Montreal-based artist, producer, engineer and remixer Patrick Holland released his self-produced debut album, You’re The Boss, this Summer via Sinderlyn. Holland has been known in the past for his electronic releases under aliases such as Project Pablo and Jump Source, as well as his production and remix work for artists such as TOPS, Cut Copy, Jacques Greene, Homeshake, and more. With You’re The Boss, Holland re-introduced himself by making his first foray into guitar-driven indie pop. Written and recorded in tandem, You’re The Boss finds Holland self-producing, playing almost every instrument on the record, as well as singing and writing his own lyrics for the first time. The album also features vocals from Holland’s bandmates in TOPS. Though it’s full of firsts, You’re The Boss sounds like the work of an indie artist decades into their career.

With the album out now and a North American tour underway as of this weekend, Patrick Holland shares a brand new single and his first new material since releasing his debut record. “Years In The Ground” was written and recorded this Summer, and Holland explains that it is “a discussion between a shoulder angel and devil on how to spend your time and amoney.” He continues, “I made this video with my best friend Geoff (Meugens). We woke in the early hours of summer 2021 to catch the sunrise on Salt Spring Island – no storyboard – we shot from the hip as the day developed. A year later I decided to make something from the beautifully framed shots, and coincidentally they seamlessly matched up with ‘Years in the Ground.’”

Despite covering a lot of sonic ground, You’re The Boss also sounds remarkably cohesive, a testament to Holland’s airtight production and mixing capabilities. There’s tension on this record despite its gloss, to be sure – experimenting with lyricism and singing for the first time was an exercise in vulnerability for Holland, and the resulting reflections find him grappling with self-doubt. While it’s a stylistic pivot from the house and ambient textures of his prior releases, the keen melodic sensibilities that have always underpinned his music are on full display here.