New Music

Toronto indie rock trio BBQ Pope return with UNFURL, their long-awaited sophomore album, and a bold reflection on grief, growth, and navigating adulthood’s uncertainties. Written after a three-year hiatus and shaped by loss, friendship, and perseverance, the record delivers nine songs that balance raw heaviness with gratitude, maturity, and the DIY spirit that has fueled the band since day one.

At the heart of the record lies “Pool Hall,” a cathartic track about memory, loss, and carrying the spirit of those we’ve loved into the future.

UNFURL finds BBQ Pope – Reid Millar (bass/vocals), Sean Hackl (guitar/vocals), and Duncan Briggs (drums) – sharpening their sound and voice. Produced by Dylan Frankland (Tallies) at Wychwood Sound, the sessions struck a balance between play and discipline, pushing the trio to capture both emotional intensity and sonic clarity. “This is the first time recording a record where I really felt like I wasn’t faking it,” says Millar. “It feels like we came into our own sonically.”

Toronto dream-pop artist ARK IDENTITY (Noah Mroueh) unveils his most expansive work yet with Deluxe Nightmare, a surreal and euphoric six-track EP that captures the tension between chaos and clarity. Recorded primarily in Costa Mesa with producer Philippe André in his garage studio, the DIY process lent the record a raw, alive energy.
At its centre is the title track, a grungy, distorted, cathartic release that transforms childhood fears into cinematic sound. Built on live one-take drum and guitar beds, “Deluxe Nightmare” is made complete with Philippe shouting section cues in the background – a perfectly imperfect moment that mirrors the unraveling of a nightmare in real time.

“As a child, I had the same recurring dream of flying monkeys breaking through the glass of my bedroom window,” Noah shares. “I wanted the title track to sound grungy and distorted – almost claustrophobic at times. We used fuzzy guitars, kept some of the rougher vocal takes, and leaned into repetition so it feels like you’re stuck in a loop or a bad dream that you can’t wake up from.”

Halifax sibling duo Overnight (Carla & Lynette Gillis) return with “Strong and Good,” the tender and reflective new single from their upcoming sophomore album, Put Me In Your Light (out November 7th via Label Obscura). Written in the wake of their father’s sudden passing and a difficult move home from Toronto during the pandemic, the song captures both the weight of grief and the forward motion of resilience.

“I don’t typically have anything clear in mind when I sit down to write lyrics, but this one turned out to be about grief,” shares Carla Gillis (guitars, piano, lead vocals). “It was really hard to lose our dad, and it was really hard to leave Toronto and our community. The song came out of grief, but it’s also about the impulse to not be entrenched in it all the time. To shake it off and keep going. Rhythmically, it has a forward propulsion to it. Melodically, it’s fairly upbeat. To me, it’s shaped as much by resilience as sadness.”

St. Catharines, Ontario–based singer-songwriter Dre Dupuis makes his full-length debut with a self-titled album that captures the raw immediacy of late-night creation. Recorded entirely in his laundry room on a vintage Tascam Portastudio, the record channels the spirit of DIY pioneers like Guided By Voices while pairing lo-fi textures with the warmth and honesty of intimate songwriting. Blending the punch of The Strokes with the introspective tones of Andy Shauf and the lush harmonies of The Beach Boys, Dre Dupuis offers an unfiltered snapshot of an artist rediscovering his joy in making music.

“I wanted to make a record on my own at home,” Dupuis shares. “I finally decided to save up some cash, quit my job at the time, and go all in.” The result is an album born from catharsis and curiosity – a late-night collection of ideas written and recorded in the quiet corners of his basement. “There’s no big concept tying these songs together,” he adds. “They were all written and recorded at night. Just the ramblings of a guy and his Portastudio in his laundry room.”

Montreal-based art rock trio DahL unveil their arresting new single, “High Tide” – a nautical fugitive romance that sails straight into the imagination. Equal parts prison break and polar expedition, the track anchors the listener, drags them under, and refuses to let go.

Inspired by Atlas of Remote Islands by Judith Schalansky, “High Tide” conjures a bleak escape story set on a fragment of land surrounded by wreckage, penguins, and saltwater static. The song follows a silent passenger – Hightide – as the narrator delivers a fragmented, feverish monologue of exile and flight. The identities of these castaways remain uncertain: prisoners, explorers, or simply stranded souls. What remains is their grim camaraderie, soaked in isolation and nautical tension.

