Aysanabee released his six-track EP, Timelines, on April 10. The four-time Juno Award winner, with only two studio albums, Watin (2023) and Edge of the Earth (2025) is taking a moment to revisit some of his favourite songs, offering a quieter, more intimate sound than their original counterparts.
The EP was produced by Aysanabee, a.k.a. Evan Pang, alongside a small group of others and released through Ishkode Records.
Aysanabee focuses his time and creative energy in a space of reflection as opposed to reinvention. Instead of redefining a genre, he refines his sound, making aspects of his tracks that may go unnoticed in the original recordings the centre of attention.
By re-recording his tracks in an acoustic environment, the music doesn’t necessarily change in meaning but shifts significantly in tone. “Nomads,” for example, the acoustic version offers listeners a sharp transformation from the indie rock version released in 2022. Grounded in more natural sounds, the acoustic rendition becomes a more atmospheric and heartfelt listen.
Similarly, the EP’s closing track, “Dream Catcher,” is a standout – a simple chord progression that proves how far a little musicality and passionate songwriting can go. While the original leaned on deep drums, low-octave piano, and swells of synth, the acoustic version strips things back, allowing Aysanabee’s rich vocals to come through with even greater clarity. The meaning doesn’t change, but the listening experience deepens.
Timelines is not a progression of his discography, nor a departure from his past work crafting what he’s described as big, anthemic sound walls. Instead, it is an opportunity to slow down and look back, to revisit moments from a career that has turned remarkably successful in a short span of time.
Aysanabee’s Oji-Cree identity and connection to Sandy Lake First Nation are key themes throughout the music. In an APTN interview, he explains his life before beginning his professional music career. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he began to visit his grandfather consistently before moving him into a long-term care facility. Once the outbreaks began to erupt, Aysanabee began to develop a deeper relationship with his grandfather, recording interviews with him as they discussed life and family history.
The EP pays homage to these conversations, offering Aysanabee an opportunity to revisit these recordings, and carry on his family and cultural legacy.
Timelines is a refined and reflective collection. Some tracks feel almost bare, while others, like “Here and Now,” offer a lighter touch that balances the heavier emotional weight. The introduction and conclusion of the EP are its shining moments, both exuding a deep tension, with the atmospheric guitar of “Nomads” anchoring the opening and “Dream Catcher” providing a graceful close.
For fans of Aysanabee, Timelines offers a biographical view of his life, redefining the moments that have drawn him into the limelight. For newcomers, the EP departs from his original sound into something far more raw and personal.
At its heart, Timelines gives voice to histories that have not always been heard and offers both Indigenous and non-Indigenous listeners a space to come together and reflect on stories that may have otherwise been lost.
