New Music

With a voice steeped in truth and a heart wired for raw expression, Emmett Jerome unveils “Pretty Pieces,” a wistful, stripped-back meditation on love lost and the latest single to be shared from his upcoming It Ain’t Me LP, out October 22nd via Light Organ Records. Rooted in folk and Americana but tinted with the heavier essence of 90’s grunge, the song captures the helplessness of watching a relationship dissolve in real time – each shard of heartbreak slipping away like “all the best parts” of life itself.
“This is my heartbreak song for this batch of work,” says Jerome. “It’s got a darker, more wistful tone than the others. It draws on the experience of having a relationship break apart before your very eyes – you feel helpless as the pieces slip through your fingers.”

Written in a single sitting in his living room, the song poured out in less than 10 minutes – a rare, almost urgent moment of inspiration. Jerome cites Alice In Chains’ MTV Unplugged session and Chris Cornell’s late-career acoustic work as guiding influences, filtering their raw intensity through his own folk and country sensibilities. 

From the streets of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to the quiet corners of the heart, Jont’s “No Lines” is a tender, contemplative new single that traces the evolving bond between parent and child – in doing so, it reflects on the deeper truths of human connection. Gentle, meditative, and lyrical, the track unfolds like a poem set to music, a sonnet in motion that is both intimate and universal.

The song was born on a wintry morning, the day of his daughter’s 16th birthday. After a small disagreement in the car, Jont returned home to find lines of poetry spilling from him almost effortlessly:

What is yours and what is mine? I could guess and make a line, wouldn’t mean it’s true. It’s just a line between the two of us.

What began as a sonnet written on an envelope – a three-stanza, concluding couplet echoing back to English class – soon evolved into a song. “I picked up the guitar and it just fell into place fairly effortlessly,” Jont recalls. “Though the song was born as a personal acknowledgement and celebration of my relationship with my daughter, its message is universal – a recognition of our true nature, and a prayer for nurturing harmonious bonds in all human relationships.”

Calgary, AB/Los Angeles, CA-based newcomer Ev. G makes a striking debut with And Then I Go Up – a bold, atmospheric, and deeply introspective album that navigates identity, inner contradictions, and the quiet transformations that define us. Pulling from literary musings, mythological lore, and his own existential investigations, Ev brings a unique voice and perspective to some universal curiosities. 

Recorded over several years across multiple iconic spaces – including Sound City (LA), Studio B in Calgary, Tall Pines (Temagami), and Will Maclellan’s Pasadena studio – And Then I Go Up evolved through collaboration with producers Brock Geiger and Maclellan, whose willingness to experiment provides a varied, rich sonic palette from start to finish.

“Anytime Brock, Will, and I were in a room together, it just felt like a good hang,” says Ev. “Making the album over time in different settings allowed us to approach with fresh ears and figure out what the songs needed which resulted in each one undergoing some major revisions. Those were some of my favourite parts of the whole process – taking something I’d grown used to hearing a certain way, then reimagining it to serve the song in the best way we could.”

Montreal-based pop/R&B artist Satya returns with “Realness,” a soulful, empowering anthem about finding true, unconditional love in a world that often feels chaotic and unsteady. The single blends sleek, modern R&B textures with Satya’s warm, emotive voice – offering both sensuality and strength in equal measure.

Written by Tranell Antoine and co-written alongside Satya and Garett Raffanelli, “Realness” is rooted in the profound experience of discovering loyalty, trust, and emotional safety. For Satya, it’s about celebrating love that’s genuine, grounding, and rare. “The title captures the core essence of the song – it’s about love that is sincere, unfiltered, and unwavering,” she explains. “It’s not just romance – it’s the authenticity and depth behind it that makes it so powerful.”

With its slow tempo, layered harmonies, and intimate production choices by Domeno – from glowing synth pads to reverb-soaked backing vocals – “Realness” embodies the warmth and clarity of love at its truest form. Simple, direct, and deeply resonant, it distills the awe of experiencing something profoundly new.

| HEDY BLAAZER |

SYDNEY BASED SINGER-SONGWRITER RELEASES NEW EP ‘HOLIDAY STAYS’ + ANNOUNCES LAUNCH SHOW 

Sydney based singer/songwriter Hedy Blaazer has released her new EP ’Holiday Stays’, which premiered exclusively via AAA Backstage.