Toronto duo Chrome Daphne return with “Stuck (On You)” – a hazy, bittersweet meditation on yearning and attachment. Blending bedroom R&B, lo-fi soul, and dream pop textures, the track drifts through romantic melancholy with lush harmonies and hypnotic grooves, capturing the ache of holding on to someone who’s already gone.

“I had a relationship that ended very abruptly,” shares Ben, one half of Chrome Daphne. “We went from best friends to complete strangers overnight. There was a lot left unsaid, and I kept catching myself thinking ‘What if I ran into her? What if she was just, like, across the street picking out a bag in Kensington Market while I’m getting a bagel or something?’ I’d run through these scenarios as I was putting on a pair of jeans, tying my shoes or locking my door. Eventually, that anxiety started colouring my day-to-day life.”

Canadian musician Keegan Powell delivers a powerful, immediate anthem with the release of his latest single, “Drown.” Co-written and produced by Peter Van Helvoort of The Glorious Sons, the track combines urgent indie-rock energy with introspective lyrics that explore survival, shame, and supporting someone on the brink.

Written entirely in the studio over the course of just a few hours, “Drown” was never sketched out beforehand – every note and lyric came to life in real time. Powell explains: “We wrote it in about an hour and recorded for another couple of hours. By the end of the afternoon, we had a whole song done and never touched it again.”

Canadian indie rock artist Elli Hart delivers a fierce declaration of self-worth on her new single “Don’t Be The Victim,” a dark, driving anthem that refuses to bow to anyone’s expectations. Written after a year of career breakthroughs and backhanded remarks, the track transforms frustration into empowerment – a rallying cry for anyone who’s ever been underestimated, dismissed, or told they don’t belong.

“I wrote ‘Don’t Be The Victim’ after my career was finally gaining momentum – I’d been booked for several festivals, and someone casually remarked that I only got those spots because they ‘needed a girl’s name on the poster,’” Hart shares. “It made me think about the long history of women being punished for their strength – like the witch trials, where if you drowned you were innocent, but if you survived, you were condemned. Living in a state of victimhood only serves the bully, and I refuse to give them that power.”

New York-based artist Lauren Minear shares her transformative new album, Boxing Day, featuring the fragile, urgent lead single, “Bruise.” Written in the aftermath of betrayal and self-reflection, the record traces a path through anger, shame, acceptance, and ultimately liberation. With raw confessional lyrics and immersive soundscapes that blend alternative, pop, rock, and folk, Boxing Day is Minear’s most ambitious work to date.

Minear began writing the record in July 2023, after cutting ties with a creative agency she discovered had been stealing from her. “I always write my way through intense feelings,” she explains. “But I realized that the anger and shame I was experiencing went deeper than just this one conflict. These songs allowed me to confront patterns of repressed anger and codependency, and to liberate myself from them in the process.”

Townsville based Indie/Punk Rockers Poison Oak have released their nostalgic new single called ‘Skateboard Kid’, which premiered via AAA Backstage. The single is the latest offering from their upcoming album release, set for release in 2026. 

Poison Oak have spent the last several years stealing hearts and minds with their electrifying live show, playing countless shows around the country, supporting the likes of Tones and I and gracing the stage at Tropic Sounds Festival.

2024 saw the release of single and music video ‘Wasted’, which was the first offering from their forthcoming sophomore LP – recorded with Brock Weston (Bugs, Beddy Rays, Dune Rats). The release was premiered via The AU Review and received positive coverage from HEAVY Mag, Good Call Live, AMNplify and many more. The band then went on to support Australian heavyweights DZ Deathrays in October.

They quickly followed up with the release of single ‘Tell Me’, which premiered via
AAA Backstage and received airplay on well over 100 radio stations worldwide. Their recent single ‘Replay’ was released in April and received praises from
The Point Music News, The Rockpit and Good Call Live, just to mention a few. 

Most recently, Poison Oak dropped their single ‘Little Bit Like You’, which was premiered via The AU Review and secured airplay on radio stations across the globe. They then went on to support Slowly Slowly in September this year.

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

“I love the chaotic, fun, and multifaceted nature of Little Bit Like You. There’s a retro feel that also fits in thematically. It will totally rock when played live.”
Bruce Baker – The AU Review

“Replay taps into the pulse of early-2000s Australian alt-rock, blending the driving energy of pop-punk with the melodic sensibilities of indie rock. Angular guitars cut through a tightly interwoven rhythm section, laying the groundwork for a track that feels both urgent and effortlessly catchy. There’s no forced attitude here—just a raw, hook-laden anthem that begs to be sung at full volume. With Replay, Poison Oak proves they’ve got a firm grip on the art of crafting indie rock that sticks.”
The Point Music News