Good morning.

Today we’re listening to Gollden, an ambient music project from Canadian musician Collette Andrea. As a teenager she picked up guitar and started writing songs, primarily “acoustic and singer-songwriter folk music” as she told us. Toward the end of the 2010s, while training as a yin and restorative yoga instructor, she was influenced by slower, ambient-style music. She started composing pieces for use in her classes, and in 2021 began releasing those pieces under the name Gollden. First we’re playing In and Out of Time from 2021, which has a two-minute arpeggio overture and then four long, calming synth pieces. Second we’re playing birds in september, her name EP from June, which consists more of processed guitar, with synth accompaniment. A conversation with Collette follows the streaming links.

In and Out of Time - Gollden (40m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal

birds in september - Gollden (20m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal

What's your earliest memory of music?

My parents and extended family were huge music fans, and music was always playing in the house. My dad forever tells me I was born in a hospital to Metallica's Black Album (literally playing in the hospital). One of my earliest memories of singing was recording my voice on my aunt's answering machine singing "hey hey you you get off of my cloud” (Rolling Stones) – I think I was four or five years old if not younger.

Where did you grow up and when did you get to Toronto?

I have lived in Toronto since 2011, but I grew up just outside of the city and lived in many places throughout the GTA. I moved to Toronto when I was 18, as I attended Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) to study social work, and I have been in and around the city ever since. 

Tell us about the first music you made, and how your music has changed over time.

When I was learning how to play guitar (15 years old) I also began singing and writing songs at the same time. The first music that I had written was primarily acoustic and singer-songwriter folk music, songs often written about love and inner turmoil. I performed for years under my artist name Collette Andrea and released 3 albums from 2012 to 2019.

In 2018 I began performing less in traditional music venues such as bars, cafes, theaters etc., and began performing my music in wellness spaces such as yoga studios and at wellness events such as soundbaths. During that time I was also leading and teaching yin and restorative yoga classes, and I began writing and creating my own music out of a need for long and non-distracting music for my classes. In 2021 I officially launched Gollden and released In and out of Time (my first EP), which featured shorter versions of my music that I was playing in my classes.

Diving into creating ambient music has been one of the greatest joys of my life. It has also been where I began learning production. I will always love being a singer-songwriter, however my hope is to combine both together one day! Yoga and meditation practices have had a profound impact on my life, and also on my creativity as well. Specifically, yin and restorative yoga are really great practices for slowing down, finding and cultivating stillness, and becoming an observer to your thoughts, breath, and body. 

Your music features multiple layers of guitar, processed through various effects. What are your go-to effects pedals or plugins?

For my new ep birds in september, my intention was to fully create this EP using only guitar and effects, however as I started to arrange and mix the EP, the producer in me couldn't leave it as guitar only! This EP was my first release using predominantly guitar, which meant fewer drones created out of synths and VST. I used a combination of electric guitar (recorded DI) and also my Gretsch resonator guitar (with a contact mic, placing the mic in different areas around the guitar for different sounds/textures). I also use a combination of Logic's stock Delay and Tape Delay plugins to process the guitar, while also using my Strymon Night Sky pedal for added reverb and swells. I used recordings of a few of my singing bowls (crystal and brass bowls) in addition to my Minilogue XD and favourite VST pads and synths. 

Name an underrated musician from the past 50 years.

I will always say that Feist is the most underrated artist – she is an incredible songwriter, guitarist, vocalist, and unique performer.

What are you working on next? 

Up next for me is a variety of collaboration projects with many of my ambient friends and fellow artists, while also working on my sleep album which I hope to have finished by the end of this year! I am also looking forward to using my voice more, and connecting back to my vocals and learning how to process them in a creative way that would complement my ambient works.