Ontario’s ACER Release New Video & Album

ACER is a dream pop duo made up of multi-instrumentalist Kyle Gottschalk and vocalist/art director Connory Ballantyne. Borrowing from the brooding post-punk sound of their former band House Art, Ballantyne’s vocals lend a confident and lyrical vision to the dynamically maximalist instrumentals written out of Gottschalk’s love for bedroom pop and shoegaze. 

Their fatalistic new song, “Someone Else’s Dream,” captures the feeling of resignation, when you finally let go of someone. There’s a lot of beauty but also melancholy in that. 

Kyle and Connory had both taken trips away from home after ending significant relationships, and the song takes inspiration from their reflections on the experience. 

“Creating this album was a big catharsis for me – I hadn’t had the chance to be a solo lyricist in a long time and so this project allowed me to flex that somewhat atrophied muscle again,” says Connory. “I hope people listen and get a sense of release as well in our attempt to soundtrack some darker times in a hopeful light.”