We are so stoked to share our first bank vault live session of 2026 today!

Toronto quartet ANIMATIST have been releasing their unique blend of instrumental rock for a decade, and they've got a brand new album coming, entitled 'SHAPESHIFTER'.

We held a small gathering at the vault in April where ANIMATIST recorded three exquisite tracks for your listening pleasure. And today we're letting you have it all, all at once, because why the hell not... WHY THE BEELZEBUB NOT?!

Watch the full session on the Safe Sounds YouTube Channel now.

Speaking of SHAPESHIFTER, the group told us –

"This is the record we’ve put the most amount of work into, and it demands some context...

The official birth date of ANIMATIST is January 13th 2015, which marks the first performance under this name. The four of us pour ourselves into this project in a way that maintains a consistent devoted practice, and across that 10 years we have become a family.

The material started forming in 2020 and recording began in 2023. The finalizing process took another two arduous years.

We could have finished it sooner, but to do so would have failed to reflect the journey the four of us have shared... throughout those 6 years we've fundamentally changed, individually and collectively. It is a labour of love in every sense of the phrase.

I’d like to think that this feeling is present somewhere within this album’s material. I do not expect all listeners to hear what I’m attempting to describe hidden throughout our compositions. But I’d like to express that only through this process does it feel unavoidable that it has taken this long.

We know what we have created has cemented the personal history of our band as a history of a chosen family. It is this feeling that has validated the title SHAPESHIFTER.

The session here in the Safe Sounds bank vault features only one song from the album, alongside two songs that will likely find a home on our next album.

In conclusion, we would like to acknowledge that this album was made entirely possible by our shared loving memory of Colin Alexander Hinds."

SHAPESHIFTER arrives digitally on May 16th, and is also available on limited edition vinyl via the ANIMATIST bandcamp.

Or you can pick up a copy in person at their album release show this Saturday at The Baby G, with support from Miserable Weekend, Paper Hats and DJ Rata. Grab an advance ticket via Dice?

Hell yeah!

Please continue to support your local artists in all disciplines. These are the people making art the way they want, without the burden or constrictions of commercial interests.

Thank you for supporting local – the best way to help ensure your community continues to flourish in Canada.