Canada and post-punk music goes hand-in-hand like pork and beans, like peanut butter and jelly, and just about any other common combination of favored items. Case in point comes Sexsomnia, a project formed in 2021 by Philip Faith and Pat Gaudette. Two basses, no guitars, dancefloor friendly music wrapped in a nice tight gothic package. Doom and gloom never felt so bright. Or something along those lines. In today’s edition of INTRODUCING, Philip Faith takes the mic and sounds off on the project.
Give us a brief about your band. Who are you and what do you do?
Sexsomnia is a darkwave-electro project founded in Montreal in 2021 by Philip Faith and Pat Gaudette, joined by Michael Rien. The sound revolves around hard beats, dark atmospheric keyboards and analogue synths, dual bass guitars, and baritone male vocals accompanied by sometimes haunting sometimes narrative female vocals.
When did you first launch the project and how has it come along since?
We launched the project in 2021, with a series of singles and videos for the songs ‘Sexsomnia’, ‘Catharsis’, and ‘Morphine’. Our guest vocalist at the time was Zoe Page. The reaction from the public, radio, and DJs was very positive, so a few months later we released the Dormant EP, with French label Manic Depression. A video was released for the song ‘Nigrum Viduam’ at the same time. We started building a strong audience at that point. We then released our first album, Transcendent, on Manic Depression. In August 2025, the Forbidden EP is released with two distinct mixes and videos for the title track.
What bands and artists influenced you the most and why?
The original idea of creating a dual-bass project came to me while listening to the song ‘Primary’ by The Cure. So, The Cure, Visage, Joy Division, Fad Gadget, V.A.C, Trentemøller, Curve, Dead Can Dance, Covenant, :Wumpscut:, and many more…
If you could pick a single song from your discography to explain your music, which song would you pick and why?
I would pick the self-titled song, ‘Sexsomnia’. I feel that it represents the sound, the essence and the whole universe of this project.
What is your most recent release and what is it about?
Our latest release, the Forbidden EP, talks about temptation, repressed desires, lust, frailty and sensuality. The title track, ‘Forbidden’, features Marita Volodina of Polish band Stridulum on guest vocals. Isabelle Young lends her luscious, innocent voice on the song ‘Vapor’, and the EP features exclusive remixes by Attrition, and yours truly. The Forbidden EP is available on all digital music platforms.
Take us through your creative process. How do you compose a song from start to finish? Where do the ideas come from?
It depends. It usually starts with a concept. Some kind of emotion or an idea on bass, beats or synths could trigger the process. Sometimes lyrics come first, and I try to work as a film composer to find the right soundscape. The process is different from song to song.
What’s your current favorite song, band, or album within your scene? And vice versa, what do you enjoy the most that’s completely opposite of what you make?
These days, I really love Red Lorry Yellow Lorry’s latest album Strange Kind of Paradise. I also listen to early Shriekback and Juno Reactor.
What is on the horizon for your project? Upcoming gigs, tours, merch, videos, etc. Name it, link it, show it off.
We are currently working on promoting our latest release, and working on our next EP, called Raven(ous), with a new video for the song ‘Subspace’.
Our previously released material is available on our Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and all main digital distribution platforms.
Bandcamp: https://sexsomnia.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5NwVvOGhMdwTy8Sy5jcJ3c
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sexsomnia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sexsomnia.music/
