Sleepkit is a band who can genuinely be described as mind-expanding; from the nucleus of their songwriting to the texturally-ornamented arrangements, they manage to imbue each aspect of their music with a sly veneer of otherness.

Initially more frantic (and loud enough to piss off their neighbours so much that the working title was “Doug Anger”) the band streamlined a recorded jam, refining the vibe, layering in texture and melody until “Oxygen On The Autobahn” emerged. The title was chosen as a nod to Jean-Michel Jarre’s lush 1976 synth opus Oxygène, after founding songwriters Marie Sulkowski and Ryan Bourne realized it was formative for both of them; a staple for respective family trips – Bourne’s camping off the Transcanada and Marie’s actually ripping down the Autobahn.

With producer Scott Munro (Preoccupations, Chad VanGaalen) at the helm, the track feels juicy and propulsive yet somehow austere – it’s heavy but sibilant, with a driving bounce that lives in a kind of Paradise Garage of the mind; it’s like cruising inside an ecstatic fever dream on a mythical Autobahn.

Luella is the musical project of 20 year old Kingston/Montreal-based artist Liv Whitfield. Her soulful dream-pop sound is most notable for its catchy baselines, crisp vocals, and honest lyrics. 2022 brought the release of her debut album, Luna, produced in collaboration with her father, Zane Whitfield, at North of Princess Studio (Glorious Sons, Kathleen Edwards, Blue Stones). Luella’s sophomore album, Summer Bummer, is a testament to her final years of girlhood; bolder with a newfound confidence all while staying true to her trademark vulnerability. A fusion of earnest lyrics and warm melodies, Luella captures the bittersweet essence of fleeting summers and the complexities of first love and inevitable heartbreak.

In her new single, “Peach Ginger Tea,” Luella is comparing her past relationship to an ice cold glass of peach ginger tea. The idea always sounds lovely on a scorching hot summer afternoon, but after a couple of sips, you realize it’s never been all that sweet and this hot summer weather isn’t going to last forever. 

WAASH — the latest, pop-refining project from Vancouver songwriter Andrew Bishop — is

previewing the upcoming self-titled full-length with latest single “Frozen.” The soaring, synth-

coursing statement on putting up boundaries as a form of self-care arrives on WAASH’s label home, Light Organ Records.

Following the shoegaze slant of WAASH’s similarly self-titled 2023 EP, “Frozen” is more of an electronics-forward take on ‘80s era pop, which points to the broader electronic experimentation Bishop brought to his next LP. While it’s an aesthetically smooth stream, the single also stirs up Bishop’s thoughts on some interpersonal strife.

“Frozen” was the last track written for the record. Not only was it the last song written, it took many shapes and forms along the way. Initially, Bishop left the demo pretty stripped down, planning on building it up in the studio. Sometimes you just want to save some of that magic for the moment. The lyrics were co-written with Courtney Ewan Hancock, Bishop’s longtime partner in pop-rock outfit, Twin River.

Award-winning new wave Canadian band The Pukka Orchestra was formed in 1979 by lead vocalist/guitarist/main songwriter Graeme Williamson and vocalists/guitarists/co-songwriters Neil Chapman and Tony Duggan-Smith. Based in Toronto in the ‘80s and ‘90s, they became an important and revered contributor to the Queen Street music scene of that era.

After a two decade hiatus, The Pukka Orchestra completed a new album – Chaos Is Come Again (Pacemaker/Cadence Records, March 2024) – of updated, reworked, remixed tracks, remastered posthumously after the death of Williamson. The original tracks were made available only to friends and local fans and now, Chaos Is Come Again is widely available. Stream here and purchase here.

“If we don’t care about our world and those in it, then chaos has come again” is the album’s resonant theme. “Weekend (Come Alive!)” ushers it in with an intense dance groove and reckless guitar solo, combating injustice in life with positivity.

Alternative indie folk singer Rory Taillon (pronounced Tay-lawn) has a voice that needs to be heard. Trained as a classical singer from a young age, his years of study are evident in the power and control that he has over his voice. He uses his warm guitar tone, haunting lyrics, dynamic voice, layers of looping and the thumping of his kick drum to take the audience on a journey through his set from exhilarating highs to emotional lows. 

His song “Hatchet” is about struggling with the anxiety and frustration toward dealing with toxic people in your life. Social norms imply that you should just accept toxic behavior and abuse from certain people in your life, especially if they are family or because it’s just easier to act like they aren’t problematic or harmful. Rory asks in this song, “How can that hatchet stay buried / If you keep digging it up / For one more swing?”