Ontario Shoegaze Project, numb talking, Seeks Connection on “sunflower”

Ontario’s numb talking is the solo project of sufian m (he/they), a musical space exploring the duality of extremity and its absence, distance and closeness, acknowledgement and disavowal, pain and its mending, home and its cross-border search.

At the core of numb talking are the wishmaking and healing capacities of songs as hummed prayers, admissions, cautions, reminders and celebrations. The voice whispers and projects in a mix of shoegaze and nu-metal tendencies that invite, warn and laugh with the listener.

There’s something hopeful about sunflowers. For sufian m, he imbues a lifelong wish to feel “real” on the song “sunflower.” It’s about flirting with someone, trying to connect, trying to make meaning of self and someone else, and using each other. The song captures the temporary privilege to do so during a time when the world felt like it was finally fully collapsing, and there was something overwhelming about that.

1. What did you enjoy most about the recording process of this new release?
I have tinnitus and one of the few sounds that bring relief are … fairly fuzzy/distorted instruments, particularly the human voice and electric guitar. while recording this song, sunflower, I had the joy of getting to spend lots of time with a heavily downtuned guitar running into a spicy fuzz pedal; tracking was meditation adjacent.

2. Share a nugget of advice that has resonated with you most over the years.
if we allow it, the present moment can be a wonderful moment. it is the only moment. drop in when you can, maybe it’s grieving the latest arrow life has shot at you, maybe it’s driving to the grocery store with nothing playing and the windows are down, perhaps doing the dishes in a fun way and leaning into the bubbles, smelling the coffee beans in the morning deeply before hitting brew. etc etc.

3. Who would be your dream artist/band to co-headline a tour with?
Chelsea Wolfe and her band; being around that much spooky energy sounds like heaven state to me.

4. What sets your music apart from others in your genre?
in a lot of ‘loud’ music, the listener often hears energy in the takes, intensity, instruments being played hard. in the recording of this release and its larger album, there is a deep fatigue in the takes. at the time I was super burnt out and fairly busted up, that energy, or lack of energy, shows up in the songs. something laid back in a way. a friend of mine described this release as ‘Lou Reed fronts Deftones’ and I think there’s something valid there.

5. Tell us what your favourite song is at the moment and why.
I’m really enjoying the new album ‘Wall of Eyes’ by The Smile, particularly the track ‘Teleharmonic’ – it sounds kind of like a lullable the grim reaper would whisper in your ear as you passed.