Pleasure Craft: Bag Down
Guitar and synths frame strong vocals on a well-produced slightly retro electro-pop cut.
By Kerry Doole
Pleasure Craft - Bag Down (Independent): Pleasure Craft is the project of Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer Sam Lewis. His chosen moniker may suggest he's inspired by yacht rock, but retro '80s-style synth-pop is a more accurate comparison point for his sound.
He made a mark last year with the track Work It Out, and this new single and video is equally strong. In a press release, Lewis says the song is an introduction to a character: he’s egotistical, aggressive, over-the-top and performative, but carrying around a suppressed, locked-up version of himself. “Saying that I have my bag down to me is saying I’ve got my shit together, I’m confident, I’m the best,” explains Lewis. “It’s this contrast between what I’m feeling and what I’m performing for the world.”
The cut features a nice blend of abrasive guitar and synths, backing vocals by Mingjia Chen, and Lewis' melodic voice that does possess an edge. Strong production values too, while a moody noir-esque accompanying video was filmed in Sudbury, and directed by Shawn Cosmo ((Rapport, After Funk, Knifey). Filmed in black and white, it features Lewis projecting what he calls “stereotypical masculine cowboy vibes.”
Pleasure Craft has a show at The Garrison in Toronto on December 16. Tix here
Links
Publicity: Heather Mueller
Management: pleasurecraftmgmt@gmail.com
The Weeknd at Rogers Centre in Toronto on August 8, 2025.Hyghly Alleyne, Courtesy XO Records