Over the past decade between 25,000 and a billion bands have applied to play at POP Montreal through our submission process. They've sent us crude self-portraits and hand-made t-shirts and answered our inane questions (“Would you rather win a Grammy or the SuperBowl?” “Do you believe in the power of Love?”) but more importantly they've filled our ears with hours of tunes. As we approach the Sunday, May 20, 2012 application deadline for POP Montreal 2012 we'll be taking a look back at some submission bands who performed at POP last year and what they've been up to since.

Duzheknew, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Since opening for R. Stevie Moore at Sala Rossa last fall, Duzheknew played a couple of sets at the Halifax Pop Explosion including an opening gig for Polaris nominees Timber Timbre and appearing on a panel discussion. Their 2011 split-cassette with Cousins provoked rave reviews, prompting one tumblr buddy to comment: “the guitar is like multicolored twinkling Christmas lights bouncing on a trampoline. Punching clay into shapes with the bass and drums. The vocals are like a consistent breeze entering a hollow log, with sudden yelps of frightened or excited small animals and birds.” Recordings made on tour indicate an album can't be too far away, even as Duzheknew mastermind Adam O'Reilly freelances around New York for the likes of Art in America and Andy Warhol's Interview magazine.

Apply to play at POP Montreal 2012, September 19-23, 2012 online via Sonicbids or by snail-mail.