Bernice's Subverted Pop Shines Brilliantly on 'Eau de Bonjourno' Published Mar 01, 2021 9Bernice's entrancing music holds no bounds — the Toronto-based group are keen to throw genre expectations to the wind, and ultimately for the best. Keeping things unexpected and askew are what Bernice excel at, and with their second LP, Eau de Bonjourno, the follow-up to 2018's acclaimed The brainchild of songwriter and musician Robin Dann, Bernice are rooted in expansive experimental pop that weaves elements of jazz, electro, R&B and soul into something simultaneously complex and playful, and utterly unique. Dann wrote Eau de Bonjourno with long-time collaborators Daniel Fortin (bass), Felicity Williams (vocals), Thom Gill (keys/guitar), and Philippe Melanson (e-percussion/drums), at a Toronto Islands artist centre. Between them, they've performed with Bahamas, Andy Shauf, Lido Pimienta, Beverly Glenn-Copeland and others, and their extensive CVs are apparent from the first song. Adding to the album's breadth, Bernice collaborated with acclaimed producer and multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily, who's worked with artists like Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello, Lou Reed and John Zorn. For all its complexity,