In the Fall of 2008, two old friends from Toronto, Canada met in the greyness and never-ending drizzle of Groningen, a town in the northern Netherlands. Jake Fairley (aka Fairmont) had spent the past 6 years based in Berlin, riding a wave of European techno hits released on labels such as Border Community and Kompakt. Jim Sayce had been in Toronto, pursuing graduate studies while playing in such bands as Tangiers (French Kiss) and earlier, the Deadly Snakes (In The Red).

Their long-standing friendship had not manifested itself into a musical project since their early teens, and they decided to re-ignite a creative conversation that had been put on hold over ten years earlier. Though their musical paths had taken divergent, almost opposing courses, they used the geographical disconnection from everyone they knew to focus on creating a new kind of pop music.

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Their sound references Americana as much as Brit-pop. Their influences range from Roy Orbison and Angelo Badalamenti to the Smiths and New Order. The result is somewhere between the soundtrack to Twin Peaks and the Madchester sound. Dark but full of hope, Bishop Morocco's music is a reflection of their shared youth within the west-central neighborhoods of Toronto, juxtaposed against the history and cultural wasteland of small-town Europe. The product of their time in the Netherlands is their self-titled debut album to be released June 1st 2010 by Hand Drawn Dracula.


Press

"Bishop Morocco is one of those rare bands whose songs we can listen to over and over again. Their catchy beats are a perfect fusion of pop, new-wave, and electronica." (Nylon Mag)

"(Bishop Morocco) are masters of a mysterious sound. It is a form of classic pop and rock'n'roll music put through the David Lynch filter only to emerge as an eerie cinematic sound scape... telling you everything about the music you love." -Sebastien Grainger (BAD DAY Magazine)

"nostalgic, 80's melancholic bliss as familiar and enjoyable as a Brat Pack flick, but it's the subtle, seamless weaving of each individual's personality that makes this song more than another new wave-ish, retread. Fairley's electronics crackle and the swirling atmospherics float you along the melody, but the duo uses strong structure, a plucky bass line and shimmering guitars to build an enjoyable organic layer on top" (herohill.com)

"Think Twin Peaks' soundtrack hooks up with Pretty In Pink's soundtrack in a dark alley at night." (quickbeforeitmelts.com)

"Referencing sounds from classic Joy Division and Jesus & Mary Chain to newer bands a la Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, this is highly recommended for fans of new incarnations synth-pop and new-wave." (Track of the Week : AUX.TV)

"Confession: I still hate it when someone asks me if I've heard of a band and I have to say no. It's the same feeling I got in High School when I wouldn't know the answer. Fortunately that's never gonna happen with Bishop Morocco. I can be all "Actually, I went to their first show." Which is cool, cuz they're probably gonna be pretty big." (moreproof.com)

"Best Bets / The T.O. Do List: Almost six years after trading Toronto rock city for Berlin techno paradise, Jake Fairley and his old friend Jim Sayce (Ex-Deadly Snakes, Tangiers) have collaborated on a new project - Bishop Morocco - perched between herky-jerky, new-wave guitars and drum machines, as well as cool synth-pop tones and disaffected vocals." (EYE Magazine)

"Music Feature / Critics Pick: Bishop Morocco teeters between electronic music and indie rock... You can hear the post-punk influence of Joy Division and Jesus & Mary Chain, but there's a stronger emphasis on electronics and a purer pop sensibility." (NOW Magazine)