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Wio-K - "Want It"

Del F. Cowie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

In many ways Wio-K has always been hidden in plain sight. While his name is not the most recognized in Canadian hip-hop circles, he's had a knack for being around for some important moments. His laid-back patois-tinged flow has solidified its place in the Canadian hip-hop canon with the uplifting "Sunlight," from the groundbreaking inaugural Rap Essentials compilation. (More after the jump.)

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Daniel, Fred & Julie - "Runner"

Vish Khanna — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

As it turns out, Canada has an indie-rock "Monsters of Folk" to call its own. This past summer, Daniel Romano of Welland's Attack in Black travelled to Sackville, NB to visit his old friends, Julie Doiron and her partner (musical and otherwise), Fred Squire. (More after the jump.)

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Hollerado - "Dragon, Dragon, Tiger, Goat"

Josiah Hughes — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Menotick, Ontario rockers Hollerado have announced the details for their "Half World Tour." And while the tour won't actually cover half the world, it will see the band expand the horizons of their small-town upbringing to include dates in Brazil, Argentina and, most notably, China. (More after the jump.)

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Bernard Purdie - "Soul Drums"

David Dacks — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

If you've never heard the name Bernard Purdie, rest assured you are very familiar with his grooves. One of all time great breakbeat authors on the drumkit, at this stage of the game, even if people don't sample him as much as they once did, his sense of swing is bred in hip hop's bones. (More after the jump.)

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Saukrates featuring Andreena M - "Hot Like The Summer"

Del F. Cowie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Since he emerged as a recording artist in the mid 90s, Toronto MC Saukrates has crafted a career as one of Canada's most talented, consistent and respected hip-hop artists. In 2009 in particular, his profile has been almost as high as it's ever been, including the days when he was signed to Def Jam in the U.S. (More after the jump.)

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Moby Dicks - "Ballad of the Red Dog"

Josiah Hughes — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:01:06 EST

Something special is happening in Lethbridge, AB. The college town has never been known for creative output, but a select group are changing that. From the ashes of the band Endangered Ape comes Myelin Sheaths, a science themed garage quartet, and Moby Dicks, who play minimalist, soulful power-pop. (More after the jump.)

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Erup - "Click My Finger" (Poirier Rem

David Dacks — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

This song is in no way related to George Clinton's stinky "Hey Man, Smell My Finger" album. Erup is a rising young dancehall artist whose first big success was "Click My Finger" which peaked at #85 on Billboard's R&B chart. (More after the jump.)

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MC Kam Moye - "Forever Fresh"

Del F. Cowie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Perennially underrated MC Kam Moye, who hails from North Carolina and used to rhyme under the name Supastition, may finally get his deserved recognition with the release of his new album Splitting Image. (More after the jump.)

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Woolworm - "Bad Thing"

Josiah Hughes — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Woolworm jokingly call themselves "blanket rock," and that's ultimately the best description. A lovable mix of twee, indie rock, and the good kind of emo, the band are made up of Vancouver hardcore kids who want to slow it down and soundtrack your nap in the best way possible. (More after the jump.)

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Universal Robot Band - "Barely Breaking Even" (Club V

David Dacks — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Sure the leaves are falling from the trees and the wind becomes colder every day, making harsh economic times feel so much worse. But there is an antidote: A song which defined the early 80s recession is back to make us dance our troubles away one more time. (More after the jump.)

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John K. Samson - City Route 85

Vish Khanna — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:13:51 EST

Weakerthans fans clamouring for those gentle moments on records, where leader John K. Samson's idiosyncratic voice is accompanied by a bare minimum of instrumentation, should pay close attention to his new seven-inch, City Route 85. Samson has stepped away from his band for the first in a series of solo seven inches exploring his conflicted relationship with his home province of Manitoba. (More after the jump.)

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Jim Guthrie - "If Chairs Were Bears"

Vish Khanna — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

A lot of people have waited a long time for new Jim Guthrie music and here, at last, is a kinda, sorta new song by the renowned, underground popsmith. The playfully catchy "If Chairs Were Bears" is an older yet unreleased Guthrie song, featuring all his hallmarks for quirky instrumentation and arrangement mixed perfectly with a whimsical, romantic innocence. (More after the jump.)

