Dana Gavanski

Dana Gavanski, a Canadian singer and songwriter, blends artful folk with indie pop in a sophisticated manner reminiscent of Cate Le Bon and Aldous Harding. Her initial output consisted of several singles before the arrival of her first album, Yesterday Is Gone, during 2020. For the follow-up When It Comes in 2022, she incorporated elements such as the Moog synthesizer into her intricate yet gentle array of instruments. In 2024, two years after that, LATE SLAP brought a playful and unpredictable quality to her refined style through sharp, new wave influences.

Born in Vancouver and raised there by parents from Serbia, Gavanski moved to Montreal for her university studies. She started composing songs using a guitar acquired following a romantic split, all while aiming for success in acting and cinema. Her role as a production assistant alongside her father on a horror movie set in Quebec's southern Laurentian Mountains provided the funds to focus more intently on music, leading to the release of the stark Spring Demos EP in 2019. After inking a deal with the British label Full Time Hobby, she issued the "Catch/Off Again" 7" single in November, with her debut full-length Yesterday Is Gone coming out shortly thereafter in early 2020. Sam Gleason, known for work with Charlotte Cornfield and Ada Lea, joined Mike Lindsay of Tunng and LUMP to handle recording and production duties.

The COVID-19 pandemic halted her live performances temporarily, but she resumed touring toward the end of 2021, supporting Porridge Radio. Utilizing a toy Casiotone for initial song sketches, she collaborated with partner and co-producer James Howard to lay down tracks for When It Comes, which appeared via Full Time Hobby in April 2022. Embracing a freer emotional expression, she crafted the livelier and edgier LATE SLAP in April 2024, enlisting a five-piece ensemble featuring Howard for the recording. Gavanski, as the singer and songwriter, preferred an '80s Yamaha DX7 synthesizer during the sessions, which she produced together with Howard and Lindsay.