Canadian alternative psych-rock outfit Meltt have unveiled their new album Pathways, a 13-track collection that arrives as the Vancouver quartet prepare for an extensive North American headline tour. The release marks the band’s first full-length project since 2023’s Eternal Embers and captures a period of significant personal and creative change for the four musicians as they navigate the transition from their twenties into a new stage of life.
by Paul Cashmere
Pathways is the first record Meltt has produced entirely themselves, reflecting a shift in both process and perspective after years spent refining a sound that combines shoegaze textures, psychedelic rock influences and atmospheric electronics.
The album arrives after a busy period that included headline touring across North America and a major appearance at Vancouver’s Khatsahlano Street Party in 2025. As touring commitments eased, the group returned to writing and revisiting a collection of unfinished ideas that eventually became the foundation for Pathways.
Bassist Ian Winkler said the record reflects a period of uncertainty and growth shared by all four members.
“Pathways is about four men leaving their 20s and figuring out their paths and lives,” Winkler said. “There are moments of optimism and hope, but we also let some darkness in this time.”
Guitarist James Porter said the writing process revealed common themes emerging from each member’s experiences.
“There are so many things we experience individually, but when we get in the studio, it becomes clear that we’re on a journey together,” Porter said.
The album also reflects a significant change in the band’s creative workflow. While much of Eternal Embers was developed remotely during COVID lockdowns, Pathways was built largely through in-person collaboration. Drummer Jamie Turner said revisiting ideas together in the same room created a different dynamic and encouraged experimentation.
The decision to self-produce the album gave the band greater control over the recording process. Advances in their home recording techniques meant that many early demos ultimately remained on the final release.
“We’ve improved our home-recording techniques, so a lot of what we were recording while writing ended up being used on the record itself,” Porter said.
Although the band handled production internally, they enlisted acclaimed mixer Chris Coady to complete the project. Coady is known for his work with artists including Beach House and TV On The Radio and collaborated with Meltt through a series of remote listening sessions from his studio in California.
According to the band, the process allowed immediate feedback and adjustments while preserving the creative intent established during recording. Lead vocalist Chris Smith described the sessions as highly interactive, with changes implemented in real time as the group listened and discussed mixes together.
Pathways arrives at a notable point in Meltt’s evolution. The group officially formed in 2015, although the members’ relationships stretch back much further. Smith and Turner first met in kindergarten on Vancouver’s North Shore, while Winkler attended the same school and Porter later joined the friendship circle during high school after moving from England to Canada.
After temporarily separating for university studies, the musicians continued exchanging demos before reuniting to create original material. Their debut EP Visions arrived in 2017 and introduced listeners to the band’s dreamy fusion of indie rock, psychedelia and synth-driven textures.
The independent debut album Swim Slowly followed in 2019, generating strong streaming attention with songs including Love Again and On Your Own. The band’s profile expanded further after signing with Nettwerk Music Group and releasing Eternal Embers in 2023.
Across those releases, Meltt have steadily broadened their sound. Pathways appears to continue that trajectory, balancing electronic elements with more organic instrumentation while exploring themes of identity, relationships, uncertainty and personal growth.
The record’s title reflects the multiple directions confronting both the band and its members. Rather than choosing a single route, the musicians embraced a wider range of sonic possibilities while maintaining the atmospheric qualities that have defined their work since the beginning.
Turner believes the album represents a defining moment in the band’s development.
“This record feels like the next stage of our evolution,” he said. “From Visions all the way to now, we’ve been developing our sound, but this record really feels like the moment where all the pieces have been put together.”
With a major North American tour beginning in August and a hometown headline performance at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom scheduled for October, Meltt enter the next phase of their career with what they describe as their most complete artistic statement to date.
PATHWAYS TRACKLISTING
One Life
Up All Night
Hesitate
By Your Side
I Love You
Another Elegy
Goodbye
In Your Arms
The Huntsman
Monomyth
Never Let Go
If You’re Lonely
In Good Time
MELTT TOUR DATES 2026
August 14, Calgary, Commonwealth Bar & Stage
August 15, Edmonton, The Starlite Room
August 17, Winnipeg, Sidestage
August 18, Fargo, The Aquarium
August 19, St. Paul, Turf Club
August 20, Chicago, Lincoln Hall
August 21, Ferndale, The Loving Touch
August 22, Toronto, The Mod Club
August 24, Ottawa, The 27 Club
August 25, Montreal, La Sala Rossa
August 27, Cambridge, The Sinclair
August 28, New York, Bowery Ballroom
August 29, Philadelphia, The Foundry At The Fillmore Philadelphia
August 30, Washington, D.C., The Atlantis
September 1, Durham, Motorco Music Hall
September 2, Asheville, The Grey Eagle
September 3, Nashville, The Blue Room
September 4, Atlanta, Purgatory At The Masquerade
September 5, Orlando, The Social
September 7, Houston, Meow Wolf Houston’s Radio Tave
September 8, Austin, Antone’s
September 9, Denton, Rubber Gloves
September 10, Ciudad De Mexico, House Of Vans
September 12, Denver, The Bluebird Theater
September 13, Santa Fe, Meow Wolf
September 14, Phoenix, Crescent Ballroom
September 16, San Diego, Quartyard
September 17, Los Angeles, Lodge Room
September 18, Ojai, Ojai Deer Lodge
September 19, Felton, Felton Music Hall
September 20, San Francisco, Great American Music Hall
September 22, Portland, Polaris Hall
September 23, Seattle, Neumos
October 2, Vancouver, Commodore Ballroom
November 21, Victoria, Capital Ballroom
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
