Coming from a Greek philosophical word meaning that all matter holds life, the Hylozoists began work on its debut album shortly after forming. In 2001, the group retreated to Seabright, Nova Scotia, where it recorded at Nervous System Sound studios. Signed to Brobdingnagian, the band released its debut album, La Nouvelle Gauche, in 2002. The Hylozoists has been compared to Air, Stereolab, and Tortoise in terms of sound and tone. The group has also performed at the 2002 Halifax Pop Explosion. ~ Jason MacNeil