New Music

Originally from Ottawa, ON, Patrick Smith is a saxophonist now based in Toronto. He has studied with Mike Murley, Kelly Jefferson, acclaimed American saxophonist Mark Shim and established himself as a gifted, in-demand musician. Smith is an active bandleader, currently helming his quintet, his trio 3-Oh and now his latest project, Pangea – a jazz fusion concept group comprising some of the top members of the Toronto music scene. They draw from the spirit of John Coltrane, reimagined in the 21st century and existing in the age of global connectivity. Featuring local heavyweights Darryl Joseph-Denie (Ahi, Listening Room), Kae Murphy (BADBADNOTGOOD, Whitney) and Jon Catanus (Erez Zobary, Diskarte), they are readying the release of their debut album for January 2025.

When forming Pangea, Smith aimed to combine arabic music, R&B/neo-soul, UK jazz and late era John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders and Sun Ra. The melody of the upcoming LP’s lead single, “Another Set,” is based on violin sections of old Arabic songs. In particular, it’s inspired by the way Johnny Abou Chacra of Kazdoura plays the saxophone and guitar. “Another Set” perfectly encapsulates Pangea‘s influences and captures the feeling of pushing through when you really want to quit.

Toronto singer-songwriter Noah Mroueh, also known as ARK IDENTITY, has revealed a self-reflective and bass-driven collection of introspective indie pop with his debut EP, ANNDALE (just released on November 8th).

“ANNDALE is a journey back to where it all started, a deep dive into the memories, questions, and lessons that have shaped who I am today. It’s a reflection on the past and a step forward in understanding myself,” Mroueh says of the EP, produced by Philippe Andre.

Mroueh explores shimmering indie rock (“Screens”), psychedelic guitar effects (“Eyes”), and acoustic-led narrative writing (“Atmosphere”) on this rich and varied exploration into the artist’s past. Named after the street he grew up on, ANNDALE Drive in North York, Mroueh wrote every song on the EP in the basement of his childhood home, where he traced the “chaos of [his] memories, learning to move forward with a deeper sense of self.”

Ontario’s Odd Marshall is that strange guy in the backwoods. His songs speak of world travels, but it kind of feels like he’s come out of nowhere. Don Kerr has produced his upcoming debut album with Mike O’Brien on lead guitar and Jason Haberman playing bass. If they’re not known as Canada’s ‘Wrecking Crew,’ they should be.

Continuing his canon of “failure” in his songwriting, always open raw and feeling in his lyrics, Odd Marshall‘s new single, “Lucky Dragon,” is inspired by a rundown Chinese restaurant in Pittsburgh that he would frequent after a long night out. Recorded in Toronto at Don’s Rooster Studios, the energetic single with poignant, raw lyrics mentions Cici, the stoic woman who ran the restaurant.

New Brunswick-based singer-songwriter Kylie Fox released her sophomore studio album, Sequoia, this past September; 11 songs that fuse vintage elements folk storytelling, jazz and alternative rock while serving as reflections on gratitude in relation to the women in Fox’s life, her environment, her relationships, and herself. Guided by renowned producer Daniel Ledwell (Jenn Grant, Fortunate Ones, The Good Lovelies), Fox has crafted a body of work that not only showcases her remarkable vocal range and songwriting skills but also reaches deeper into themes of self-discovery, love, and empowerment.

Fox started writing the album’s third track, “Flush,” during the first summer of dating her now-fiancé and drummer Ryan Barrie. While getting to know each other, Fox noticed how rosy his cheeks get when he’s having drinks. That led to the catchy first verse, which grew into a song that lists quirky things about him, like his sleepy habits, or his tough-guy-teddy bear aesthetic. “Flush” is a love song about honoring “the best and all the rest” in your partner.

While recording, Ledwell commented on how the song was evocative of 70s Sesame Street music. Embracing this eccentric comparison, they leaned into the reference for the making of the music video, teaming up with filmmaker Jillian Acreman. They made a puppet to look just like Barrie, and created a really playful and colourful world to support the song, with nods to Cookie Monster and Ernie.

Sunshine Coast based Indie Rocker Charley BT is back again with his new single ‘Liberty’, which premiered exclusively via The Point Music News.