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Moby - "One Time We Lived" (Kap Bambi

Ian Gormely — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Hating on Moby is an easy pastime. As the poster boy for overexposure, the New York-based dance superstar found himself on the receiving end of one of Eminem's most famous rhymes; after threatening to unleash Obie Trice on the Little Idiot he declared, "Nobody listens to techno." (More after the jump.)

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Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Heads Will Roll" (A-Trak Remi

Ian Gormely — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

As listeners' attentions shift to the group's work on the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack, this new remix should remind everyone of the awesomeness that was the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' spring release, It's Blitz. (More after the jump.)

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Etaoin Shrdlu - "Brown Sabbath"

Ian Gormely — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Harkening back to the days when progy-post rock bands named themselves after mathematical and scientific theorums, Etaoin Shrdlu ("the approximate order of frequency of the twelve most common letters in the English language" according to their myspace page) is a quartet of Southern Ontario math-rock veterans. (More after the jump.)

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Boban I Marko Marcovic Orkesta - "Devla"

David Dacks — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Miles Davis, upon hearing players at the annual Guča Brass Band Festival in Serbia, said "I didn't know you could play trumpet that way." What impressed him was the intensity of Balkan brass players, both in tone and tempo. The king of all Serbian trumpet players is Boban Markovic. (More after the jump.)

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Jay Arner - "Get Freaky In the Club" (Inte

Josiah Hughes — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Following his previous work with lush indie groups International Falls and The Poison Dart, Vancouver-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jay Arner is currently performing as the production side of dance-pop duo Fine Mist. Either way, everything he touches seems to be both irresistible on the ears and criminally underrated. (More after the jump.)

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Ryan Leslie - "You're Not My Girl"

Del F. Cowie — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Ryan Leslie might just be the hardest working man in R&B. Having graduated from Harvard at the age of 19, he's certainly no stranger to the concept. In addition to being an artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist and a budding behind the scenes figure (he ushered coquettish Cassie and her hit single "Me & U" into the spotlight), Leslie is set to release his second, yes second solo album of the year on a major label. (More after the jump.)

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One Hundred Dollars - "My Father's House"

Vish Khanna — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

As they've done before, Toronto's One Hundred Dollars continue to foster provocative thought in socially conscious songs, striking the perfect balance between meaningful lyrics and musical purity. (More after the jump.)

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Abaji - Origine Orients

David Dacks — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

One of the most notable trends of the last few years in that ill-defined sector called World Music is acoustic fusion, and Parisian multi-instrumentalist Abaji offers up an intriguing blend of trans-Mediterranean styles on his new disc Origine Orients. (More after the jump.)

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Frankie & The Outs - "Thee Only One"

Josiah Hughes — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

As we recently told you, former Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls and Crystal Stilts drummer Frankie Rose has stepped out on her own to form Frankie & The Outs. The five piece band, which is fronted by Rose, will be releasing their debut single later this month through Slumberland Records. (More after the jump.)

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Fashawn - "Life as a Shorty"

Del F. Cowie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

With a mixture of undeniable hunger, humility and self-taught book smarts 20-year-old Fresno, California MC Fashawn has made an impact in a relatively short amount of time. Following his John Singleton-alluding Higher Learning mixtape (featuring the MC rhyming over K-OS' "Sunday Morning") and the recently issued The Antidote entirely produced by The Alchemist, Fashawn is ready to drop his official full-length. (More after the jump.)

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Grade - "These Eyes are On the Exit"

Ian Gormely — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:08:51 EST

When Ontario hardcore heroes Grade broke up in 2002, it was a sad, if somewhat inevitable event. Although albums like Separate the Magnets and Under the Radar helped usher in an era where bands like Alexisonfire and Cancer Bats could find mass acceptance on mainstream media outlets like Much Music, by the time the Burlington group recorded their tepid swansong, Headfirst Straight to Hell, their membership looked nothing like the group fans fell in love with. (More after the jump.)

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Mocky featuring GZA - "Birds of a Feather"

Josiah Hughes — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:04:17 EST

From King Khan and Fucked Up to Devendra Banhart and Black Lips, OG Wu-Tang rapper the GZA has been all over the indie rock world as of late. So it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that the MC recorded a guest verse for funky Berlin-via-Saskatchewan producer Mocky. (More after the jump.)

