Dylan White Steps Into His Own Voice With "Fronds"

Ontario-based multi-instrumentalist and composer Dylan White makes his solo debut with Fronds, a lush and groove-driven EP that examines the repeating patterns of love and fear that move through people, families, and entire generations. Drawing from jazz, soul, and funk, the project mirrors both the structure of nature and the resolve of those who push against cycles that were handed to them. White frames these ideas through arrangements full of warmth and movement, weaving them with an emotional clarity that makes the EP feel grounded and expansive at the same time.

“We’re surrounded by deep-rooted and mysterious patterns,” says White. “This album was inspired by those patterns – of both love and fear – that repeat themselves throughout a lifetime and across generations. As a nature boy, I’ve always been intrigued by the fact that repeating systems are the basis of all life.” That fascination becomes the spine of Fronds, shaping both the musical language and the personal reflection inside each track. White approaches these themes without heavy-handedness, instead allowing small musical gestures, looping grooves, and shifting textures to reveal how repetition can both comfort and confine.

Recorded across Guelph, Toronto, Haliburton, and Calgary, Fronds carries the imprint of a wide and committed creative community. White assembled longtime collaborators whose backgrounds stretch from acoustic folk to jazz fusion to deep-pocket funk. “I cashed in all the favours that I could,” he laughs. “All of the musicians on this record are players that I’ve performed with for years. Their backgrounds span acoustic singer-songwriter, funk, soul, jazz fusion and everything in between.” That shared history gives the EP its warmth. Each part feels lived-in and responsive, creating the sense of a room full of musicians who instinctively understand one another.

The collaborative spark reaches its peak on “Rags,” the EP’s bold, joy-forward centrepiece. Built around a whole-tone descending bassline, the track dismantles the familiar “rags to riches” narrative with humor and a sharp ear for the ways certain myths linger. “It’s a joyful attack on murky and vain clichés like ‘pulling yourself up by your bootstraps,’” says White. “It rejects the ridiculousness, conceit, and delusion that we (especially white guys like myself) succeed because we ‘earned it’ and thoroughly enjoys poking fun at that idea.” The lightness in his delivery doesn’t dilute the point. Instead, the track makes its statement through groove, brightness, and a sense of release.

That blend of fun and focus is supported by expressive performances from drummer Julian Psihogios and guitarist Anoop Isac. Their work casts the song’s message in multiple shades, moving from quick-witted playfulness to something more direct. “Julian’s intense, blistering solo, paired with Anoop’s mysterious chords, really embodies that shift from humour to seriousness,” White says. “It’s cheeky, but it’s not cynical – it’s fundamentally optimistic.” The result is a track that celebrates the freedom that comes with seeing old stories clearly and choosing not to be defined by them.

For White, Fronds is not only a first release under his own name but also a moment of recalibration. “Writing these songs forced me to pause and reflect on one of the things I admire most: the strength that some people have to break patterns of trauma and fear,” he explains. The process allowed him to merge the harmonic detail he loves with the emotional threads that inspired the project in the first place. That balance gives the EP its steady pulse and its openness.

Across four tracks, Fronds moves with equal parts curiosity and intention. It’s a project that listens inward without losing sight of joy, inviting its players and its listeners into the same sense of exploration. “This is my first original, solo project,” White adds. “It was challenging and vulnerable to create music that I can stand behind, but this has been well worth the effort. I’m proud of the playing, the chords, the forms, the harmonies, and the melodies. I’m very excited to present it and showcase some of the incredible musicians in my community.”