Cold Specks Explained

Cold Specks
Birth Name:Ladan Hussein
Alias:Al Spx
Birth Place:Toronto
Occupation:artist
Years Active:2011–present
Label:Mute/EMI Records (world except Canada)
Arts & Crafts/EMI Records (Canada)
Associated Acts:PJ Harvey
Massive Attack
Moby
Swans
Ambrose Akinmusire

Cold Specks is the stage name of Somali Canadian singer-songwriter Ladan Hussein,[1] who was previously known as Al Spx.[2] Her music has been described as doom-soul. The name Cold Specks is taken from a line in James Joyce's Ulysses ("Born all in the dark wormy earth, cold specks of fire, evil lights shining in the darkness.").

She released her debut album, I Predict a Graceful Expulsion, on May 21, 2012, on Mute Records and Arts & Crafts in Canada.[3] The album was a shortlisted nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize.[4]

Her second album, Neuroplasticity, was released on August 26, 2014.[5] It featured trumpet playing by Ambrose Akinmusire and backing vocals from Michael Gira of Swans, was supported in part by selected dates opening for Sufjan Stevens on his Carrie & Lowell Tour,[6] and was longlisted for the 2015 Polaris Music Prize.[7] Her third album, Fool's Paradise, followed in 2017.[8]

Following Fool's Paradise, Hussein suffered a mental health breakdown, and underwent several months of treatment at Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.[9] She has since announced that she is retiring her stage name, and will release future music under her own name.

Albums

Singles

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryNominated workResult
20122012 Polaris Music PrizePolaris Music PrizeI Predict a Graceful Expulsion
2013SiriusXM Indies Awards[11] Artist of the YearCold Specks
Female Artist of the Year
Songwriter of the Year
Soul/R&B Artist or Group of the Year

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Toronto Life. How I survived a psychotic break. May 8, 2019.
  2. Web site: Cold Specks' Arresting Mix. Wall Street Journal. Jim Fusilli. November 25, 2014.
  3. Jayson Greene, "Cold Specks: I Predict a Graceful Expulsion". Pitchfork, May 1, 2012.
  4. Jordan Zivitz, "Cold Speck: A soul singer by any name". Montreal Gazette, August 15, 2012.
  5. Sadiya Ansari, "Polaris-nominated Cold Specks back with second album". CTV News, August 25, 2014.
  6. Web site: Sufjan Stevens Shares "Should Have Known Better" . Beauchemin . Molly . March 11, 2015 . Pitchfork . Condé Nast . August 9, 2017.
  7. Alex Hudson, "Polaris Music Prize Announces 2015 Long List". Exclaim!, June 16, 2015.
  8. Carly Lewis, "Cold Specks is just warming up". The Globe and Mail, January 10, 2018.
  9. Sarah Murphy, "Cold Specks' Ladan Hussein Opens Up About Living with Schizophrenia". Exclaim!, May 9, 2019.
  10. Web site: CANOE -- JAM! Music - SoundScan Charts . https://archive.today/20041226005640/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Charts/ALBUMS.html . usurped . December 26, 2004 . Jam.canoe.ca . 21 September 2014 .
  11. Web site: 2013 SIRIUSXM INDIE AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED!. SiriusXM INDIES. 21 September 2014.