What are your names?
Mario Gervais, guitarist and vocals
Alexy Préfontaine, keyboards and vocals
Samuel Jalbert, drums and vocals
Vincent Dessureault, bass
What is the band’s name?
Amber Days
How did you come up with the band’s name?
Formerly known as Alpha & the Van, the band decided to change its name to Amber days in July 2024, a name that better represents its visual and sonic identity. The name embodies the essence of good times, warmth and nostalgia, qualities that reflect the emotions and themes of their music. A blend of experiences, memories and dreams, all captured in their songs.
What is your genre of music?
Indie pop/rock
Give us a little bio about you.
Amber Days consists of Mario Gervais on guitar and vocals, Alexy Préfontaine on keyboards and vocals, Samuel Jalbert on drums and percussion, and Vincent Dessureault on bass. Blending contagious grooves with a colorful sound palette, the indie pop-rock outfit has established itself on the Montreal and Quebec music scene, performing at numerous shows and festivals across the province. Formerly known as Alpha & the Van, the group adopted the name Amber Days in July 2024, a shift that better reflects its visual and sonic identity. Rocking between nostalgic, introspective sounds and infectious, danceable rhythms, the band continues to build momentum with a growing catalog of releases, including their album On The Run.
What made you go into music?
We were all enrolled in our high school music program. Mario had a heavy metal band with other friends, Alexy played trumpet and keyboards, and Sam played drums and percussion. We eventually formed a band together in 2011, covering songs by artists like Coldplay, The Beatles, and The Black Keys. We’d perform at talent shows and even organize our own events. From there, we started writing our own music and released our first original song, “Lost,” in 2015. Vincent joined the band in 2017 after meeting Sam in a college music program. He tried a gig with us, it clicked instantly… and the rest is history!
Who are your influences?
We are all very passionate about music and our tastes in music vary quite a bit, but we’re inspired by bands such as Parcels, Radiohead and Men I Trust.
Are you a signed?
No, we are currently fully independent.
You released your new single ‘Blueberries’, tell us more about the creative process and meaning behind it.
Inspired by the playful sound of bands like Good Morning and Far Caspian, Mario came up with the chords and lyrics for Blueberries during a time when he felt a bit lost and conflicted about his feelings and ambitions. Writing Blueberries was a way for him to accept that it’s okay to feel lost and that there’s a way to find happiness in the little things, like going for a jaunt with friends. He presented the idea to his bandmates, and they worked their magic on it.
It’s a dreamy indie pop track driven by lush synth melodies, shimmering guitars and rich vocal harmonies. The song captures the essence of being on the run, balancing moments of uncertainty with a hopeful message to take it easy and enjoy the simple things in life that make us happy. The song serves as the final preview of their upcoming album On The Run, a title drawn directly from the song’s lyrics.
Describe the track in two words.
Dreamy and hopeful
You are also set to release your new album ‘On The Run’, tell us more about it and what to expect.
On The Run is our upcoming debut album, shaped by that restless feeling of constantly moving through life without ever fully slowing down, physically, mentally, and emotionally. A lot of the songs deal with trying to stay present, searching for self-validation, and learning to feel at peace with your choices. Time is also a big theme throughout the record. Sometimes it feels overwhelming or hard to grasp, and other times it can even feel a little scary. There’s this constant tension between wanting to step into the unknown and being afraid of what might come next.
At the same time, the album isn’t just about feeling lost. It’s also about acceptance, opening yourself up to love and the beauty around you, embracing change, and learning to enjoy life even when uncertainty is still there. The title comes from the lyric “I’ve been on the run, tryna figure it out” in the song “Blueberries,” which really tied all of those themes together for us. Whether a song feels warm and atmospheric, introspective, or groovy and uplifting, they all come back to that same idea: we’re all just trying to figure things out and learn to enjoy the ride along the way.
Describe each track in two words and the album as a whole.
Present Tense: Mysterious, Ethereal
1974 : Groovy, fun
You’re The One : Catchy, sexy
Four Months : Dark, dreamy
Blueberries: Dreamy, hopeful
Interlude : Cinematic, mysterious
All These Dreams : Groovy, confident
Generation : Heavy, powerful
On My Own : Groovy and catchy
Exit 95 : Nostalgic, dreamy
Neon Moon: Nostalgic, dreamy
I Wonder How it Feels : Energetically peaceful
Album as a whole: Warm, introspective
What was the writing and recording process like?
It’s been a long time coming, but the whole process was a blast. We’ve been making music together for a long time now, so there’s definitely a special chemistry in our songwriting process. Chord ideas usually come from one of us, and then we jam on them and build the songs together. The lyrics usually follow afterwards. We let ourselves get inspired by the vibe of the song and write about themes that resonate with us, like our life experiences, in a way that people can connect to in their own way.
The songs were recorded in Montréal during the summer of 2024, and we’ve been planning the release ever since. It took a little longer than we would’ve liked, but we’re really happy with how everything turned out and excited to finally share the project very soon.
Who did you work with on the album?
Here are the talented friends we worked with throughout the process:
Recording: Joël Denizot
Mixing: Ryan Baxter from Whisker Studios
Mastering: Jean-Philippe Villemure
Photography: Vincent St-Pierre
Do you have any live shows coming up and if so, what can we expect from your shows?
We’re currently organizing our album launch show, set for Thursday, July 2nd at La Sotterenea in Montreal. It’s going to be a very special night with some beautiful merch, a nice set design, and an atmosphere ranging from danceable grooves to nostalgic, dreamy vibes. Our friends Hank’s Dream will be opening the night, so definitely check them out!
Where will we be able to buy tickets from?
Ticket links will be shared on our social media accounts.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
We just want to put this project out in the world and see where it takes us. As much as we love performing in Montréal and Québec, we’ve always wanted to perform in other countries. We’d love to start with a European tour! Performing in the UK would also be amazing.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
We don’t really have one, but we do have a pre-show huddle ritual!
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Good energy
Our instruments
Paper setlists
Merch box
How to play our songs
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Absolutely! You can check us out mainly on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. Our music is available on all streaming platforms.
