Montreal musician Alexandra Levy, known as Ada Lea, has announced her third album, when i paint my masterpiece, set for release on August 8th via Saddle Creek. The announcement is accompanied by the lead single, “baby blue frigidaire mini fridge.” This 16-track album follows one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden and promises to be an expansive exploration of art’s transformative power, showcasing Levy’s fearless navigation across musical styles and artistic mediums. The album’s cover, featuring Levy with her guitar amidst her paintings, hints at the interconnectedness of her art forms, though she deliberately avoids simplistic metaphors. when i paint my masterpiece introduces a new brand of subversion and surrealism rooted in her transdisciplinary approach, where music and painting organically intertwine.
On the singles themes, Levy reflects impressionistically,
The Chantal Akerman film where the camera moves in slow circular pans around her apartment. Then what if the frame quickly zooms out as far as it could possibly go? And in that wide pull back, what we recognise as universal is still ‘this chair, this window, this mountain view.’ Then, move out again, even further. What we are left with—three things: ‘our old time souls, this old time moon.’ Two things, I mean.”
when i paint my masterpiece, Ada Lea’s upcoming album, was largely recorded live and acoustically in rural Ontario in late 2023, embracing a raw, organic sound reminiscent of classic Canadian folk. The core band recorded together in one room, off-grid and without a click track, allowing for natural imperfections. The album was produced by Luke Temple of Here We Go Magic, known for his subtle psychedelic touch on the work of artists like Adrianne Lenker. This recording process emphasises chance and human error, contributing to the album’s warm harmonies and lush arrangements.