“Liberty was inspired by no other than the definition itself, to liberate oneself, to take the space to be whatever the fuck you want, but I think it comes at a price these days. It feels as though my generation are happy to live in this disconnected state of a fake reality whilst thinking we are all in pursuit of our dreams, but the fact is we need each other now more than ever.”

‘Liberty’ was produced by ARIA award winning producer Troy Brady (Amity Affliction)and is for fans of Sticky Fingers and Dominic Fike.

Charley BT recently released his intoxicating debut single‘Lemon’, which premiered exclusively via Backseat Mafia. The breakout single was aired on well over 100 radio stations.

“Lemon is a shimmering track that jangles and sparkles under Charlie BT’s velvet vocals, filled with an aching intensity. There is no doubt there are discernable elements of fellow compatriots DMA’s in the delicious pop intensity – both the vocal delivery and the luscious guitar driven architecture – signaling a prodigious career ahead.”
Arun Kendall – Backseat Mafia

New single ‘Liberty’ is available on all major online stores and streaming services.

Sarah Swire is a multi-disciplinary artist with work spanning across stage, screen and television. As an actor, Swire is known for The Boys, Anna and the Apocalypse, Murdoch Mysteries, the upcoming Apple TV+ thriller The Last Frontier and Hallmark’s new drama Ripple (the latter two both set for release in 2025). Swire is an art-rock songwriter and storyteller who often incorporates original monologues and word art into their live performance.

Their 2023 debut album, Sister Swire, was produced by Joel Plaskett in Dartmouth, NS. Swire has also toured and performed theatre internationally and has arranged and composed original music for the BBC, Avalon Arts and The National Theatre of Scotland. After graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, they toured with the band Belle and Sebastian and choreographed shows at Radio City Music Hall, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Scotland’s Olympic Hydro Stadium and Glastonbury Music Festival.

“Tight!” and “The Fish Song” are Swire‘s newest singles following Sister Swire. Full of beefheart-ian lyricism and Burroughs-esque word art, these songs mark a shift in their songwriting and build off the fiction driven narratives heard on Sister Swire‘s “I Shot The President” or “She’s Screaming.” Reminiscent of early Nick Cave records, they are inspired by strange fiction from authors like Joy Williams, Tom Robbins, Lewis Carroll and Ishmeal Reed.

Toronto indie band Oba first crossed paths in high school, but it wasn’t until after graduation that they began jamming together seriously. During their college years, they all lived together, playing shows, writing songs, and, honestly, just hanging out. There was probably more hanging out than anything else, but that’s what built the foundation of the band’s bond.

It was a bond forged through playing to empty rooms at odd hours, writing songs that now make us cringe, and meeting some of the most interesting, unstable, and artistic people along the way. Today, under the name Oba, they are a family who creates music that they genuinely enjoy listening to and hope that people who need a couple songs to daydream to, can find comfort in our songs. The band name is a nod to their beloved Obaajan (grandma in Japanese), who always made sushi and other snacks for long road trips to gigs across Canada.

Their latest single, “Could Have,” is a layered and dreamy piece of swirling indie rock. A collaborative and organic track, the band formed together naturally to tackle the feeling of “what could have been?” with poignant songwriting. It captures the feeling of reflecting on the past, knowing things could have unfolded differently, and feeling haunted by the lingering ghost of what might have been.

In today’s cultural landscape, where social media thrives on remixing narratives and presenting fragmented views of our everyday lives, Toronto-based band Jackie and her brother (siblings Jackie & Mark Andrade) harness gritty digital instruments to deliver a punk-infused, abstract critique. Their latest single, “Happy Shadows,” reflects our collective obsession with life mimicry, constant updates, and the pervasive nature of surveillance in our daily routines.

From the earliest days of childhood to the twilight years of life, everyone is participating in this social media experiment. Jackie and her brother function as both participants and critics of this new mode of experiencing and representing life; in short, the song explores concepts of mimicry and resistance to following trends and trending patterns. “Happy Shadows” includes lyrics that explore the beauty and simplicity of cherished childhood memories and the forceful presence and constant intrusion of social media in those memories.