Combining the natural beauty of West Coast Canada with London, England’s urban forest, Connor Roff‘s luminous music embraces and showcases his dual nationality. He’s not afraid to explore the depths of both the light and the dark or combine genres such as alternative pop, folk, RnB, and even electronic. Connor‘s songs and melodies reflect and celebrate his yoga teaching practice and passionate advocacy for the LGBT+ community. 

His song, “Somewhere Green” is inspired by our disconnection with mother nature – especially in the western world with corporate capitalism, colonialism and greed. Connor and his producer James Turner worked on the song internationally across waters via video call and email. For one of the finishing touches, they added some sounds of birds recorded from their phones in Vancouver and London, UK.

After more than a decade-long retreat from recording and performing, singer/songwriter Allen Dobb is returning with a new album on February 9th. Alone Together draws from characters, stories, and landscapes that are part of Allen’s experience working as a range management specialist in the interior of British Columbia.

The third single, “Black and White 1912,” tells the moving story of an old cowboy who travels back in time through a black and white photograph that was taken in 1912. The melodies are carried by acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, lap steel, piano, and other instruments in tasteful arrangements that always create just the right sonic space for Allen’s intimate and soulful vocals. 

As a Prince Edward Island-born songwriter, guitarist, and producer, Logan Richard’s beckoning melodies have swiftly risen to prominence in the Canadian music scene. Likewise, sisters Moira & Claire write lighthearted, indie folk-pop songs that appeal to East and West Coasters and everyone in between. Together, the three have teamed up to write the duet, “Unrequited Love Blues.”

This song is about two people that love each other, but don’t know that the other person feels the way that they do. The song itself was inspired by the tragic idea of unrequited love, and the idea that it will never be anything more.

It originally began as an acoustic song, but after working with producer Colin Buchanan, he encouraged Logan and Moira & Claire to give it a try as a pop bop. Having several elements return in the last chorus (vocals from bridge, chorus, guitar solo) all overlapping and intertwining acts as a representation of the two unrequited lovers’ thoughts colliding. There is no emotional wall separating the two anymore, and the listener is left with an overflow of thoughts and emotions.

iskwē | ᐃᐢᑫᐧᐤ (short for waseskwan iskwew, meaning “blue sky woman”) has a new release to share entitled “Waiting For The Laughter.” Produced by 7x Grammy nominee Damian Taylor (Björk, Arcade Fire, The Killers, Bomba Estereo) and written alongside iskwē’s dear friend AKAMATISSE of Toronto’s KEYS N KRATES, the song was borne out of conflicted feelings brought about by the messaging iskwē was seeing regarding our aging process, definitions of beauty, and how she felt that she fit into these different roles.

The song’s sweeping orchestration includes violin, acoustic guitar, charango, cavaquinho, cello and cuatro to build a cinematic atmosphere which envelopes the listener in chamber pop melodies.

“‘Waiting for the Laughter’ begins as a testament to the sadness I felt when I began to realize my face was changing faster than before, and I was uncertain how to look at myself in the mirror and feel happy with my reflection. Throughout the song, that sadness becomes more empowering, as the marching drum gets stronger and the violin erupts, leaving me with a sense of confidence while I wait for the laughter. I know it’s still there, it has not disappeared. I just needed to plant my feet in the comfort of aging in order to laugh again.”

Vancouver’s Slightest Clue (Malcolm McLaren, Hannah Kruse, Sean Ries, Nick Sciarretta) is like the secret after-school project of four kids who would have passed each other without a glance in the hallway at school, but once they’re plugged in and ready to play their distinct blend of post-punk, alternative rock, and dark pop, all bets are off.

Dressed up in sultry post-punk stylings reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys’ AM, “Why Can’t I Call You” is the final single to be shared from the band’s forthcoming Carousel EP before it’s officially released on February 9th. Inspired by songwriter McLaren‘s crush on a person he couldn’t pursue, the song is rife with hooks and vocals that emulate the likes of Grian Chatten (Fontaines D.C.) and Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys).