Scot “Little” Bihlman has unleashed his latest single “Pain” through V13 Music as part of the continued rollout of his upcoming album Heavy Head. Inspired by the atmospheric heft of Nine Inch Nails and the contemplative pull of Pink Floyd, “Pain” presents a common conflict through a contemporary lens: what if pressure continues to build, with nowhere to store it?

“Pain” begins with a sparse simplicity. Just guitars and vocals, and not a lot of room to hide. It’s a little like the sparse confessional of classic rock, but it never really enters this space. There is no sense of urgency to resolve anything. The tension is allowed to build, lending a sense of intensity to the beginning of the song.

As the song progresses, it starts to change. The pre-chorus rises with restraint, providing a sense of possibility without breaking the mood. A short instrumental section, marked by a mandolin, adds an unexpected texture to the arrangement without making it feel ungrounded. Bihlman works his way up carefully, eschewing drama for a sense of control, a sense of how pressure really builds.

Ultimately, “Pain” is a track about endurance and the point at which that endurance begins to break. It is a journey from being overwhelmed to the point where you realize that something has got to give, and that this is not going to come from outside, but rather that you need to look within for solutions. With this release, Bihlman is taking Heavy Head even deeper into the realm of the personal, providing a track that is rooted in tradition but with a voice very much rooted in the tensions of the day.

Debut albums often arrive with a sense of urgency — an artist trying to define themselves in a single statement before the moment disappears. Saul Damelyn takes the opposite approach on Kings, Queens and Dream Machines, a reflective and richly crafted collection that values patience, storytelling, and emotional honesty over spectacle. Released May 8 via Damelyn Records, the album feels less like a dramatic arrival and more like the culmination of years spent observing life closely and turning those observations into songs that linger.

Drawing inspiration from the melodic sophistication of British new wave and the emotional storytelling traditions of Americana, Damelyn creates a record filled with warmth and quiet complexity. There are flashes of Elvis Costello’s lyrical sharpness, the soulful intelligence of Paul Weller, and the melodic charm of Squeeze woven throughout the album. At the same time, the record’s rootsy emotional core nods toward artists like Gram Parsons, Lucinda Williams, and Johnny Cash. Yet despite these influences, Kings, Queens and Dream Machines never feels derivative. Damelyn filters those inspirations through a deeply personal lens, allowing the album to stand comfortably in its own identity.

What makes the record particularly compelling is its willingness to embrace contradiction. Damelyn approaches songwriting not as a way to deliver clear-cut answers, but as an opportunity to explore uncertainty, memory, ambition, and reinvention. Themes of homecoming, perseverance, friendship, and creative fulfillment run throughout the album, giving the songs a sense of continuity without forcing them into a rigid narrative structure.

A major part of the album’s emotional depth comes from the presence of featured vocalist Phoebe White, whose expressive performances bring an added richness to the material. White takes lead vocals on six tracks, while Damelyn handles three himself, with the pair joining together on “Museum of Love,” one of the album’s standout moments. Their vocal interplay creates a natural tension and balance across the record, shifting perspectives in ways that deepen the emotional impact of the songs.

Earlier singles “Museum of Love” and “We Broke the Rules” offered an early glimpse into the album’s textured songwriting and melodic sensibilities. Accompanied by lyric videos directed by Vanessa Brassey, the tracks introduced listeners to Damelyn’s cinematic approach to storytelling, one rooted as much in atmosphere as in narrative detail.

Elsewhere on the album, Damelyn moves comfortably between introspective balladry and playful theatricality. “Joseph the Dreamer” unfolds with poetic restraint, while “King Kinky Shoes” injects glam-rock energy into the record without disrupting its emotional cohesion. His interpretation of “High Fashion Queen,” originally recorded by The Flying Burrito Brothers, feels particularly meaningful within the context of the album. Rather than functioning as a nostalgic cover, the track highlights Damelyn’s deep appreciation for classic songwriting traditions and his ability to reinterpret them with sincerity.

Behind the Saul Damelyn name is Brian Sher, a lawyer whose lifelong passion for music ultimately led him to this project. The pseudonym itself carries emotional significance, combining his family name with the name he once intended for a son lost before birth due to heart defects. That personal history quietly informs the album’s emotional undercurrent, giving many of the songs an added sense of reflection and resilience.

Basscon Records reunites two hard dance powerhouses for a genre-defying new collaboration, “Night Predator,” from Lady Faith and LNY TNZ. Fusing the raw energy of classic hardstyle with the pulse of modern hard techno, the track delivers a dark, high-impact anthem built for peak-time festival moments.

“Night Predator” marks a major crossover moment between two artists who have long dominated Basscon stages worldwide. Lady Faith describes the release as: “Night Predator” is a fearless collision of OG Hardstyle and 2026 Hard Techno. It’s proof that groove, power and darkness can still exist in one track. “

Built for maximum impact on festival sound systems, “Night Predator” thrives in contrast: razor-edged kicks collide with dark, rolling grooves, while tension-heavy atmospheres erupt into high-pressure drops engineered for dancefloor destruction. The record channels both artists’ signature strengths — Lady Faith’s uncompromising hard dance intensity and LNY TNZ’s genre-defying “FVCK GENRES” approach — resulting in a track that feels both classic in spirit and future-facing in execution.

