Angine De Poitrine’s Khn on the importance of music theory: “Value terminology. Worship terminology. Or be a monkey”

Angine De Poitrine‘s Khn has argued for the importance of music theory, saying musicians should embrace the terminology behind their work.

The anonymous Quebec duo – completed by percussionist Klek De Poitrine – are known for performing complex microtonal rock music from inside giant papier-mâché masks and black-and-white polka dot costumes.

Speaking in a new interview with Guitar World, Khn was asked whether he thinks in terms of scales when he is playing on stage.

“I think in terms of scales all the time,” he said. “Or rather, intervals in a context. But it’s just a harmless piece of information that sits there in the consciousness. A lot of people get this idea of someone playing robotically with a straight face, thinking, ‘Now I should play this note, for this reason’.”

He continued: “Even among musicians, there is this myth of how knowledge might somehow end up hurting your creativity. If I say, ‘I think in terms of scales all the time’, it does not mean, ‘the things that should be done according to a given set of rules will dictate all of my choices’. It’s not like I will only act creatively in a sterile and conscious effort to create only using these tools.”

Khn went on to argue that musicians should strive to understand the language behind the theory of the music that they play.

“Terminology matters to me,” he said. “When someone uses the inappropriate term in a conversation, I become insanely irritated. I make a conscious effort not to bother people too much with that stuff, though. But when you play chords, intervals, melodies in a harmonic and rhythmic context, every aspect of what is happening has a name.”

“Why on earth would someone make a point out of not knowing the names of things? Terminology is our only hope at humanity. Without it, chaos awaits. Value terminology. Worship terminology. Or be a monkey.”

Angine De Poitrine have become one of 2026’s most unlikely breakthrough acts, releasing their second album ‘Vol. II’ in April, shortly after their viral KEXP session that aired in February.

Among their high-profile admirers is Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, who said earlier this year that the duo had “absolutely blown my fucking mind”, calling them “so completely bonkers, dude”.

In May, they headlined The Great Escape’s opening beach party, presented by NME, where their performance was described as an “absurd but enthralling spectacle”.

They accepted Billboard Canada’s Global Breakthrough Award in complete silence, drew one of the largest crowds in Montreal Jazz Festival history, and are currently on their North American tour. They will return to the UK later this year for a run of headline dates – see all the info here and find any remaining tickets here.

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