Photo by Brad A. Kinnan
“Undoubtedly one of Canada’s finest Synth-Pop exports.”
- Electronic Rumours, UK
Stepping into Parallels’ universe is like seeing color fade into focus on Polaroid film. Combining classic synthesizer sounds with the bite of postpunk-guitar, powerhouse drumming and their signature sugar-rush vocals - Parallels style is unrivaled. Since releasing their cult-classic debut album “Visionaries” in 2010, Parallels has since released 5 studio albums embracing a broad range of pop, postpunk, new wave and nu-disco influences. The live band consists of co-founding member Holly Dodson on vocals, Colin Knighton on guitar, Walter Bernath on bass and Christopher Pedraza on drums.
They emerged out of the MySpace/mp3 blog explosion that included the The Valerie Collective and Discodust, coming up with artists like Glass Candy, Desire, Anoraak, College and Futurecop! Originally forming in Toronto, they now call Los Angeles home.
In 2020, Parallels celebrated the 10-year Anniversary of their debut album “Visionaries” with a limited edition vinyl repress through NewRetroWave Records. The album sold out and charted on iTunes Electronic Chart. In collaboration with electro-rock artist Radio Wolf, Parallels co-wrote and co-produced a 7-song soundtrack for Sci-Fi feature film “Proximity” directed by Emmy-Award winning VFX artist Eric Demeusy (Stranger Things, Tron: Legacy, Game Of Thrones). The album was released on LA-based imprint, Lakeshore Records and their song “Journey’s End” won Best Song In A Film at the Los Angeles Film Awards.
“Ever since bingeing on Stranger Things, we’ve been craving all things ‘80s…[Parallels] tracks touch on themes from love to wanderlust and would make Winona Ryder proud.”
- FASHION Magazine, Canada
Since their formation in 2008, Parallels has toured extensively from Toronto to LA, Moscow to Miami, New York to San Francisco and everywhere in between. Parallels has been an electric presence at festivals such as OUTLAND Toronto (2019), VHS Vision in Stockholm, Neon Desert Music Festival in El Paso, CMJ, CMW and NXNE and has shared billing with acclaimed artists including Florence + the Machine, Futurecop!, TR/ST, Yelle, Glass Candy, Desire Miami Horror and Broken Social Scene.
SUPERSYMMETRY is Parallels' 5th studio album, written and produced by front-woman Holly Dodson. It’s a 10-song synth-pop daydream, pulsing with classic synthesizer sounds, sonic spells and lyrical transmissions. A Toronto expat, Dodson recorded most of the album in her studio in LA throughout lockdown and released the record in 2021.