines of "Favoured Over the Ride," the record balances abstraction with moments of searing clarity. It is a work of deliberate experimentation — oblique and strange, yet classically beautiful.