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Victoria, BC Post-Rock Group Versa Shares Collaborative LP ‘A Voyage / A Destination Part 2’ feat. the Nostalgic “Flew the Coop”

October 8, 2024
William Brookson
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The greatest music goes beyond merely entertaining us; instead, it conjures deep and varied emotions by evoking the universal hopes, fears, and experiences of humanity. Few modern artists embody that sentiment as wonderfully as Canadian progressive/post-rock troupe Versa. Founded in 2007, the group has spent over 15 years perfecting their superb chemistry of serene vocals; eloquent songwriting; and majestically ornate, diverse, and engrossing instrumentation across their first four collections (2007’s Versa, 2010’s The Decline & Fall of…, 2012’s Common Things EP, and 2022’s A Voyage / A Destination).

Regarding the decision to split A Voyage / A Destination into two parts (and two releases), the first came in April 2022. Although “the bulk of the material was recorded at the same time,” bandleader Matthew Dolmage confesses, “ultimately, we knew that it’d take a while to finish the remaining songs. As difficult as it was, we knew that delaying the second part would prove to be the right choice for us and our listeners.”

Indeed, A Voyage / A Destination Part 2 is truly a tour-de-force of everything Versa has achieved thus far. From the Big Big Train-like symphonic warmth of “Breaking and Entering” and dramatic complexity of “The Seething Bay,” to the Devin Townsend and The Decemberists-esque acoustic contemplation of “Bury Me at Sea” (inspired by the 1992 burial of Dolmage’s grandfather), the sequence is breathtakingly exploratory, touching, ambitious, and impactful. That it ends with both a robust prog rock epic (“Artemis,” which Dolmage sees as “Jethro Tull meets Moon Safari… in space!”) and a stirring “medley/summary of everything Versa has been thus far” (closer “Destination”) is only further proof of why A Voyage / A Destination, Part 2 is a musically, thematically, and spiritually rich journey listeners will never forget.

Highlighted single, “Flew the Coop,” features Haken vocalist Ross Jennings and is written by Dolmage who aimed to invoke a nostalgic feeling that mixes elements of indie folk, progressive rock, and post-rock.

A Voyage / A Destination, Part 2 was made with thanks to the invaluable contributions of genre superstars such as Ross Jennings (Haken), Sam Vallen (Caligula’s Horse), Michael Trew (Moon Letters) and Kelly Nordstrom (eMolecule, Sound of Contact).

1. What did you enjoy most about the recording process of this new release?
We had a lot of amazing collaborators contribute parts to “A Voyage / A Destination, Part 2”.  There’s nothing quite like sending your own demo vocal or piano or guitar part out to an amazing musician, getting their final performance come back a week later, listening to it for the first time and hearing them absolutely knock it out of the park.  It happened multiple times on the new album and it was a thrill every time.
2. Share a nugget of advice that has resonated with you most over the years.
Be patient.  Every part of the recording process is time consuming, from practicing the parts to setting up mics to editing takes and mixing.  It can be hard not to rush, sometimes but it’s worth taking the time to do it right.
3. Who would be your dream artist/band to co-headline a tour with?
Really any of the artists we’ve had the privilege to collaborate with on the last couple of albums.  It’d be a thrill to play a set with Haken (Ross of Haken sings on our new single “Flew the Coop”), Caligula’s Horse (Sam plays guitar on our song Artemis, and lead singer Jim Grey sang on our last album, “A Voyage / A Destination”), or Big Big Train (Nick D’Virgilio played drums and chromatic percussion on “A Voyage / A Destination”).
We are planning to play a couple of shows with Seattle’s Moon Letters (Michael from Moon Letters contributes lead vocals on the new album) in 2025, which we are all really looking forward to.
4. What sets your music apart from others in your genre?
Our music straddles the divide between post rock and progressive rock and includes a lot of spacious and cinematic elements from post rock that you don’t often hear in progressive rock.  On the other hand, our music has more melodically-driven and intricate sections than you might typically hear in post-rock.  The combination of those elements sets us apart from both genres.  
5. Tell us what your favourite song is at the moment and why.
Probably “Come to Light” by the Norwegian band Meer off their new album “Wheel Within Wheels”.  It’s absolutely stunning – instantly memorable, full of beauty and hope.  It’s one of those rare pieces of music you hear and think “I should just give up making music because I’m never, ever going to record something this incredible.”

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