Collective Unconscious

After 12 years, Collective Unconscious is back with its third offering: Air. This album releases worldwide August 30th, 2022.

Collective Unconscious is Matt Boisvert’s (The Equation) solo project. It started in 2009 with Water and followed up with Earth in 2011. A writer of albums—not singles—Matt works with the elements he is writing about for years to develop the lyrics, tone and even genre that each demands. A departure from the folk and singer/songwriter style of the first two albums , Air is an audio tribute to the grunge, alt rock and Canadiana of Matt’s formative years.

Air features 4 singles:

Useful Links:

Quick Facts about Air:

  • Matt Boisvert (The Equation, The Crooks): Bass, guitar, singer, composer, lyricist
  • Ryan Foster (The Equation, Knibb High School Football rules): Guitar
  • Dennis Boisvert (Cadillac Junkies, AUDio SQUADron, Moksha): Drums, Production
  • Stephanie Urquhart (Experience Points, Stephanie Urquhart Quartet): Organ, piano
  • Julien Constantin: additional lyrics
  • Derek Gannon: additional lyrics on Today
  • Reinette Schabert: additional production
  • Deidre Brattland: Mastering
  • Influences include: Porcupine Tree, Blind Melon, Our Lady Peace, Radiohead, Soundgarden, Watchmen
  • Album release: August 30, 2022
  • Pre-order: August 19, 2022
  • Was originally slated to release in mid-late 2020, but was interrupted by lockdowns
  • The 3rd album continuing Matt’s exploration of the elements. Water released in late 2009, Earth released in late 2011.
  • Being the element of divination, the album features a Tarot theme.
  • Working with Air was vastly different than the other two elements and demanded constant change both artistically and personally in order for Matt to complete.
  • First song for the album was composed in late 2010 and the final was composed in the beginning of 2019.
  • Heavily influenced by the music of Matt’s teenage years: grunge, alt rock, Canadiana
  • Over 30 songs were written, deconstructed/reconstructed to produce the best 10 track album possible.

Quick facts about Collective Unconscious:

  • Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
  • Started in 2009 to celebrate Matt writing his 200th song.
  • Each album features collaborations with different musicians. Former collaborators of the unconscious include: Julien Constantin, Derek Gannon, Sean Hollowaty, Michelle Sabourin, Aaron Sabourin, Jon Calverley
  • Each album ends up in a different genre. Water (2009) was singer-songwriter, Earth (2011) was folk/rock and Air (2022) is Alt Rock.
  • Fire is already in post production. It has a late 90’s/early 2000’s electronic sound influenced by bands like: NIN, Beck, Air, Portishead and Ween.
  • The series has—for sure—two more albums: Fire (post-production) and Spirit (writing phase).