Recorded and produced in the artist's home studio in Toronto, "Up Down Strange Charm" is the second album by Buildings and Food. Encompassing electroacoustic, IDM, ambient, electropop, classical and glitch elements, most of the tracks on the album are instrumental with the exception of a few songs, one of which entitled, "Swimming in Denton" is an ode to the music of the late Zac Denton.
“a minimalist ambient triumph” - Mike Mineo
“a sonic bath in the spectacular now” - Richard Allen
“...the downtempo rhythms and hazy melodies are a match made in heaven” - Blair Millen
“... a swelling sonic sunrise of warm melodic IDM” - Hex Wolves
“A quiet, breath-stealing immersion into Canada’s untamed calm, Provincial Park VIP Mixes captures wilderness wonder through drifting ambient currents and subtle pulses that feel both intimate and boundless.” - Pietro da Sacco
ECHO THE FIELD
Released: May 10, 2024
Echo the Field is a meditative, minimalist work comprised of ambient and downtempo tracks. Inspired by trips to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, the album is both grounding and ethereal, and is a reflection on the beauty and timelessness of the desert landscape as well as an expression of the artist's hopefulness and sense of belonging in nature.
INFINITY PLUS ONE
Up Down Strange Charm
B-Movie
From the album, Up Down Strange Charm, released on September 25, 2020.
“A slow-burning, retro lo-fi number...beautiful low-key vocals and a catchy refrain make for a sweet soundtrack to a summer's end.” - Spill Magazine, Toronto https://spillmagazine.com/spill-video-premiere-buildings-and-food-b-movie/
Artist Bio
Jen K. Wilson, aka Buildings and Food, is an independent Canadian electronic music recording artist. Her recent work incorporates multiple genres including experimental electronic, ambient and IDM.
Jen is a classically trained pianist, visual artist and self-taught multi-instrumentalist who began her career in the late 1990's in Toronto playing guitar, keys and drums with various alternative indie rock outfits and later embarked on a visual arts career, relocating to Ottawa and winning several project grants for her work. Her return to Toronto marked a return to music making and she released her debut solo album Quick Beat Save in 2018 under the moniker Buildings and Food. Her sophomore release, Up Down Strange Charm was released in 2020. Both albums received glowing reviews and enjoyed multiple chart appearances in Canada and the U.S., earning spots on several Best of Year lists. Her third album, Infinity Plus One was released in September, 2023. Infinity Plus One is a buoyant collection of instrumental electronic pieces reminiscent of Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin and Sam Prekop, varying from uplifting ambient soundscapes to downtempo vibes and filled with warm synths, guitars, vintage keys and field-recorded samples.
Jen's 3-track EP, Sky-d was released on April 12th, ahead of her fourth LP Echo the Field (May 10, 2024) and 5th LP Provincial Park (May 9, 2025).
Her latest and 6th full length release, “Yutori” is available now.
Buildings and Food music can be found on streaming services worldwide and is available for purchase here and on Bandcamp.
Debut Album
Quick Beat Save
Buildings and Food
Released in 2018, Quick Beat Save was the first project by Buildings and Food. Stream the full album on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, Deezer, etc. or stream/purchase on Bandcamp: https://buildingsandfood.bandcamp.com
Reviews for Quick Beat Save
"'1979: Pennies and Pluto’ bears a title no less intriguing than the music entailed herein. Several associations immediately come to mind, including Broadcast, Stereolab and Mahogany....The new single, just as ‘Slow to Reverse’, the single before this, is a brilliant reflection of the internal workings of an indie pop aficionado with a vision towards a positive musical construction." - The Record Stache
“An independent avant pop artist, whose music emanates endearing Stereolabesque charm… she whets our appetite with charismatic synth minimalism. The song flows with a laid-back ease, running on gently muffled and murmured vocals, yet also sparkles with brighter, peppy instrumentation. Easily Ladytron can be mentioned, as well as Lali Puna, Vive La Fête and Tying Tiffany” – Big Takeover Magazine
"Most tracks on ‘Quick Beat Save’ are electronic instrumentals (and damn good ones). However, Jen K. Wilson (Buildings and Food) gets to demonstrates her abilities as a singer-songwriter on such cuts as “1979: Pennies and Pluto”, a great pop song with loads of quirkiness. "
- Irregular Dreams