Cold Specks
| Cold Specks | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Al Spx |
| Genres |
Soul Goth rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Acoustic guitar |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Labels |
Mute/EMI Records (world except Canada) Arts & Crafts/EMI Records (Canada) |
| Associated acts |
PJ Harvey Tom Waits Richie Havens Moby Swans Ambrose Akinmusire |
| Website | Official site |
Cold Specks is the stage name of Ladan Hussein, a Somali-Canadian singer-songwriter from Toronto, Canada, and currently based in Montréal. The name Cold Specks is taken from a line in James Joyce's Ulysses ("Born all in the dark wormy earth, cold specks of fire, evil, lights shining in the darkness.").
Cold Specks appeared on Series 39, Episode 7, of Later with Jools Holland.[1] Her debut single "Holland" was released on October 17, 2011,.[2] She released her debut album, I Predict a Graceful Expulsion, on May 21, 2012, on Mute Records and Arts & Crafts in Canada.
Cold Specks appears on two tracks of Moby's 2013 album Innocents, including the lead single, “A Case for Shame,” which was released on 1 July 2013.[3] She also appears on the track “Bring the Sun” of Swans’ 2014 album To Be Kind.
Cold specks appears on the song "Ceaseless Inexhaustible Child (Cyntoia Brown)" of Ambrose Akinmusire's 2014 album The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint.[4]
Her second album, Neuroplasticity, was released on August 26, 2014. It features trumpet playing by Ambrose Akinmusire and backing vocals from Michael Gira of Swans.
Albums
- 2012: I Predict a Graceful Expulsion #86 CAN[5]
- 2014: Neuroplasticity
Singles
- 2011: "Holland"
- 2012: "Winter Solstice"
- 2012: "Blank Maps"
- 2012 "Hector"
- 2014: "Absisto"
- 2015: "Bodies at Bay"
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2012 Polaris Music Prize | Polaris Music Prize | I Predict a Graceful Expulsion | Nominated |
| 2013 | SiriusXM Indies Awards[6] | Artist of the Year | Cold Specks | Nominated |
| Female Artist of the Year | Won | |||
| Songwriter of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Soul/R&B Artist or Group of the Year | Nominated |
References
- ↑ "Later with Jools Holland". Retrieved 12 November 2011.
- ↑ "Cold Specks - Holland". ParadYse records. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
- ↑ "innocents - new album from moby - moby.com". moby.com. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ↑ "Albums From Aloe Blacc, Sara Evans and Ambrose Akinmusire". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ↑ "CANOE -- JAM! Music - SoundScan Charts". Jam.canoe.ca. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ↑ "2013 SIRIUSXM INDIE AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED!". SiriusXM INDIES. Retrieved 21 September 2014.