Sudbury, Ontario-based synth duo Fauxcils have announced their debut full-length album, Tears of Paint, scheduled for release on April 25th, 2025. The project marks the first proper album from longtime collaborators Jenn Herd (vocals) and Dunstan Topp (synth, guitar, drum machine), who previously released a collection of lo-fi demos during Montreal’s Demo Fest in 2020.
The title track, released alongside the announcement, explores themes of workplace monotony and societal constraints. Drawing influence from synth pioneers like New Order and contemporaries such as Cold Cave, the song showcases Topp’s textured electronic compositions beneath Herd’s contemplative vocals.
“Tears of Paint is an anthem of self-preservation, a refusal of hateful systems through common eyes strained by the flames of bigotry,” Herd explains. “A modern momentum for gathering the spilled paint of our past to change the picture.”
The duo, who first collaborated creatively in 2011 before officially forming Fauxcils in 2018, have garnered attention within Canada’s independent music scene. Their participation in Montreal’s Demo Fest—a fundraiser for Solidarity Across Borders—helped secure performance slots at festivals including POP Montreal, Up Here Festival, and M for Montreal.
Jamie Stewart of experimental group Xiu Xiu has emerged as an early supporter of the band’s evolving sound, which represents a significant sonic development from their earlier work.
The self-directed video for “Tears of Paint” was filmed at Sudbury’s la GNO (Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario), featuring Topp’s ceramic masks displayed gallery-style. These neutral-faced masks, which have become a staple of the band’s live performances, feature prominently in the video.
Watch the video below:
Beyond their musical output, Herd and Topp are practising visual artists who incorporate multimedia installation and performance elements into their work, often exploring the experience of being anarchist, LGBTQ+ creatives in a small northern community. Their recent material has also delved into more personal territory following the passing of Herd’s brother Josh.
The band has previously opened for notable acts including U.S. Girls, Debby Friday, and Annie-Claude Deschênes of Duchess Says.
Photo Credit: Kyle Ormsby
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