New Music Thursday

Marcus Lowry is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer based in Montreal. Since earning his Bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from the University of Montreal in 2017, Marcus has worked with a wide array of Canadian and international jazz, folk and pop artists, such as Belle Grand Fille, Diane Tell, Alex Le Blanc, Aaron Dolman, Marthe Halvorsen and many more.

The title track of Lowry‘s debut album, Time, Time, Time, uses evocations of a withering autumn to embody the album’s overarching theme of grappling with the inevitability of change. The song is reminiscent of artists like Nick Drake and Daniel Rossen, and exemplifies Lowry‘s unique style of impressionistic folk that cross-pollinates the singer-songwriter tradition with strings, woodwinds, layers of effects and field recordings.

Torontonian singer-songwriter Jeremy Voltz is unveiling his sophomore album, Running Away, a theatrical and hard-hitting exploration of courage, both within ourselves and our relationships.

The record is a collaboration with producer and artist Oliver Charles, blending two sonic worlds: Voltz’s indie-soul sound and Charles’ impactful, gritty pop production, interlaced with dark harmonies and virtuosic vocals.

 “We both wanted to create something exciting and almost beyond us, like a soundtrack for an epic action movie that doesn’t exist yet,” says Voltz about the new project. “What we came up with I like to call ‘battle songs for the empathetic.’ Electronic singer-songwriter rock that hits hard yet still feels vulnerable.”

Running Away’s title track opens the record, crafting a gentle portrait of a woman that Voltz knew who felt trapped in her life. “We recognized that in each other. It’s all we really had in common,” he explained. “Running away was her fantasy, it kept her going. From her parents, her life, everything. She just had to get out. And I felt that too. I think we all do sometimes.”

The song’s sentimental production darkens and evolves, layering greater depth as Voltz exposes its narrative and the strong emotion at its core. “Running Away” blends acoustic guitar, cinematic strings, and a hard hitting rhythm section. The song’s video is Voltz’s directorial debut, a short film which reflects its story.