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Morphy - Dubtopia EP

David Dacks — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Dubstep's international popularity is still on the rise, and with it comes concurrent interest in other sympathetic dub sounds. The music of Glasgow's Morphy isn't all about the bass wobbles and razor-sharp snares, but its more traditional dub hallmarks make for an excellent release from the nonstop tension of its newfangled cousin. (More after the jump.)

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Sufjan Stevens - "Movement VI―Isorhythmic

Vish Khanna — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Though it's not jaw dropping all on its lonesome, "Movement VI―Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges" is a gorgeous harbinger of The BQE, a spectacular multimedia feat and one of Sufjan Stevens' most glorious accomplishments. (More after the jump.)

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Shafiq Husayn - "Nirvana"

Del F. Cowie — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

As one-third of cosmic soul freaks Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Shafiq Husayn is no stranger to pushing the envelope. Hot on the heels of Sa-Ra Creative Partners' Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love, Husayn is now touting his own solo project Shafiq En' A Free-Ka, arguably pushing into more experimental waters than SRCP's music. (More after the jump.)

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Built to Spill - There is No Enemy

Ian Gormely — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Built to Spill's new record There is No Enemy isn't out until tomorrow, but for those of you who can't wait – and haven't downloaded a leaked copy already – the band is streaming the whole damn thing over on their myspace page. (More after the jump.)

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Sleepless Nights - "Run To You"

Ian Gormely — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:12:41 EST

Bryan Adams was famously lampooned as a national embarrassment in the South Park movie. But for some indescribable reason he continues to hold a special place in the heart of many Canadian musicians and music fans. (More after the jump.)

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Noisettes - "Upset Lockdown"

David Dacks — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:11:20 EST

Kanye West flirts with that rarefied level of notoriety known as "famous just for being famous". 808s And Heartbreak seems like it came out during the stone age due to all the ink (and, um, pixels) spilled over his extra-musical shenanigans since its release. (More after the jump.)

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Rich Kidd ft. Junia T. - "Hypnotic"

Del F. Cowie — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

If you've been paying any attention to Toronto hip-hop over the past few months, you'll know that Rich Kidd has seemed like an inescapable force. He's flooded the market with his talent, supplying beats for artists like Drake, Saukrates and King Reign with K-OS' "I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman" arguably his most prominent production credit. (More after the jump.)

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Slew - 100%

Vish Khanna — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

A couple of years in the making, the Slew's new album 100% features Montreal's Kid Koala and Seattle's Dynomite D indulging in their heavier side, infusing turntablism with rock 'n' roll for a remarkably pure hybrid. (More after the jump.)

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Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinso - “The Sound”

Ian Gormely — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, MBAR to the acronym inclined, burst out of Brooklyn and into the indie-rock conscience last year when his self-titled debut album got a proper release. Produced by Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor and Chris Bear, the album presented a lo-fi bedroom artist with Phil Spector pop ambitions. (More after the jump.)

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Rich Aucoin - Public Publication (pre

Ian Gormely — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Halifax's Rich Aucoin created one of the greatest audio-visual shows I've every seen with his Personal Publication EP. Creating Flaming Lips-esque indie rock specifically designed to sync with Dr. Seuss's classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" was a stroke of DIY genius. (More after the jump.)

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Electric Wire Hustle - "Chaser"

Del F. Cowie — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Apparently taking their name from a track from Common's much-maligned Electric Circus album, this New Zealand trio might set off alarm bells for some. But an unbiased approach to their music proves nothing could be further from the truth. (More after the jump.)

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Gang Gang Dance - "Bebey" (DJ/Rupture & Matt Sha

David Dacks — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:10:49 EST

Perhaps overshadowed by Animal Collective and Dirty Projectors as Willliamsburg's most popular and critically acclaimed artists of the last year or so, the quirky, fierce and utterly danceable charms of Gang Gang Gang Dance's last album Saint Dymphna should not be forgotten. (More after the jump.)

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Evangelista - "The Slayer"

Vish Khanna — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

On her third trip to Montreal's Hotel2Tango studio to create another record, Carla Bozulich indulged in the darker recesses of her heavy as fuck art-rock outlet, Evangelista. As devastating as 2008's Hello, Voyager seemed upon its release, its sonic structures were empowering calls to arms. Due out October 6th, Prince of Truth promises something far less charging and anthemic than its predecessor but no less stirring. (More after the jump.)