She has also announced a local launch show at Sneaky Possum tonight alongside Julia Johnson and Dovetale. Hedy will be accompanied by her live band with Marcella on the fiddle, Jo on the Banjo and Renee on drums.

Her lyrics are honest, emotional and raw. Her music is unique and genre bending. Her voice has been described as ‘stunning’, ‘beautifully distinct’ and ‘simply sublime’. The multitalented songstress has opened for Jose Gonzalez, toured the East Coast multiple times, played a handful of festivals (Marrickville Music Festival, Dashville Sky Ball, Parramatta Lanes), and her track ‘Elvis Impersonator’ was named as a finalist in Happy Mag’s 2021 ‘Needle in the Hay’ competition.

Since her debut in 2021, Hedy Blaazer has released multiple singles/videos and has gained traction via media outlets such as ABC Rage, Double J, The AU Review, AAA Backstage, Australian Music Scene, The Point Music News, Music Of The Future plus many more outlets. 

New EP ’Holiday Stays’ is available on all major online streaming services. 

Toronto’s Victoria Staff returns with “Love Should Feel” – a bright, romantic indie-pop single that soaks in the joy of love when it’s simple, easy, and right. The track beams with warmth, capturing that rare kind of connection where everything else fades into the background.

“For a long time, I thought love was something that was supposed to be difficult. It was supposed to be chased and fought for,” Staff says. “Turns out, it’s supposed to be easy. ‘Love Should Feel’ is about just basking in how simple good love is.”

Ash Molloy returns with her most anthemic and cathartic track yet. “nice to know you” is a fiery alt-rock sing-along built to be shouted back at her from the crowd – a raw, unfiltered release that invites listeners to collectively say goodbye to toxic ties and broken friendships.

From its soaring chorus to its biting lyrical edge, “nice to know you” encapsulates the moment of finally letting go – equal parts painful, liberating, and triumphant. Molloy’s powerhouse vocals ride over a crashing alt-rock backdrop, recalling the 90s icons she’s often compared to while pushing her own voice further than ever.

Montreal’s Libby Ember arrives with her introspective debut EP, I Kill Spiders. Thoughtful, anxious, and emotionally candid, the four-track collection captures the young singer-songwriter’s journey through self-doubt and quiet contemplation. Blending warm indie-pop textures with the raw honesty of indie-folk, the record is a compelling exploration of growth, conscience, and the weight of our smallest actions.

I Kill Spiders moves through questioning, longing, and reflection, creating a cohesive story of emotional honesty. The EP showcases Libby Ember‘s signature introspective lyricism while delivering warm, accessible, and intimate production.

Calgary-based indie-rock outfit Summer Bruises are releasing their sophomore album, Out of Body, recorded at OCL Studio with producer Lorrie Matheson.

The record asks the listener to face the archetype of the predator – internal, external, figurative, or literal. From cartoonish vampiric characters in “Sang Crême Glacée” to the volatile intensity of “With Me or At Me,” the album wrestles with abusive relationships, loneliness, self-reckoning, and the desire to heal. Lead single, “Death Disco,” pulses with unrelenting energy, balancing goth-inspired tension with a sharp post-punk edge.

Musically, Out of Body hears Summer Bruises leaning into darker textures and isolating atmospheres compared to their debut. “As the album’s music and lyrics are ‘colder’ than our debut, Light to Waste, we isolated ourselves from each other in different rooms during recording or finished our tracks individually,” explains guitarist Aaron Smelski. “This was intentional and encouraged by our producer, Lorrie Matheson. Overall, it has a colder feel – similar to a Joy Division album – than warm cohesiveness like our previous record.”

The cold, drum-machine-inspired percussion and discordant piano break open the artery of lead single, “Death Disco,” creating a danceable yet uneasy atmosphere. While much of the band’s debut Light to Waste LP came together with harmony and ease, “Death Disco” was the first time Summer Bruises encountered creative friction. “Don’t worry – we still love each other,” they clarify, “but it was the first time we really had to navigate through tension and find a healthy way forward.”