Cantor Dust began around the turn of the century as pianist Mark Klassen began the task of writing and self-recording songs in a basement apartment in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. After much exploration, he embarked on the dream-like journey of creating albums spanning from primarily instrumental orchestrations to narrative concept albums outlining tales of otherworldly natures.  In 2003, he released his first album Swallowed By The Night, a solo journey through darkened dreams and falling poppy petals.

Subsequent albums include: The Contaminated Man (2008), Belladonna (2009), and Blind Date (2010), each record spinning fantastic tales of alien abduction, poison, and perilous psychiatric diagnoses. Cantor Dust’s musical arrangements would at times feature heavy, brooding, and psychedelic musical elements contrasted by often ridiculous lyrics. Layers of arpeggiated synth and vocal harmonies have explored a spectrum of subject matter, from serious and introspective, to light-hearted and comical.

For the live performances of Safaris I’ve Been On (2011), Cantor Dust united with a group of musicians consisting of percussion, cello, and trumpet. Safaris… offers a compendium of adventures through time and space, transporting the listener through magical landscapes of two-stepping mountains and interdimensional seas, filled with all sorts of creatures of whimsy and wonder. Safaris I’ve Been On served as a story-telling children’s album for the imaginative adult audience.

In 2015, Cantor Dust released its first recording to rely heavily upon other musicians in the studio. I Can’t Find My Cape is a pop-rock infused album of eternal dynamics, bewilderment, and fear. The piano and synth-based compositions are driven by elegant drums, textured guitars, and towering vocals to deliver a powerful message of the ineptitude of the world’s epic heroes’ to carry us safely from the apocalypse..

 

The 2020 iteration of Cantor Dust pairs Klassen with multi-genre cellist Natanielle Felicitas, as the band now finds itself exploring new reaches of space in the creation of its upcoming album.