Bio

All into it, they end on their feet. They’ve gone somewhere, questing, and drawn you along with them. Sacred Balance is a vortex of young, dual-city musicianship that is hard to take your attention away from. It’s a magnetic and transcendent experience.

The music is electro-visionary trip rock. Electronically intelligent and intense, like Radiohead and Muse. Bass heavy, beat heavy, yet locked into a serious sense of human fluidity. Influenced by visionary art like Alex Grey and meant for attentive listening and bodily experiences like Massive Attack and Shpongle, it inspires a touch of psychedelia and trip hop.

Sacred Balance was formed in 2008 through the diverse network of music students at the University of Toronto. After numerous successful live shows in many popular Toronto music venues like The Horseshoe and The Rivoli and festivals like NXNE, Sacred Balance felt their sound had evolved enough to be recorded in a high quality studio.

They recorded their self-titled debut over three days in January 2011 in Montreal’s McGill studios. The six-song EP (which is set for release in January 2012) was professionally mixed by Nick Squire and mastered by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel Mastering in Toronto. The album sleeves are made from recycled material and are hand-painted in a unique fashion, where no sleeve is the same as the other.

Current members:

Pouya Hamidi; the wizard. Befeathered at the keyboard, he is the founder of Sacred Balance. Having achieved a bachelor’s in composition and piano performance, he is now pursuing a master’s in sound recording at McGill University in Montreal. His composition infiltrates the powers of the collaborating musicians and lays a solid foundation. An aural alchemist brewing a transformative concoction, his fingers add a touch of delicacy, classicism and virtuosity to the massive electronic orchestration.

Chloe Charles; the voice of a world traveler – spread out, beautifully unique. It’s airily embodied, classy, and mystical, often accompanied by multiple vocal harmonies. Her voice is one of Sacred Balance’s deviations from the norm. She is a member of an anti-folk band called The Sweetness. Chloe is also a critically acclaimed solo singer-songwriter, who is now recording her second album, which is subsequent to her 2010 debut EP ‘Little Green Bud’.

Kelly Lefaive; an accomplished violinist and fiddler. A recent graduate of the University of Toronto jazz performance program, Kelly loves exploring different genres of music on the violin. Originally from Penetanguishene, Ontario, she is now a resident and active performer in Toronto, playing with various groups such as Maria Bonita and the Band, Sacred Balance, Meghan Morrison, Ariko, Chloe Charles and Mariachi Viva Mexico.

Neil Whitford; secretly a cowboy, he is an eclectic guitarist and an active member of the Toronto music scene. He performs, writes, records and is musical director for Sacred Balance, Alison Jane, Candice Chantrell, Najuah, Will Conquer and Chloe Charles. He is a guitarist and writer for The Circles Quartet, co-leads Ninja Funk Orchestra, and has collaborated with Elastocitizens, Amy Lee Owens and rapper Blade. Neil has also played in well-known musicals Fame, 13, Seussical and Footloose.

Mackenzie Longpre; a lightening live embodiment of asymmetrical beats, reminiscent of drum and bass, trance and electronica. He has a drum performance Bachelor from the University of Toronto. He is also very active in the Toronto music scene and plays with the following groups: The Circles, Ninja Funk Orchestra, Elastocitizens and Toast. Mackenzie also has an upcoming solo album, which was recorded at Humber College.

Former members:

Sam McLellan (bass), Foad Hamidi (vocals) and Naomi Moon (vocals).

Sacred Balance is about levels: dimensions of audience experience, volume, musical layers. From its highest surface to its most profound depths, there are points of truth, beauty, sincerity and quality. Enlightened in technical skill, enlightened in energy and intent. Elevating. Sacred Balance.