Sahara

Some creative visions arrive so clearly and so well defined, it’s as if they’ve willed themselves into existence. That’s how Sahara came to Joe Elaschuk and Andrew Wilson, the creative duo behind the Toronto-based group. The two were on tour with their previous bands when the idea for the project materialized. With the kind of closeness touring in a cramped van affords, they became fast friends and agreed to collaborate. The name came to them before they had anything written or recorded, but the rest has since fallen into place, a tribute to their intuitive songwriting. The guitars that guide their post-punk arrive warped by heat haze, sounding distant yet still warm. Their melodies are bittersweet, imbued with a sense of longing that’s balanced by the band’s ear for hooks. Singer/guitarist Wilson and guitarist Elaschuk have since enlisted the help of Julie MacKinnon on bass, and Warren Calbeck on drums to bring their songs to life onstage.