WAND

Wand (formerly First Nations) is Victoria, BC's Derek Janzen. He has been quietly recording and releasing homemade alternative music from out of his bedroom in the cold, dark north since 2008. Wand has played with some great acts, including Radical Face, Blackout Beach, Cousins, Jordan Klassen, and Himalayan Bear.

When playing live, Wand incorporates trumpet, drum machines, various synths, delayed guitar and driving percussion to create their unique and grandiose sound. When doing solo shows, Derek builds large arrangements piece by piece using looping pedals and samplers. While they are influenced by quite a diverse amount of artists, some of the most prominent are Sunset Rubdown, David Bowie, Talking Heads, Deerhunter and Phil Collins. South African electro, choral, and gamelan music are also influences.