Born in Rotterdam, LNY TNZ has built an international reputation under his “FVCK GENRES” ethos, blending hard dance, EDM, trap, and festival sounds into a style uniquely his own. With collaborations and remixes alongside names including Afrojack, David Guetta, Diplo, Martin Garrix, and Yellow Claw, he has become one of the most versatile names in global hard dance. A longtime Basscon favorite, he has previously appeared at events including EDC Las Vegas, Project Z, and Wasteland.

Meanwhile, Lady Faith continues to lead the charge for American hardstyle. Originally from Tehran and now based in Los Angeles, she has become one of the genre’s defining figures through her explosive performances and uncompromising productions. Her Basscon legacy includes appearances at EDC Las Vegas, Escape Halloween, Beyond Wonderland, and Nocturnal Wonderland. She also has upcoming performances at Wasteland SoCal, a show alongside Angerfist at Webster Hall, and a headline appearance at The Royal Grove.

Launched as part of festival giant Insomniac’s “EDC 30th Anniversary Compilation,” an 80-track collection of original music from artists performing at this year’s festival from May 15-17. The compilation also features tracks from KASKADE, Hardwell, MEDUZA, Seven Lions, Getter, AVELLO, Sarah de Warren, Lilly Palmer and SLANDER, among others.

With “Night Predator,” Lady Faith and LNY TNZ bridge eras and styles of hard dance into one relentless statement record — a track engineered equally for underground warehouses and massive festival mainstages.

Scarlett Macfarlane shares her latest single, “Sorry,” a deeply personal and emotionally charged pop-rock single that leans into themes of regret, self-reflection, and the complicated path toward forgiveness. Balancing pensive introspection with soaring, cathartic release, “Sorry” captures the weight of late-night thoughts and the quiet courage it takes to face them head-on.

“I wrote the song based on a bad night’s sleep due to some negative inner voices and an overactive mind,” Scarlett explains. “I wanted to be vulnerable about my inner demons and hope that anyone who heard it could feel seen, feel safe to recognize that we all make mistakes, big and small, and join me in the journey of self-acceptance.” Originally titled “Regret,” the song evolved into something more direct and universal. “It was always an apology: to others, to the world, to myself.”

1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically? 

This song was initially written as a reflection on mistakes and the feeling of a need to apologize for myself and evolved into something else. What started as a song about feeling like I was stuck in my own head, or stuck in my own mistakes, instead, became about the journey of finding self-forgiveness and freedom from that feeling of being stuck through the release and vulnerability of apology and the willingness to ask for forgiveness. I started this song feeling terrible and finished it feeling a sense of catharsis. I chose this song specifically to have a full music video because I really wanted to expose and share that very personal side of myself with others. I also selfishly wanted the opportunity to perform that last chorus from a rooftop, it still gives me chills to sing it every time.

2. What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)? 

I always knew I wanted this video to be simpler than some of the ones I’ve done for my other songs. I wanted it to feel like something that starts as an inner-monologue, just me sort of singing to myself on the streets of NY as if I’m all alone in a big city, and then finish from an elevated position, as I shout (sing) from the proverbial rooftops. Visually, the metaphor is starting below (in my head and private) and finishing above (exposed and public). I think there is almost nothing more powerful than the freedom found in being unafraid to expose your worst thoughts and give voice to the parts of yourself you might want to hide. I wanted to flip the script in this song and instead of hiding those parts of myself, shout them out to the world. Not to mention, I’ve always pictured this song being sung from a rooftop. I wish I could do a whole concert from up there!

3. What was the process of making this video?

It was a very guerrilla-style approach to shooting. We actually shot two music videos that day. The first half of the day was for “Sorry,” and the second half was for another song of mine called “Red Lights.” For “Sorry,” we sort of ran around Brooklyn finding interesting-looking streets with graffiti or posters or just an industrial kind of feel, and we filmed me walking and singing in assorted locations like that. The DP, Paulius Kontijevas, did a great job capturing the mood and the urban but also almost deserted vibe of feeling “alone in my thoughts” that we were going for. I wanted it to feel like I’d almost been up all night thinking and then went for a walk to clear my head, and I think it sorta feels like that. Then, for the rooftop shots, at the last minute we almost didn’t have the rooftop location secured (long story for another day). But for me that was the point of the song from day one: to finish it on a roof. So, the director Sam Graff found a last-minute option that turned out perfectly right at the perfect time of day for that “golden hour” type lighting. We only had about an hour or so up there and it was super windy which became kinda like a character itself in the video, but we got the shots and I’m really so happy with how that part turned out. It was a small crew but each person was important. Madeleine, the stylist, brought the look together with a combo of my clothes and pieces she pulled for me. I love the scarves she chose for this video, they played with the wind and environment so well and made me feel like I was channeling a little of my inner Steven Tyler. Emme made the makeup and hair feel like “me,” which was what I wanted. Bear and Arthur both brought so much joy and professionalism to the set, managing focus and lighting and beyond, all while cracking jokes and asking really engaging questions. And then, at the end of the day, Hunter Wiemann, the editor, stepped up when I needed him most and brought the whole thing together. I’m really proud of how this video came out.//

What makes “Sorry” especially striking is its duality: a song that feels both humbling and empowering in equal measure. While it confronts the discomfort of accountability, it also embraces the strength required to be honest without diminishing one’s own experience. That tension runs throughout the track, building from hushed vulnerability into a powerful, full-bodied release.

The recording process itself mirrored that emotional intensity. “I wrote the first draft of this song in my car crying outside my gym,” Scarlett shares. “Recording it was liberating. Making the voices I heard in my head exist in real life was profound.” Those voices remain embedded in the song’s DNA; most notably in the layered, whispered intro where fragments of real, unspoken apologies are woven into the texture as a deeply personal and largely hidden detail.

Sonically, “Sorry” blends alt-pop sensitivity with pop-rock weight, gradually expanding into a dynamic, emotionally charged arrangement. The track’s final moments deliver a powerful sense of release, with Scarlett’s vocal performance reaching a place that feels both unfiltered and transformative. “Belting out that last chorus really is like therapy every single time,” she says.

9X JUNO Award winners Arkells release their highly anticipated new studio album, Between Us via Universal Music Canada and Virgin Music Group. 

“Between Us is about connection –– not the hollow online kind we get when we’re scrolling –– but about the feeling we get in a shared space, appreciating the little gifts we offer one another, simply by existing with others, explains frontman Max Kerman. “Friends or strangers. A band and an audience. It’s a call to remember that connection.”

Arkells’ most recent tour dates previewing Between Us have largely gotten up-close and personal, striving to create unique experiences in a variety of settings. Win-to-get-in fan-forward experiences have seen shows in an alley-way garage, a fallsview-suite overlooking one of nature’s greatest wonders, and a neighbourhood ice cream shop. Upcoming tour dates have scaled into wide ranging and nostalgic venues that bring the band and audience that much closer.

Arkells’ new album Between Us is produced by LA based John Congleton (St. Vincent, Death Cab for Cutie, Wallows). Comprised of 11 tracks, Between Us includes the previously released collaborative standouts, including the latest release, “What’s On Your Mind?,” the disco-esque track is a synth-heavy, indie pop-rock gem, enhanced even further with the distinct sound of San Francisco’s chill-wave kings Poolside. Additional collaborative tracks include the politically charged radio single, “Money” (featuring Portugal. The Man), and the breezy tune, “Ride” (featuring GROUPLOVE) which they took to the stage at last month’s JUNO Awards in the group’s hometown of Hamiton, ON at the TD Coliseum. The band performed the upbeat track amidst a hyper-realistic viewer engaged set that integrated greenery and Truman-esque break in the fourth wall bike riding.

Additional tracks on the new album span across multiple musical genres and eras from the the stripped back, “Desire’s Got Some Questions,” and the midtempo guitar driven “Universe Talking” to the more classic indie rock “Two Hearts.” Freshly teased “Imagine Barcelona”- a dreamy, earnest love song,  is sure to be a fan favourite. Arkells bring a mischievous sound to the forefront on “Rumour,” before bringing the record to a close with the aching track with winding chords, “Escape Door.”

Between Us is available now for in physical formats including vinyl, CD and signed edition grass-green vinyl. The cover was shot by Boston-based artist and photographer Pelle Cass, who photographed the vibrant image of Arkells atop Hamilton’s Jackson Square rooftop – a nod to their roots.

Montreal-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Cédric Dind-Lavoie releases his new album Collages (2019–2022), featuring “Lignes,” a serene, gently motional instrumental piece. Rooted in folktronica, krautrock, and acoustic exploration, the track offers a moment of calm and resolution within a broader body of work defined by texture, spontaneity, and immersive listening.

Built from reimagined compositions originally created for contemporary dance performances and documentary film, Collages (2019–2022) marks a shift in Cédric’s creative process. Rather than composing fully formed pieces in advance, the album was shaped directly in the studio, embracing experimentation and chance. Modified guitars, Mexican guitarrón, toy synthesizers, and handcrafted samples made from materials like cardboard and paper form a tactile, unexpected sonic palette.

“This album taught me to trust in serendipity,” Cédric explains. “Unlike my previous albums, where everything was composed in advance, the pieces here were shaped through the recording process itself.”

Originally composed for the finale of the contemporary dance performance Suspendu au sol by Montreal-based company Les Archipels, “Lignes” was designed to evoke a sense of resolution and unity. The title references the closing tableau, where dancers regroup in a single line after a series of chaotic sequences, mirroring the track’s emotional arc toward calm and cohesion.

Sonically, the piece is anchored in delicately layered electric guitars played in a Mixolydian mode, with a rhythmic pulse built from a sampled stomp box. The result subtly echoes the motorik feel of 1970s krautrock, reinterpreted through a softer, more intimate lens. As with the rest of the album, every element is approached with restraint, allowing space, texture, and detail to carry the emotional weight.