The Exquisite Dream imagines an optimistic journey into the future. Using the speed of light technology of “Fibre Optics,” the band takes the flight of consciousness in “The Naturalist” to break the karmic cycles of violence in “What You Want.” “Walk on Water” is an optimistic breakthrough as we find our way through the darkness to the “Shelter” of the sun. The band's uplifting homage to The Tragically Hip centers us “In the Radiance.”

The improvisation in the final four tracks, recorded live off the floor, finds the band dropping into the flow, connected. Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Tommy Douglas, and Hubert Dreyfus add their words, and Neil Young & Crazy Horse's “Cortez the Killer,” is a live favourite recorded in one take during our first moments in the studio.

Darin Steinkey’s drumlines pave the runway for takeoff by setting the time and dynamics. We are blessed to work with two great bass players that add their skill and texture to the rhythm section. Owen Sandquist-Sherman locks in tasty basslines that inject vibrancy, depth, and youth while Mike Ison’s melodic grooves form the backbone of so much of what we do in Door d’Or. Mat Geddes weaves percussive guitar with pulsing, heartfelt vocals and lyrics steeped in sensitivity and existential wonder. Informed by a lifetime of world travel, his words search for truth and look to the horizon for the hope of a non-violent world.

West coast legend Ry Clayton’s textured guitar swells and dynamic riffs propel and elevate the emotional arc of the songs. The beautifully rich piano lines, soulful Rhodes tones, and dynamic synth layers played by Evan Fryer widen the landscape of the songs.

For more than twenty-five years, we have dreamed of capturing the magic we feel when we jam. While the story of how we got here is a long one, recording the album only took six studio days in the fall of 2025. We were fortunate to work at The Hive Creative Labs with Juno Award winning indie rock guru Colin Stewart, whose understated, calm guidance and vast expertise captured this moment in the band’s history.

Door d’Or was created in the darkness of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this recording represents a breakthrough and many things coming full circle. Mat and Ryan played together in a band called Heijiki, the precursor to GiggleBush, the band that brought Mat, Mike, and Darin together in the late twentieth century. St. Michaels University School connects Owen, Evan, Mat, Darin, and Mike, and it continues to be a favoured venue to rehearse in.

The inspiration behind the album cover is Swami Bikash Giri walking barefoot on the frozen edges of Lake Manasarovar in Tibet near the sacred Mt. Kailash.