Biography
Canadian electro-rock unit Holy Fuck generate dance grooves through conventional rock tools and an array of unusual machines rather than contemporary digital gear. Their recordings distill a thrift-store sonic palette into concise dance-rock tracks, while their live shows have drawn widespread praise for their high-energy delivery. After introducing themselves with the expansive, Krautrock-leaning improvisations of their self-titled 2005 debut, the collective gradually shifted toward more streamlined arrangements, occasionally incorporating vocals, as heard on the 2016 release Congrats.
The Toronto-based electronic collective Holy Fuck originated in 2004 when Graham Walsh and Brian Borcherdt began experimenting together. Labeled “blip-hoppers” and “a shabbily dressed Kraftwerk,” the pair constructed lo-fi electronic textures using vintage analog instruments—both musical and otherwise—such as a 35mm film synchronizer. Eschewing laptops and typical early-21st-century production tools, they sought to translate the unruly, Casio-fueled energy of their concerts onto record, beginning with the self-titled album issued in 2005.
Famous for assembling onstage improvisations from an assortment of electronic gadgets taped together and spread across a tabletop, the duo composed material for their 2007 album LP during extensive touring. That record featured contributions from Dave Newfield of Broken Social Scene and Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy, earned a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year, and appeared on the short list for the Canadian Polaris Music Prize. In 2008 former Enon drummer Matt Schulz became a permanent member as the group concluded a successful run of dates supporting M.I.A.
The complete lineup resurfaced in 2010 with Latin, the first album to feature bassist Matt McQuaid. Boasting clearer production than earlier work, the set drew favorable notices and landed on the long list for the Polaris Music Prize. Steady touring followed, yet aside from a 2014 tour single the band remained silent on record until 2016, when Congrats—their fourth studio album—surfaced via Innovative Leisure in May. A four-song EP, Bird Brains, arrived the next year. Further refining their studio approach, Holy Fuck issued their fifth full-length, Deleter, in 2020; the album included several guest vocalists, among them Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor on the track “Luxe.”
The Toronto-based electronic collective Holy Fuck originated in 2004 when Graham Walsh and Brian Borcherdt began experimenting together. Labeled “blip-hoppers” and “a shabbily dressed Kraftwerk,” the pair constructed lo-fi electronic textures using vintage analog instruments—both musical and otherwise—such as a 35mm film synchronizer. Eschewing laptops and typical early-21st-century production tools, they sought to translate the unruly, Casio-fueled energy of their concerts onto record, beginning with the self-titled album issued in 2005.
Famous for assembling onstage improvisations from an assortment of electronic gadgets taped together and spread across a tabletop, the duo composed material for their 2007 album LP during extensive touring. That record featured contributions from Dave Newfield of Broken Social Scene and Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy, earned a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year, and appeared on the short list for the Canadian Polaris Music Prize. In 2008 former Enon drummer Matt Schulz became a permanent member as the group concluded a successful run of dates supporting M.I.A.
The complete lineup resurfaced in 2010 with Latin, the first album to feature bassist Matt McQuaid. Boasting clearer production than earlier work, the set drew favorable notices and landed on the long list for the Polaris Music Prize. Steady touring followed, yet aside from a 2014 tour single the band remained silent on record until 2016, when Congrats—their fourth studio album—surfaced via Innovative Leisure in May. A four-song EP, Bird Brains, arrived the next year. Further refining their studio approach, Holy Fuck issued their fifth full-length, Deleter, in 2020; the album included several guest vocalists, among them Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor on the track “Luxe.”
Albums
Event Beat
2026
Deleter Remixed
2020
Deleter
2020
Free Gloss
2019
Luxe
2019
Bird Brains
2017
Tom Tom
2016
Congrats
2016
Latin
2010
LP
2007
Holy Fuck
2005
Singles
