Nicky MacKenzie’s commanding vocals weave into hypnotic R&B melodies, drawing inspiration from the likes of Charlotte Day Wilson, Daniel Caesar, and Hozier. A gifted songwriter capable of both hauntingly poignant restraint and irresistibly catchy pop melodies, she focuses on the universalities that shape us—breakups, self-doubt, nights out—and leaves space for her audience to unpack their own experiences.

Adding layers to Nicky’s vision is LA-based production duo Likeminds, who infused her forthcoming EP, MORALS, with body-moving synths and percussion. The first single, “Comfortable,” examines the space between adolescence and young adulthood, questioning what it will feel like to finally arrive in a place of self-reliance.

Hazy, heady, hedonistic and hopeful—Gold Control is JEEN’s fourth album this decade. The luminous ten tracker glides along the same trajectory as its predecessors while maintaining its own identity. Grunge. Garage. Psych-rock. Punk. Tinges of Shoegaze. Her influences continue to shine as she crafts them into her own vehicle with ease. 

She joined creative forces once again with long-time collaborator Canadian indie musician and producer Ian Blurton who has taken the role of co-producer on JEEN’s last five albums. “Pour Your Heart” was the first song recorded for Gold Control, a laid-back track about searching for lights in the dark.

Laura Reznek has never liked to talk about herself. If you listen closely to her music, however, you’ll hear murmurs of naked disclosure — fragments of grief, anger, and complicated joy riddled through her melodies. In her new micro EP Leap Year (Birthday Cake Records), Laura wrestles with time during which everything and nothing happens, and the betrayal of boredom in the midst of life-changing loss. Laura layers meticulous arrangements with found sounds, crafting plush sonic textures that occasionally bristle with something darker.

Released as an experimental standalone between two major projects, Laura’s “Time In The World” has the character of an interlude. Starting life as a self-soothing lullaby in times of anxiety, that original melody developed into an apocalyptic soundscape with elements of trip hop, industrial rock, and electronica. The song speaks to the anxieties of a generation too: it’s released alongside Pippa Johnstone’s acclaimed six part audio series, Expectant, (listed as one of the best new podcasts of the year by CBC, Apple Podcasts (Canada), and Amazon Music (Canada) which deals with the climate crisis and intergenerational trauma.