Toronto’s Beliefs were formed in late 2010 when early 20-somethings Josh Korody and Jesse Crowe met at ex-bassist Pat McCormack’s birthday party and bonded over their love of The Jesus and Mary Chain, Slowdive, and My Bloody Valentine. Co-songwriters and vocalists Korody, in the midst of building his now revered Candle Recording Studio in downtown Toronto, and Crowe quickly began assembling a cultured, heady collage of sounds around each other’s tracks, and began gigging under the name Beliefs.

Using their seminal influences as a catalyst rather than template, their self-titled debut album is a frighteningly assured and expansive record - a spiky, cerebral cherrypick of art-rock, noir and shoegaze.

Tracks such as ‘Carousel’ recall The Velvet Underground or Beach House’s more operative moments; ‘Gallows Bird’ last decade’s high water marks Women or Deerhunter; ‘Strangers’ a proto-punk Sonic Youth; and ‘Dead Water’ a baroque Warpaint. Yet a complete listen to the record will prove more illuminating than any of these reference points. Hinging on Korody’s expert, eardrum-close production and some deceivingly sparse, strict instrumentation, Beliefs is a direct and full embodiment of the spirit of independent modern rock music.

Already deep into creating their second album, Beliefs will extensively be touring Europe and North America – including dates at March’s SXSW - in support of their self-titled full length debut to be released 4/3/2013 via cult London label No Pain In Pop (Grimes, Echo Lake, Doldrums, patten, Nite Jewel, Halls, Forest Swords).