"Gayance (real name Aïsha Vertus) takes her alias from the Hatian creole word for joyfulness. She started as a DJ in 2013, collecting vinyls from afro-Latin jazz, vintage Caribbean sounds, West-African and black electronic music from both sides of the Atlantic. Born and raised in Montreal-Nord, Gayance has been tearing down venues in Paris, Amsterdam, Brooklyn, Marrakech, Berlin, Sao Paulo and more. Her own production is influenced by ukg and broken beat, and the Detroit and New York house scene, with nods to the vivid, sun-soaked colours of Latin America. Following her impressive catalog of self-releases, Gayance released her first full-length album on Rhythm Section in 2023. ‘Mascarade’ is a collection of dancey rhythms with melodies that appear in the form of hauntingly soulful hooks, or bright outpours of joy and celebration. Her list of collaborators also features some of her friends from underground Montreal. This record gives light to Aïsha’s talents, not only as a producer, but as a vocalist and lyricist who shows us a great capacity for different emotions, styles and languages to arise in her songs."