New Music

Toronto group The Neighbourhood Watch‘s story-driven blend of folk and indie rock clearly touched a nerve when they released their album Community Protected (2017). The album was a kind of anthology: a collection of songs about the dissolution of family, the philosophical angst of turning seventeen, and what it feels like to get a bit too high for your own good. Without any sort of label or industry support, the album racked up 10 million+ streams and became the main soundtrack for the indie film Midnight at the Paradise (2022). The DIY release laid the groundwork for the band’s future success.

They followed this release with the albums Goodbye Childhood (2019) and Lost in Bloom (2021). The records both honed in on the fear that often accompanies growing up – with songs about heartbreak, lost friendships, and the forced solitude of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, The Neighbourhood Watch are readying their forthcoming fourth album: a meditation on family, illness, and loving what life gives you nonetheless.

Off the LP comes “Spoke Like Summer,” a string-arranged (done by Brendan Thomas) ballad and performed by him alongside Madeleine Kay on violin – it’s truly the kind of lush, romantic, string arrangement that you don’t get enough of these days. The song is inspired by the feeling of falling in love after coming out of a dark place, and the joy of building a future with someone.

Hamilton, ON’s Golden Feather are expanding their string of single releases from their self-titled upcoming debut LP, with the subtle and assuring “What Your Heart Is Telling You.” Golden Feather will be out worldwide on September 20th.

A laidback soft rock/pop release featuring gentle woodwinds and an understated rhythm section, “What Your Heart Is Telling You” is a song about self-belief. “It’s best not to idolize anyone,” vocalist Bradley Germain advises over mellifluous saxophone harmonies.

Andie Loren is a Toronto based singer/songwriter whose music is a mix of dream pop and rock. Her lyrics focus on love, loss and the rollercoaster of emotions and questions we have in relationships while her songs are characterized by the desire to understand human nature, and how love can consume us in positive and negative ways.

Loren‘s rich, warm vocals are heartfelt and her approach to writing is honest, straightforward and open. Upcoming EP, Some Special Light, is a concept album that looks into our desperate need to matter to someone, and the highs and lows that come along with it.

Her passionate, Thomas Hammerton-produced guitar driven single, “Hearts Grow Wide,” is filled out with dreamy synth, melodic bass and energetic pop rock drumming. The inspiration for the track derives from modern dating culture and the longing to connect with someone romantically.

Ways in Waves is the brainchild of Brian Raine, a multi-instrumentalist and music producer living out of Edmonton, Alberta. With malleable form and the spirit of experimentation at its core, the group began as a live duo, and eventually expanded to a five piece live band with Raine picking up vocals as well as guitar and keys parts.

Their upcoming album is set for release next month (September 2024) and combines aspects of rock, art-pop, and electronic music together into a mixture that propels the listener through controlled chaos. With drums engineered by Quinn Cyrankiewicz of Royal Tusk and performed by Joel Joeske of Whale & The Wolf, the newest releases from Ways in Waves (including “Who in War,” “Everything Taken,” and “Ovum Nova”) are explosive and driven while maintaining an ethereal backdrop.

Latest single, “Death of Others,” was written in the midst of Raine losing several platonic relationships. “There’s a lot of breakup songs out there, but most of those are about romantic relationships,” he says. “The feelings that came out of feeling this distance growing between myself and people I used to love was very painful, and made me contemplate just… starting over, imagining leaving everything and everyone behind and beginning life again as a new person, with no ties to anyone or anything.”

Canadian singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Wayne first came to recognition as a founding member and songwriter in the critically acclaimed, award-winning band, The Warped 45s. In early 2022, after several years away from touring and recording, Ryan suffered two strokes.

As part of the healing process, he was drawn back to the music world and began the final production and mixing of a series of self-produced songs with Grammy Award-winning producer and mixing engineer, Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Patti Smith, Daniel Lanois). The record, Crow Amongst the Sparrows, was released in September 2023 to critical acclaim.

Ryan’s new single, “Grand Illusions,” featuring Felicity Williams of Bahamas, is the third release from his yet to be titled new album. This dreamy and psychedelic release melds winding and ethereal guitar and vocal harmonies.

Though much of Toronto rock band A Short Walk to Pluto’s success is owed to their social media engagement, it is their genre-defying original music and energetic live performances that have generated a loyal, consistent, and far reaching following. This young and professional-sounding foursome is prepared to deliver a show that concert goers will remember for a lifetime.

Unique and cathartic new single, “Outcast,” is a tribute to Canadian Rock heroes. Written in the style of Rush, The Tragically Hip, Alanis Morissette, and Big Wreck, this song pays tribute to a long history of Canadian rock music. Lyrically, the song has undergone many iterations with the final version being an expression of depression due to social ostracization and the feeling of loneliness in a relationship.