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Eric Copeland - "Al Anon"

David Dacks — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

The title suggests an angry and depressed blast of noise emanating from the depths of withdrawl. Eric Copeland, one third of Black Dice, is certainly capable of such a racket. Here, however, he is positively jaunty in a wobbly, shuffling kind of way – I guess this "Al Anon" just leaves you with the shakes. (More after the jump.)

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Drake - "Fear"

Josiah Hughes — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

With his debut album, Thank Me Later, taking forever to drop, Young Money Entertainment are satiating Drake fans with an official release of his So Far Gone mixtape. The tape, which launched the massive hit "Best I Ever Had", will be getting an official release on September 15. (More after the jump.)

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Kamau - "Somebody (I Am)"

Del F. Cowie — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Ian Kamau's voice is one that demands to be heard. In fact, if you've paid attention to Canadian hip-hop over the past few years you may have heard it without even realizing it. Credited as Kamau, he appeared on K-os' first three albums, delivering thought-provoking and poetic interludes. (More after the jump.)

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Julie Fader - "Maps"

Vish Khanna — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

A gifted musician/vocalist for hire, Julie Fader has been a secret pop sensation for many years. But all that should change this month with the release of her debut record, Outside In. (More after the jump.)

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Arietta - "Northearned" (Secret Sessions

Ian Gormely — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Toronto's Arietta turned quite a few heads earlier this year with their debut album Migration, whose frenetic energy and impassioned vocals won over just about everyone who listened to it. Among the converted it seems were the folks at The Audio Recording Academy who invited the sextet to perform for their Secret Sessions. (More after the jump.)

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Todor Kobakov - "Loving Hands featuring Tunde

Ian Gormely — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Todor Kobakov is a Bulgarian-born, Toronto-based composer whose work has included scoring both commercials and films, and providing string arrangements for the indie rockers like Stars, Jason Collett and Small Sins. Now, with the release of his debut album, Pop Music Kobakov hopes to marry these two worlds. (More after the jump.)

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Cloak/Dagger - "Don't Need A"

Josiah Hughes — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:55:15 EST

Richmond, Virginia's Cloak/Dagger somehow straddle a wonderful line between hardcore punk and raging garage rock, like a bastard child of Hot Snakes, Regulations and Circle Jerks. The result is a body of work that can give the right person goose bumps. (More after the jump.)

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Brownout - "Olvidalo"

David Dacks — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Brownout's upcoming album may finally bring them to the larger audience they deserve. Despite hailing from Austin and having played SXSW a couple of times, the band's funky pan-Latino grooves have flown under the radar. (More after the jump.)

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Dam-Funk - "Love Is Here 2Nite (Can You F

Del F. Cowie — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Perennially hip West Coast label Stones Throw, which built its name on its progressive take on hip-hop has recently been increasing its profile with artists casting their eyes on bygone eras. Mayer Hawthorne may have garnered a significant amount of attention for his take on way-back soul music, but his label-mate Dam-Funk is plumbing the musical territory of another, more recent era. (More after the jump.)

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No Age - “You’re A Target”

Ian Gormely — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

L.A. lo-fi/fuzz-punk/shitgaze/whatever-you-want-to-call-them duo No Age have a new EP coming out on Sub Pop this October called Losing Feeling. But if October seems like just too long of a wait, Sub Pop is streaming the whole damn thing over on their website right now. (More after the jump.)

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Balconies - "300 Pages" (Secret Sessions a

Ian Gormely — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Most of the The Audio Recording Acadmey's Secret Sessions participants have been artists whose albums have come out in the last year. But for this, the final session, Ottawa's The Balconies are offering up a sneak peak at what their debut record, out September 15, has in store. (More after the jump.)

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Dunkelbunt - "Chocolate Butterfly"

David Dacks — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Now clear of its 20th birthday, German world music label Piranha Muzik keeps on going strong. While the label habitually reaches out to the furthest flung genre blenders in global groove, Dunklebunt is practically their next door neighbour. (More after the jump.)

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D-Sisive - “Four”

Vish Khanna — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Suddenly prolific Toronto hip-hop innovator D-Sisive is teasing us with pre-release singles from Jonestown, his next full-length album, due November 18 (the 31st anniversary of the Jonestown Massacre). (More after the jump.)

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