Tag: canadian band

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Basset – At My Feet

Artist: Basset

Song: At My Feet

Genres: #indiefolk

Location: Toronto, Canada

Influences: Hozier, Bon Iver, The Milk Carlton Kids

Release date: September, 2022

Comment: At My Feet is a raw but profoundly beautiful song that touches on the way depression can alter the way we see things. With strong vocals from Sam Clark and, particularly, Yasmine Shelton –who make up the Toronto-based indie folk duo Basset, this poignant track is impossible to ignore. It was the last song they wrote for the newest EP, In The Clay, and they almost didn’t make it on time, but I’m really glad they did. Honestly,

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie

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New Friends – Doomed

New Friends - Doomed
Photo credits: Steph Montani

Artist: New Friends

Song: Doomed

Genres: #altpop #indiepop

Location:  London, Canada

Release date: August, 2022

Comment: I hadn’t heard of New Friends before they released “Doomed” in August, but what a great song it is! This is not based on scientific evidence, but I think it is impossible to listen to this tune without feeling elated. The fact that it comes with a hilarious music video is also a plus. Considering the fact that the band members (Stefan Boulineau, Ayden Miller, Cole Wilson, and Conrad Galecki) met each other barely 4 years ago, the fact that they were able to make such a great song so soon is quite impressive. I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with next!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Indie
  • Pop

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Dilettante – Monster

Artist: Dilettante

Song: Monster

Genres: #indiepop #altpop

Location: Toronto, Canada

Release date: June, 2022

Comment:  Dilettante, which means a person having a superficial interest in an art of branch of knowledge, is a quintet from Toronto led by Natalie Panacci and Julia Wittmann. Most of the band members used to be on a band called For Jane, but their debut album as Dilettante, which is self-titled, was released this June. Monster is the closing track and even though it got a strong 80s music vibe, it sounds modern as well. I really like the synth-infused intro and the overall melody, but I absolutely love how it suddenly dials it back to just an acoustic guitar in the outro. I think that was a genius touch. Check it out!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Jeen – Mountain

Artist: Jeen

Song: Mountain

Genres: #indiepop #altpop

Location: Toronto, Canada

Release date: June, 2022

Comment:  Jeen O’Brien, or simply Jeen, is a #singersongwriter and music producer from Toronto who has been making music professionally since the nineties. She has been releasing albums as Jeen at least since 2015 and several of her songs have been featured on commercials for very well-known brands and also TV shows such as MTV Catfish. Chances are that we have unknowingly listened to her music before, but that’s changing now.

Jeen is releasing a new album in October and one of its lead singles was the refreshing Mountain, which became available in June. It reminds me a bit of a nice little song that I featured here 2 years ago when this blog was just starting: Shake Your Head Yes by The Mynabirds. The song was Jeen‘s attempt at keeping things in perspective during the pandemic, and it is full of lush sounds surrounding an engaging pop melody. Don’t miss it.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Colour Tongues – Midnight Island

Artist credit: Mordolff
Layout and design: Azhmeer Kahn

Artist: Colour Tongues

Song: Midnight Island

Genres: #indierock #altpop

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Release date: May, 2022

Comment:  Let’s start August with what folks in the UK call a banger. Midnight Island is a super infectious indie rock track by Vancouver-based band, Colour Tongues. It is inspired by young love and early romances and its goal is to transport you back to your youth, that point in time when we all felt anything was possible. It is the title track of a brand new EP produced by Matt Di Pomponio.

Led by an Australian native, guitarist and singer-songwriter James Challis, Colour Tongues survived all kinds of adversities, from mountain blizzards to car crashes, from the moment the band started in early 2018. Luckily for us, those experiences have guided them to where they are today, delivering great indie rock music to us. Let’s enjoy Midnight Island!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Indie

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NERiMA – Amnesia

“Amnesia” by Nerima

Artist: NERiMA

Song: Amnesia

Genres: #alternativerock

Location: Toronto, Canada

Release date: July, 2022

Comment: When I featured Toronto-based band Nerima for the first time over a year ago, they were working on their debut EP and I’m happy to report that Have More Fun, which is how they called it, is finally going to be available next week. Earlier this month, they dropped a new single called “Amnesia“, which didn’t disappoint. After listening to it the first time, I told Connor, the bassist, that it reminded me of Letters To Cleo, a band that had a few indie hits in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The funny thing was that neither Connor nor the other band members had ever heard of them. At least, after listening to “I Want You to Want Me”, they agreed with me. I’ll focus on that instead of the fact that I’m getting old.

Amnesia, whose lyrics tell the story of a person with dreams bigger than reality, has also been compared to Paramore and Avril Lavigne, two acts that I guess need no introduction. Whatever artist Amnesia reminds you of, the bottom line is that it is a great track by a young and talented band. May their music-industry dreams become a reality.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Jillian Lake – Steady Hands

Artist: Jillian Lake

Song: Steady Hands

Genres: #indiefolk #singersongwriter

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Release date: April, 2022

Comment:  It is common knowledge that some of the best art comes out of feeling heartbroken. It was that aching feeling that inspired indie artist Jillian Lake to write Steady Hands, a luscious and stripped-down single that forms part of her brand new album Younger Then. After reaching over 100K plays on one of her most recent singles, Jillian is set to keep expanding her audience with her new work.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie

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The Royal Foundry – Little High Little Low

The Royal Foundry - Little High Little Low

Artist: The Royal Foundry

Song: Little High Little Low

Genres: #indierock #altpop

Location: Alberta, Canada

Release date: April, 2022

Comment:  If you just listened to Canadian alt-pop quartet The Royal Foundry‘s latest single, the extremely infectious Little High Little Low, you would never guess that they were once a folk duo, with real life couple Jared Salte and Bethany Schumacher at its core. The band has achieved certain recognition in their home country but this track about the importance of mental health and learning how to handle high and lows, could be the one that puts them firmly on the radar at an international level. It you like The Strumbellas (I do, a lot), you are going to love this. Enjoy!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Indie
  • Pop

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MONOWHALES – New Threads

Artist: MONOWHALES

Song: New Threads

Genres: #indierock #altpop

Location: Canada

Release date: April, 2022

Comment:  MONOWHALES were featured here more than one year ago and now they’re back with a new single that, while sounding different and fresh, is also very good. This time they delight us with a bedroom pop tune centered about coming of age as an adult.

New Threads is a real earworm. Check it out.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

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Everything
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Indie
Pop

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Rose-Erin Stokes – The Same Way

Rose-Erin Stokes
Photo: Andrew Sowka

Artist: Rose-Erin Stokes

Song: The Same Way

Genres: #indiefolk #singersongwriter

Location: Ontario, Canada

Release date: April, 2022

Comment:  This sweet and gorgeous song goes hand in hand with its quirky music video, which is basically a short film directed by Andrew Sowka. The song, part of Rose-Erin’s upcoming LP, When The Sun Goes Away, is a guitar-based indie-folk tune that somehow reminded me of Regina Spektor‘s Us, even though the two songs don’t sound alike. I guess it is the way how Rose-Erin sings “all along”. Anyway, please enjoy this magical song/music video.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie