Skip to main content

Maverick Ad

Home

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Cover Stories
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Legacy Awards
  • Past Covers
  • Weekly Archive
Resilient Multi-Instrumentalist, Dom Hemalas, Finds Musical Solace Amidst Pandemic Challenges With Fab Titled ‘Elegance On a Nudist Beach’

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • Resilient Multi-Instrumentalist, Dom Hemalas, Finds Musical Solace Amidst Pandemic Challenges With Fab Titled ‘Elegance On a Nudist Beach’
Dom Hemalas aka Elegance On a Nudist Beach
Fri Sep 01, 2023
Cashbox Canada

All you need are ears.

Like for all of us, the pandemic presented Montreal-based multi-instrumentalist Dom Hemalas aka Elegance On a Nudist Beach, with more questions than answers. Locked in his basement and isolated from the outside, he chose a path of positivity rather than wallow; Hemalas threw himself into his music, recorded songs written past and present, and relished the burden of playing all parts.

Three years later, his self-titled and fully self-created LP “Elegance On a Nudist Beach” is a reality.

Hemalas is responsible for the entirety of the album’s songwriting, vocals, instrumentals, mixing, and mastering. That includes the lead single from the Lebanese Canadian musician’s project, “Without a Shadow of a Doubt.”

Check out “Without A Shadow Of A Doubt” on You Tube here:

On the fifth song of the 10-track album, Hemalas delivers a cryptic tale of time, anguish, and fear over a psychedelic instrumental rife with flavor.

“And why don’t you take a pause?
From all those strings in your heart

And I know it’s me, yeah I’ve noticed too
From the start… Ooohhhh…”

It took Hemalas three years to produce the project - which was released online on Aug. 14 - since the start of recording, but that’s not when the concept began. Undertaking such a task had been on his mind since adolescence - a combined urgency from a Crohn’s disease diagnosis seven years ago, an invasive surgery four years ago, and a COVID infection while at his most vulnerable in 2020 pushed him to fulfill his long-lost goal of a solo album.

In fact, Hemalas had planned this for so long that the album’s name was decided years before while he was touring with his previous band, Heroes & Villains.

“The title was an inside joke that came up on the nudist beach in Toronto,” Hemalas explained. “I was standing there wearing my blazer when everyone around wasn’t wearing anything. I declared right then and there, ‘If one day I get to record my solo album, it’ll be called Elegance On a Nudist Beach.’”

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/album/0zfxko7rPmXdmM7aDvDVyG

His friends agreed, and they snapped some pictures of him displaying his elegance on the nudist beach. The album cover comes from a photo taken of Hemalas on that day.

Doing it all by himself was a big deal to Hemalas, but there was a time when he thought about looking for outside help to finish the album.

“After stumbling on the title from George Martin’s book, ‘All You Need Is Ears,’ I felt fuelled with the faith I could pull it off,” the artist said.

It wasn’t an easy process, but Hemalas worked with what he had. His basement was his main studio, though later in the pandemic, he utilized his jam space in the east end of Montreal to record late at night, when necessary.

“The learning curve was huge - from production to songwriting to becoming more proficient on the bass and piano,” Hemalas explained. “Most of the songs were about 70 percent there early on, but once they were up for recording, occasional riffs or a whole new section had to be come up with on the spot.”

Earlier this year, Hemalas had the idea of forming a band to perform his project in front of a live audience. That meant putting together a band - he could record it all himself, but a live performance is another beast.

“After many hours putting this LP together with a lot of attention to detail, the idea of only releasing it online wasn’t fathomable,” Hemalas said.

The multi-instrumentalist has been active in the Montreal music scene for close to 20 years. If you stay in any local music scene for that long, you’re bound to know a great musician or two. Fortunately for Hemalas’s sake, he knows more than two.

Hemalas assigned the role of lead singer and guitarist to himself, then enlisted the help of Dave Lines (keyboard/piano), John Gurnsey (bass), Chuck Doucet (lead guitar), and Yoann Gasniere (drums) to solidify the crew.

eleganceonanudistbeach.bandcamp.com/album/elegance-on-a-nudist-beach

Reviews
Album
Dom Hemalas
Month: Jul 2022
Violet Vopni Pop Songstress Violet Vopni Releases Anthem for When You’re Out of Your Comfort…
Joe Richard Gets Back to His “Roots” with Moving Song and Video Joe Richard Gets Back to His “Roots” with Moving Song and Video
Jackie K Alt-Folk Artist Jackie K Releases Heartwarming New Single, “Night At The Opry”
Breakout Spanish Rappers MC Pipo & Doc Filo Bring Tropical Heat To Listeners With Their Newest Single, “No Lo Consigo” Breakout Spanish Rappers MC Pipo & Doc Filo Bring Tropical Heat To…
Last Charge of the Light Horse Alt-Rockers Last Charge of the Light Horse Release New Single, “Torricelli’s…
POLARITY Canadian Metal Rockers POLARITY Set Out on “Destruction Of Memory” with…
Canadian-Venezuelan Alt-Folk Artist Sunray Minor Releases New Single, “Life of the Party” Canadian-Venezuelan Alt-Folk Artist Sunray Minor Releases New Single, “Life…
The Happy Campers (feat Super Producer CHRIS BIRKETT) Release “Icky Cottage Blues” About Those Horrible Summer Getaways The Happy Campers (feat Super Producer CHRIS BIRKETT) Release “Icky Cottage…
Toronto-Based Folk Rockers Village Manor Explore a Parent’s Hard Work in New Single “Just Smile” Toronto-Based Folk Rockers Village Manor Explore a Parent’s Hard Work in New…
“Yell!” It’s Time to “Yell!” with Breakthrough Electronic Trip-Hop Artist Modern Andy…
Strawberry Swing Australia's Strawberry Swing Debuts Nostalgic Fueled “Bennie (Won’t Dance…
Month: Aug 2022
Mauve Toronto Electro-Pop Powerhouse MAUVE Considers “Where It All Began” with New…
Harkness Canadian Rocker Harkness Is Out With His Sultry And Sweet Alternative…
Alt-Rapper Shades Lawrence Delivers Hard-Hitting Lyricism & Expert Flow In Newest Single, “Other Side” Alt-Rapper Shades Lawrence Delivers Hard-Hitting Lyricism & Expert Flow…
THUNDERCLAP! Psychedelic Folk Artist THUNDERCLAP! Immortalizes Local Legend Hugh…

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 74
  • Page 75
  • Page 76
  • Page 77
  • Current page 78
  • Page 79
  • Page 80
  • Page 81
  • Page 82
  • …
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

CEO/PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF
SANDY GRAHAM

email:sandygrahamemg@gmail.com 

Canadian Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Don Graham
email: dongrahamwriter@gmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Lisa Hartt
email: lisahartt87@hotmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada 
Michael Williams
email: greydread@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

International Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Malin Osth
email: malin@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Jonas Tancred
email: jonas@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - USA
Rob Durkee 
email: rockster2746@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Web Developer/Technical Support
Chris Wardman

email: info@chriswardman.com
website: chriswardman.com

Cashbox Cover Design and Graphic Artist
Jain McMillan

email: jainmcmillan@gmail.com

Contributing Photographer 
Tracey Savein - South Paw Productions
southpawproductions@rogers.com

 

 

 

Footer menu

  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Archive
  • Issue Archive
  • Past Covers