Pursuing a long-held talent for literate, place-based songwriting, singer-songwriter Allen Dobb unveils his new single “At the Bridge,” a Canadiana-leaning folk and roots composition inspired by the life and legacy of James Teit. Teit was a Shetland-born, self-taught anthropologist who formed deep relationships with Indigenous communities in British Columbia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The first single to be shared from Dobb’s forthcoming album, The Afterlife Sessions (out April 24th, 2026), “At the Bridge” was sparked after attending a performance by longtime friend and songwriter John Gogo, whose work often brings historical figures vividly to life. “After the show, a friend suggested I try writing a song about James Teit,” Dobb recalls. “I was familiar with him through Wendy Wickwire’s biography (the song’s namesake), but felt it would be challenging to bring his life story into song given Teit is a largely unknown historical character. Still, I was inspired by the suggestion and his remarkable life.”
Sunshine Coast based Prog-Dub pioneers DUB ZOO are back with the release of their soulful new single called ‘Pocketful’ featuring 1Love from
Arrested Development.
The single premiered exclusively via The AU Review and is the title track from their upcoming EP release, which comes out later this year.
“Pocketful is our first, but not last foray into Hip Hop/Reggae fusion. We grew up on the music of Public Enemy and Run DMC and of course Arrested Development, and we’ve often brought rap MC’s in to feature in our live shows, so it was quite surreal and a lot of fun to hang out with the AD crew and collaborate on this track!”
DUB ZOO effortlessly blend multiple genres to create their signature sound, fusing elements of Hip Hop and Neo Soul into their already unique dancefloor shaking sonic. The bands live set features of collective of these artists and a selection of the bands new release music as well as some dynamic improvised dance floor filling jams.
New single ‘Pocketful’ is available on all major online stores and streaming services.
“Driven by buoyant rhythms, gorgeous vocals, sun-soaked grooves and a message that feels especially vital right now, “Pocketful” is a reminder of music’s power to connect, uplift, and resist despair — one shared moment at a time.”
Bruce Baker – The AU Review
The Imaginary Band, longtime Chilliwack, BC-based musician Andrew Christopher’s latest project, steps fully into focus on their debut single, “Polka Hands.” A carefree, roots-leaning indie-folk single, it celebrates intuition, creativity, and the beauty of not overthinking life’s next move.
“At first, The Imaginary Band only existed vaguely in my mind,” explains Christopher. “But when I wrote ‘Polka Hands,’ I learned to fully embrace the concept.” Without a bass player at the time, he began playing a bassline on guitar, imagining exactly how it would feel once the right players arrived. “Immediately, an imaginary drummer sat behind the kit in my head, laying down a groovy but straight-ahead rock beat. Just sitting in the pocket. That’s still the intro of the song.”
Veteran songwriter Greg Boyer shares “Perfectly Gone,” a spare, thoughtful folk-pop reflection shaped by restraint, atmosphere, and emotional economy. Inspired by a breakup and written during a period immersed in rockabilly and folk influences, the track feels less like a lament and more like a moment of calm acceptance; an acknowledgement rather than a reckoning.
“There’s no big story behind the title,” Boyer says simply. “The two words worked well together.” That same directness defines the song itself. Built around repetition rather than escalation, “Perfectly Gone” uses its title as a subtle anchor; a quiet hook that reinforces the song’s emotional stillness rather than pushing toward resolution.
Following the September 2025 release of her debut EP I Kill Spiders and the subsequent single, “To Her,” Montreal singer-songwriter Libby Ember shares “Let Me Go,” a melancholic, dreamy indie-folk single that sits in the uncomfortable space between holding on and letting go. Nostalgic and emotionally raw, the track captures the quiet contradictions of a relationship that lingers long after both people know it isn’t right.
Inspired by a complicated relationship rooted in mutual fear, Libby reflects on the tension of staying when leaving feels just as painful. “I felt like someone was holding onto me because they were afraid of letting me go,” she explains. “Even still, I knew that it was wrong to keep dragging the relationship on when we knew it was wrong for the both of us. It also touches on the fact that the opposite feels wrong. Both letting go and not letting go feel wrong.”
Japan-born, Canada-raised artist Justin Maki returns with “Old School Heart,” a moody, groove-forward R&B/pop-rock single that confronts unrequited love and emotional ambiguity head-on. Dark, passionate, and deeply self-assured, the track finds the FCLMA–winning singer-songwriter drawing a clear line in the sand, demanding commitment in a dating culture increasingly defined by non-answers and half-measures.
“I was on my first writing trip in Nashville when I accidentally encountered a new posse of friends at a networking bar called Red Barn,” Maki recalls. After a few drinks and a spontaneous suggestion to write together, Maki linked up with Laura Ann Short and Steven Martin, booking a session just days later at Round Hill Music. “I started jamming out to a sample drum loop that made my head bop. I then came up with this John Mayer-esque riff and after some more time of refining the musical idea, I recorded the guitar. That became the foundation of our creation.”
