Groove Theory 5.0 with The Torchettes
Your daily dose of soul, courtesy of Groove Theory Calgary. Catch The Torchettes at #KingEddyYYC in a special set curated by JMaj7 Music.

About this week’s Groove Theory Calgary presenters:
Producer, songwriter, composer, and guitarist, Jamil Ahmed does it all. In addition to curating the local sounds of Groove Theory Calgary, Jamil DJs groovy sounds every Thursday at #KingEddyYYC.
Dripping with sensuality, fuzz covered grunge guitar and the infectious familiarity of 60’s rock-soul, the Torchettes combine their angelic and emphatic vocal tones to create a sound somehow ahead of and behind its time. Think Amy Winehouse backed by the Blackhearts, Wanda Jackson fronting Hole; and you’ve still only scratched the surface of what this melodic trio can accomplish.
Among the raw energy of their punk rock sensibilities lies a deeper carnal instinct, one matched with a notable understanding of composition, harmonies and delivery. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist and music history aficionado Deicha Carter, the Torchettes inception was one she had been constructing for years before they hit the stage.
Harnessing the power of three with Chenelle Roberts & Sydney Zadravec and Inspired by the swagger of The Supremes and post-grunge, blues and R&B; they have constructed a group and sound unlike any other. The result is an ethereal and mysterious presence that can seem altogether taboo, like sneaking cigarettes from a relative.
Songs like Mean Charlene completely bucks the songwriting trends of their early soul influences, a genre usually marked by its brave yet mildly repressed sexuality. Lines like “I follow her on my bike, she’s a rock n’ roll dyke, I wanna feel her rage in between my legs” demonstrate their absolute disregard for any suppression or subjection whatsoever.
While forward in lyrical approach, a performance from the Torchettes can feel like a gathering of the occult, strangely bewitching and hypnotic, and altogether understated in its power. Amid the rumbling of their contagious energy and dynamic, The Torchettes have found an altogether magical formula of mayhem and melodic genius – one sure to captivate and transfix for years to come.