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.

BISHOP MOROCCO’s 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, their 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 released via Hand Drawn Dracula.

Bishop Morocco CD & LP printed on uncoated 18pt 100% Recycled C1S paperboard and uncoated SBS. Limited pressing of 300 on 180g white vinyl. Package design & artwork by James Mejia.

Bishop Morocco’s Self-titled Debut release on Broken Social Scene’s Pitchfork Guest-list for the Best Music of 2010. – PITCHFORK

“Bishop Morocco have scaled back some of the gradual epicness of the original (Holy Fuck’s Stay Lit) & given it the Sonny Crockett-on-his-way-to-a-drug-bust treatment.” – FADER

“this remix of Holy Fuck’s Latin cut Stay Lit – speaks to our heart and soul. Stripping down the bulk the live electronics and distorted crunch, Bishop Morocco effectively brings the song closer to a Factory Records-esque post-punk sound.” – XLR8R

“Bishop Morocco craft shimmery and sensual new wave that stands on the shoulders of Joy Division and New Order ~ The Cure” – UNDER THE RADAR

“The Toronto based duo craft music that comes off more Factory Records than FACTOR – Bishop Morocco is an album that shows Fairley and Sayce employing their best pop hooks, lines and sinkers, keeping one foot inside their comfort zones and the other three outside” – EXCLAIM!

PRESS PHOTO

PHOTO by Eva Michon
view lo-res / download photo

PHOTO by Meghan Rennie
view lo-res / download photo

DISCOGRAPHY

BUY

BISHOP MOROCCO
BISHOP MOROCCO

1. White City
2. Townies
3. Our Time
4. Eddie
5. Last Year’s Disco Guitars
6. Petter
7. Goodbye Night
8. The Catholic Band
9. Red Bird
10. Blind Visions

HDD009  · RELEASE DATE: June 01st, 2010

Limited run of 500 LPs worldwide on 180-gram white vinyl.

Bishop Morocco is Jake Fairley (FAIRMONT)
and James Sayce (Tangiers, The Deadly Snakes)

Best Music of 2010: Bishop Morocco “few buzz-band survivors move on to make music this good. Anchored by Pixies-meets-shoegazer single Last Year’s Disco Guitars and the Joy Divisiony Our Time, the album makes us hope Bishop Morocco continue this promising side project.” –  NOW

“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

“[Bishop Morocco] have been getting a ton of press from Vice and recently named one of NME’s top ten of the week along side huge acts like The National and She & Him – it’s safe to say Bishop Morocco are going places” – BLOGTO

“Think Twin Peaks’ soundtrack hooks up with Pretty In Pink’s soundtrack in a dark alley at night.” – QUICK BEFORE IT MELTS

“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.” – AUX.TV

BUY

BISHOP MOROCCO
STAY LIT – REMIX

1. Holy Fuck – Stay Lit
(Bishop Morocco Remix)

HDD011-RMX  · RELEASE DATE: October 8th, 2010

“Bishop Morocco have scaled back some of the gradual epicness of the original (Holy Fuck’s Stay Lit) & given it the Sonny Crockett-on-his-way-to-a-drug-bust treatment.” – FADER

“this remix of Holy Fuck’s Latin cut Stay Lit – speaks to our heart and soul. Stripping down the bulk the live electronics and distorted crunch, Bishop Morocco effectively brings the song closer to a Factory Records-esque post-punk sound.” – XLR8R

“Bishop Morocco replace Holy Fuck’s gritty techno feel with atmosphere, but still keep the core awesomeness of the song intact.” – SILENT SHOUT

WP-Backgrounds Lite by InoPlugs Web Design and Juwelier Schönmann 1010 Wien