Pallmer is a chamber-pop project born from late night improv sessions during a particularly snowy winter in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Emily Kennedy (cello, vocals) and Mark Kleyn (viola) had performed in classical ensembles for several years before delving into their own writing. Their first show was a short, blush-filled set at a local cafe. Since then, the duo has performed at some of the province’s most acclaimed festivals and opened for renowned artists like Daniel Lanois.
Pallmer’s 2021 EP, “Quiet Clapping” won Recording of the Year at the 2021 Prix MNB Awards. The collection of five songs was recorded in a large dance studio at the back of a church-converted-to-arts centre, taking advantage of its natural resonance, and embracing the occasional noises from old water heating. Pallmer released a limited edition, double-header vinyl run of “Quiet Clapping” & their 2019 release, “Grass Garden'' on April 9th, 2022.
The band has taken a slow but steady approach to releasing music, and after two years of writing, Pallmer returned to the studio to record their first LP “Swimming.” The duo worked with JUNO award-winning producer Joshua van Tassel, squirrelling away for five days at his secluded home studio to record the album. Their collaboration produced a tender collection of 9 songs that interweaves layers of strings, bass, synthesizers, and marimba-like percussion. Swimming was released January 12, 2024.
In order to help realize the album’s breadth live, in early 2023 Pallmer invited longtime friend and sound artist Charles Harding to join the band on both synthesizer and percussion. Since joining the band, the trio have toured from coast to coast across Canada, playing at notable festivals and participating in creative residencies like Greville Tapes Music Club.
