Angine de Poitrine: The Quebec Band That Blew Up
Giant noses. Polka dots. Bare feet. A wild double-neck guitar/bass. If you’ve been anywhere near the guitar side of the internet lately, you’ve probably seen Angine de Poitrine.
The Saguenay duo of Khn and Klek de Poitrine has become one of 2026’s most unexpected breakout stories, racking up millions of views and even catching the attention of Rush legends Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.
From a Disguise to a Real Band
The project began in Saguenay in 2019. After being booked at the same venue twice in one week, the musicians worried nobody would come see them again. So they disguised themselves, created new characters and pretended to be another band.
“We found it quite funny, so we just kept it going on,”
Eventually, the joke became something much bigger. Behind the costumes is some seriously impressive musicianship. Khn plays a custom microtonal double-neck guitar/bass, using loops to build bass lines before layering guitar parts over them while Klek holds everything together on drums.
Their music pulls from prog, experimental rock and microtonal music, creating something that sounds completely different from most bands filling your feed.
Then KEXP Changed Everything
The real explosion came after their performance at France’s Trans Musicales festival was published by KEXP in early 2026. The clip went viral. According to the band’s team, it eventually passed 15 million views.
Suddenly, musicians around the world were trying to figure out who these guys were, and what the hell Khn was playing. Their rise eventually earned praise from Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, while Animals as Leaders guitarist Tosin Abasi even tried Khn’s unusual instrument himself.
Maybe that’s why Angine de Poitrine works.
They don't look like everyone else.
They don't sound like everyone else.
And they clearly aren't trying to.
What started as two Quebec musicians putting on disguises for a laugh became an international viral phenomenon. In an era where everyone is trying to crack the algorithm, Angine de Poitrine found another way to stand out. Get really good, get really weird, and be impossible to forget.
