Absolutely Free is a Canadian indie rock band formed by bassist Mike Claxton, guitarist Jordan Holmes, singer/multi-instrumentalist Matt King and drummer Moshe Fisher-Rozenberg after the breakup of their prior band, DD/MM/YYYY.
History Claxton, Holmes, King and Fisher-Rozenberg formed Absolutely Free in 2011 after the breakup of their prior band DD/MM/YYYY."DD/MM/YYYY Break Up, Form Absolutely Free". Exclaim!, September 26, 2011."DD/MM/YYYY call it a D". Now, September 27, 2011. The band released their debut EP UFO/Glass Tassel in 2012,"UFO / Glass Tassle (EP stream)". Exclaim!, January 22, 2013. followed by On The Beach/Clothed Woman, Sitting EP the next year,"Absolutely Free – “On The Beach” & “Clothed Woman, Sitting”". Stereogum, September 24, 2013. as limited-run 12" records."Absolutely Free, Absolutely Free". Pitchfork, Stuart Berman, October 13, 2014
By 2014, Holmes had left the band; Absolutely Free released their debut full-length album Absolutely Free. with Arts & Crafts in Canada,Absolutely Free: "Absolutely Free". Exclaim!, October 10, 2014."Absolutely Free Absolutely Free". AllMusic Review by Tim Sendra and Lefse Records in all other territories. The band performed throughout North America opening for Canadian band, Alvvays,"Live Review: Alvvays at Acerogami in Pomona (11/26)". Consequences of Sound, by Philip Cosores, on November 27, 2014 and Europe with Preoccupations. The album was a long-listed nominee for the 2015 Polaris Music Prize."Polaris Music Prize Announces 2015 Long List". Exclaim!, June 16, 2015. The band's song My Dim Age has been used as the theme music for the CBC Radio Show, Out In The Open since 2016.
In 2019, the song, Currency, was used in episode 2 of The CW television series, Batwoman.
Media projects Absolutely Free is known to work on projects outside traditional music performance and has collaborated with a diverse range of artists and musicians for their live and media-based projects.
In 2013, they developed a site-specific sound installation, On The Beach, on Toronto Island as part of the Camp Wavelength festival. That same year, they created a theatre performance for Summerworks Festival, where they performed a series of one minute songs to a single person at a time for the duration of the event.
In 2014, the band debuted their self-titled album as part of a live event at Bloor Cinema in Toronto by projecting holograms of themselves performing the songs live at a concert they were playing in Hamilton, Ontario at the same time.. Vue Weekly, December 3, 2014, by Paul Blinov
In 2015, the band was commissioned to re-score a number of Norman McLaren NFB short films that were subsequently performed live as part of TIFF.
In 2016, Absolutely Free scored the music for a feature Independent film, Two Cares, Due None and the short film, Ape Sodom.
The band has also collaborated with a number of artists to create videos for their music.
UFO - Video by Lindsey Hogan / Exploding Motor Car (2012) Beneath The Air - Video by Jesi The Elder (2014) Vision's - Video by Scott Cudmore (2015) The Sun A'int Gonna Shine (Anymore) - Video by Petrina Ng (2017) Still Life - Video is an edit of The Future Is A Distorted Landscape by Christina Battle (2018) Currency (extended mix) - Dir. Rachelle Walker (2019) Geneva Freeport - Video by Julie Reich (2019)
Discography +YearDetailsFormatRecord label2012UFO/Glass Tassel12" EPOne Big Silence2013On The Beach/Clothed Woman, Sitting12" EPOne Big Silence Lefse Records2014Absolutely Free.CD, 12" LPArts & Crafts Lefse Records2017The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)FlexidiscBoiled Records2019Geneva Freeport12" EPIdee Fixe Records2020Two Cares Due None (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)Digital LPBoiled Records2021AftertouchLPBoiled Records Singles
Don't Freak Out - Remix of Win-Win (2015) Hot Dreams - Absolutely Free Dub Mix - Remix of Timber Timbre (2015) Still Life (2018) Currency (Extended Mix) ft. U.S. Girls (2019)
Compilations Milkin It In Utero Tribute Cassette (2013, Hand Drawn Dracula) The Space Project 5 x 7" Record (2014, Lefse Records)
References