“Best thing I’ve seen since yesterday when I watched it last time” … about that Angine de Poitrine session.

In February, we posted a Live on KEXP session from the Quebec-based experimental rock duo Angine de Poitrine, recorded during our trip to the Trans Musicales festival in late 2025. With our current 3.8 million subscribers on Youtube, and over 2 billion cumulative views, we’re able to give the artists we feature exposure they might not otherwise see. But every once in a while, an artist like Angine de Poitrine brings something so unique and interesting that their session really takes off.

This session has been live for just shy of two months and video clips have already accumulated over 7.5million views on Youtube and 6 million views on Instagram. We asked our Chief Programming Officer, Chris Kellogg, DJ and Programming Group Director Morgan Chosnyk, and Video Manager, Jim Beckmann, how they first found Angine de Poitrine and what made them choose to feature them during Trans Musicales.  

Chris: For Trans Musicales, we approach booking as a team, each of us listening to the artists playing the festival and sharing our opinion about whether we invite them for a Live on KEXP session. Jim noted how great they would be for video given their visual presentation, along with their compelling music. To be honest, the first thing I thought the day of the session was how impressive it was to have brought those giant masks across the Atlantic! 

“My cat immediately stopped eating and ran into the other room when I turned this on, I followed and found him drawing the schematics of complex machinery at my desk.” - @fractalawareness, comment on YouTube

Morgan: I first heard Angine De Poitrine in late August when reviewing the Trans Musicales lineup for our booking consideration. I saw a video of them on my first pass through the lineup and I was like “Oh yeah, we’re definitely booking this band.” Obviously, the costumes are extremely compelling, but coupled with their musical proficiency and the otherworldly voices and gestures, not to mention they probably can’t even see what they are playing…it was an easy “yes.”

“I have no idea what the fuck I just watched, but I will be back again tomorrow” -  @penguinjammer8522, comment on YouTube

“Best thing I've seen since yesterday when I watched it last time” - @realmister7, comment on YouTube

Jim: Whenever we choose bands to record from each year's Trans Musicales lineup — and 2025 was our 9th year doing so — we typically look for the same things: an engaging sound, a dynamic live presence, and a differing worldview that might set them apart from many of the other artists who come through KEXP's live recordings. Angine de Poitrine have all of that in spades… or should I say in triangles!

“wake up babe your new favorite microtonal insterstellar polka-dot power duo just dropped on kexp” - @_digital_steve, comment on Instagram

“That’s the stuff.” - @afantano, comment on Instagram

Chris: While we never really know what session is going to take off, their set absolutely ripped. Paired with their presentation and our team’s incredible audio and video recording, it doesn’t totally surprise me to see just how far it has gone. To see any artist reach millions of music lovers via the Live on KEXP YouTube channel is our mission in action and it’s a total thrill that KEXP gets to play a role in making those connections.

“this is the musical equivalent of all the dishes simultaneously falling out of your cupboard and landing perfectly stacked. I cannot look away.” - @ianmacgregor1377, comment on YouTube

Morgan: When our Music Director Chris Sanley sent us a message from POP Montreal confirming how awesome they were, I was stoked that I could reply, “We totally booked them for Trans Musicales!!” I’m so excited the world loves them as much as we do! 

“When you think you won't hear anything new in rock music, these two appear on your screen! f*cking amazing! Waiting for Friday to buy your discography on Bandcamp.” - @eremef.xyz, comment on Instagram

Jim: It was a no-brainer that we would choose them to record. Much credit for that choice should go to the festival for booking them in the first place, which all but ensured that we would choose them for a Live on KEXP session. 

“so now I'm supposed to just go on with my life” - @mrandrewgaul, comment on YouTube

Chris: In the end, I’m grateful for the new viewers, subscribers, and donors Angine de Poitrine helped bring to KEXP, because those folks will help the next artist connect with more people who love music. It’s a beautiful cycle!

We at KEXP are so excited that so many people are enjoying this session as much as we did. Your donations make this possible. Because of our donors, we are able not only to amplify the artists who walk through our doors and into our Live Room, but also to travel to meet them where they are, anywhere in the world. Thank you!

Watch the full session here.  

There was also a full room of art students drawing the band as they performed! Here are a few pics of those drawings: