Cold Specks
Birth nameLadan Hussein
Also known asAl Spx
BornToronto
Genres
Occupation(s)artist
Years active2011–present
LabelsMute/EMI Records (world except Canada)
Arts & Crafts/EMI Records (Canada)

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

  • 2011: "Holland"
  • 2012: "Winter Solstice"
  • 2012: "Blank Maps"
  • 2012: "Hector"
  • 2014: "Absisto"
  • 2015: "Bodies at Bay"
  • 2017: "Fool's Paradise"

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominated work Result
2012 2012 Polaris Music Prize Polaris Music Prize I Predict a Graceful Expulsion Nominated
2013 SiriusXM Indies Awards[11] Artist of the Year Cold Specks Nominated
Female Artist of the Year Won
Songwriter of the Year Nominated
Soul/R&B Artist or Group of the Year Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "How I survived a psychotic break". Toronto Life. May 8, 2019.
  2. ↑ Jim Fusilli (November 25, 2014). "Cold Specks' Arresting Mix". Wall Street Journal.
  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. ↑ Beauchemin, Molly (March 11, 2015). "Sufjan Stevens Shares "Should Have Known Better"". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Retrieved 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. ↑ "CANOE -- JAM! Music - SoundScan Charts". Jam.canoe.ca. Archived from the original on 28 September 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  11. ↑ "2013 SIRIUSXM INDIE AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED!". SiriusXM INDIES. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
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