Transportive and oblique, “Way We Remember” is a swirling new offering from Calgary-born, Toronto-based artist Ev. G. Taken from his forthcoming debut album, And Then I Go Up, out September 23rd, the single leans into asymmetry, psychedelia, and sonic disorientation all while pulsing with hallucinatory swagger. Built on a hazy bed of vaporwave textures, the track unspools like a lucid dream in motion, grappling with the slipperiness of memory and the ways we warp time.
Initially crafted by longtime collaborator and producer Brock Geiger, the track began as an ambient, beatless world of airy synths and pitch-shifted guitar loops. “I wanted to give Ev a musical palette to write to that felt hazy and static,” Geiger shares, “but had slow evolution that would allow for a variety of melodic and phrasing approaches.” The instrumental demo file was titled “Way We Remember,” which quickly became both a subliminal prompt and conceptual anchor.
“We worked on this one in a few places,” Ev. G adds, “but one of the most important was a log cabin studio on a lake in northern Ontario – Brett Pederson’s Tall Pines. That setting kind of cracked the song open. Something about that place helped us reach further into the trippy spaces we wanted the song to explore.”
Toronto-based, PEI-raised singer-songwriter Kari Lyn returns with “Home,” a roadtrip-ready folk anthem bursting with heart, hooks, and east coast pride. Marking her third single with producer Dan Hosh (Arkells, Wild Rivers), the track blends acoustic warmth with infectious melodies and vivid storytelling, capturing the magic of coming full circle after years of chasing something else.
Written during a songwriting session with production duo Good Grief as part of Canada’s Music Incubator, “Home” reflects on Kari Lyn’s six-year journey across 29 countries and the unexpected realization that what she was searching for had always been waiting back in PEI. “I spent years running away from home, traveling the world, just to realize how important it was,” she shares.
The track’s rich textures – including a sneakily perfect fiddle sample and chantable la-di-da’s – mirror the song’s message: sometimes the pieces don’t make sense until you step back and take it all in. “We wanted it to feel like people were singing along – like a kitchen party in song form,” Kari Lyn explains.
For over a decade, Dwayne Gretzky has been igniting packed venues across Canada with joyfully explosive live performances that celebrate the greatest songs of the last 50 years. Now, the beloved Toronto-based band is bringing that spirit to the screen with Dwayne’s World, a new monthly live cover video series on YouTube.
Check out their brand new rendition of Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al” HERE.
Purchase tickets for Dwayne Gretzky’s upcoming live show alongside Choir! Choir! Choir! at Toronto’s Bud Stage on August 7th HERE.
After 14 years, 1000+ gigs, and a repertoire spanning hundreds of songs, the band is turning their attention to the digital space in hopes of expanding their audience beyond their Southern Ontario stronghold. “We’ve always thought about doing something like this,” the band shares, “but now felt like the right moment. Once we had the idea of transforming our rehearsal space into Dwayne’s World, it just unlocked everything.”
The series is filmed inside a lovingly constructed DIY set that looks like the basement of your coolest friend’s older brother – all 70s wood paneling, vintage flair, and shag carpet charm. But in true Dwayne fashion, it’s not a basement at all: it’s the second floor of a warehouse in Toronto’s industrial west end, which the band has called home since 2019.
Last fall, when a rent spike threatened to push them out, the band doubled down instead – hand-cutting, staining, and installing the wall paneling themselves. “The set has rejuvenated the space and given it more purpose,” they say. “It fits what we’re doing perfectly – celebrating iconic songs from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s with our own spin.”
And it’s not just about sounding good – it’s about feeling good. The Dwayne’s World series captures the same contagious joy that defines their live shows. “Songs are magical, transportive things,” the band says. “Whether it’s a specific memory or just a broader wave of shared nostalgia, we’re always chasing that feeling and bringing people along for the ride.”
The performances are filmed and edited by Thom Varey, with camera support from Brittany Farhat and Matt Wong, and live audio recording by Nathan Vanderweilen. The tracks are mixed by the band’s own Ian Docherty, one of their two guitarists. Every video is performed live, with no overdubs, and – staying true to their no-iPad policy – entirely from memory. “It’s more fun and freeing that way,” they explain. “We put in the work so we can perform without a safety net.”
Welcome to Dwayne’s World – it’s party time. Excellent.
