Medical Pilot is an explosive, guitar driven alternative rock band hailing from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Their music, primarily rooted in a blend of influences from the spheres of alternative and pop rock while also pulling from an eclectic mix of other genres such as metal, jazz, electronic, and R&B, is immediately and undeniably engaging. The group creates songs that effortlessly pair heavy guitar riffs and walls of sound with catchy vocal melodies and dynamic, danceable grooves that lend themselves incredibly well to both the energetic live shows the band has become known for, or to a vigorous session of carpool karaoke.

Started by frontman Dexter Twardzik and guitarist Jesse Rubuliak as teenagers to channel their love of Blink-182, the band cut their teeth playing shows in the local music scene in Edmonton over a period of several years. Gradually evolving in sound and membership, the band hit a stride and released a string of EPs and singles from late 2016 to mid 2018 and cemented their lineup as the two original members joined by guitarist Jon Rembowski, drummer and producer Phillip Rodda, and bassist Dan Blade. The group continued their momentum throughout 2019, becoming recognized locally for their excellent showmanship and high energy performances. After a forced hiatus brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic, Medical Pilot returned in 2021 with the same vitality as before, playing a series of shows across Alberta until taking a break to finish their first full-length project.

Primary Colors, Medical Pilot’s debut album, is a reflection of the band and its members reaching a point of maturity. Using a much larger sonic palette and exploring more emotionally complex lyrical themes, the songs paint a vivid picture of the internal struggles of the group as young people learning to navigate the world. Bittersweet breakup anthem “Maybe” and its heavier, cathartic cousin “Bandaids” mingle with the existential frustration of “Stuck” and ruminations on the passing of a parent in “Smile”. However, the philosophy of “Happy Hardcore” that defined the band’s previous releases is still maintained here; there is still an underlying feeling of hope and optimistic energy that permeates even the darkest moments of the record. Closing track “Julie” acts as the culmination of this juxtaposition, summed up appropriately in its chorus: “Everybody’s broken somehow/They haven’t given up, so why should you?”