Ottawa-based singer/songwriter Rory Taillon is a road warrior, touring across the country and back again. He has the soul of the East coast but the sound of the West in his songs with a voice to match the majesty of the Rockies. Rory’s new single, “Welcome,” is a rhythmic, solemn folk track with layered harmonies that we can’t get enough of.
He has charted; earshot, community radio, hitting number three on the National Folk Charts with his last album, “Only Whispers” – sitting next to Buffy St. Marie. But like Buffy, Rory Taillon is no coffeehouse kat seeking accolades over lattes. He is no beatless poet. He is a classically trained singer, a multi-instrumentalist and vocally can turn his hand to a variety of genres. The acoustic is for touring, there’s only so much room in a civic for gear, merch afterall and that voice, that voice needs its own tour bus. It is a band unto itself.
Hailing from Canada but currently based in Los Angeles, Electro-Pop artist Maggie Szabo has been winning over audiences worldwide with her stunningly soulful vocals and empowering pop anthems. Her new song and video for “Back Where We Started,” is officially out via all digital platforms. “Back Where We Started,” is filled to the brim with gorgeously crafted vocals, surrounded by sultry and vibrant melodies that will entice your ears.
“It’s so fitting that ‘Back Where We Started’ is the first song off my new EP because I wrote it at the beginning of my journey towards personal growth and really learning the meaning of self-respect and love,” Szabo shares of the track. “I’m so grateful that I’m now able to use my music as a personal platform to help empower my fans on their own journeys. I wrote “Back Where We Started” about a relationship I didn’t have the strength to walk away from, even though I knew it wasn’t healthy. I hope when people hear it, they’re reminded it’s ok to not be strong all the time – you have to cut yourself some slack – and you learn lessons through love. That’s how you grow.”
Listen and Watch “Back Where We Started” here:
After quickly becoming one of the most sought after songwriter/vocalists for DJs and notable film and TV placements, Szabo’s latest work has focused primarily on her solo project and was written in some of the most beautiful and exotic places on earth, including Greece, Amsterdam, London and Thailand. Maggie has been featured in the likes of The Advocate, Billboard, Perez Hilton, PopCrush, Earmilk, Huffington Post and more, and has also had notable placements in film and television from NBC to Netflix and beyond. With a quickly growing fan-base, over 14 million plays on Spotify, and a social media following that tops some of the nation’s most established pop artists, Szabo has effectively used the internet to showcase and market her songs to the world and her dedicated fans. Our ears are ready for more!
Dan Miraldi’s latest record “Mood Music for Introverts,” is a comforting release we all need right now. As we are alone, together, Miraldi’s notable EP will resonate with your heart and ears. The record is a step in a new direction for Miraldi, as he truly creates a labor of love; being the sole musician and writer on the release, with the exception of only one track.
A string of successful singles have come to life in the release that has been drawing us in for the past couple of months. From the heavenly “Kingdom Come,” to the blissful “I Thought You Should Know,” the tone Miraldi carries throughout the EP is an honest, and beautiful one at that. “Mood for Introverts” brings a charming flow that takes his in-depth lyricism and haunting arrangements to the next level. Each song tells a story, and the mood sets one of a 1960s East Village Folk club.
Working alone, Miraldi wrote, played and sang every note on the record. The sole outside cameo comes from a slide guitar guest appearance by Jay Nemeyer (of the DC-based electro pop band Color Palette) on the recently mentioned “Kingdom Come.”
Miraldi states: “There is a lot of overproduction in modern music. The songs are about vibe, not perfection. I wanted this collection to sound warm and organic. There is no Auto-Tune on these tracks. This project began as something just for me. This is the music I make when no one else is looking. However, my friends who heard these songs encouraged me to release them. It is both exciting and scary, because there was no outside producer or mixing engineer to provide ‘adult supervision.’”
Standout tracks for me also include the hazy “Your Memory Leaves Me Stoned,” and the soulful “Stop & Start Over Again” which will provide the perfect song for your Summer drives. From beginning to end, Miraldi creates an ambitious record that sets the bar for other artists to come. It’s stunning, intricate, and filled with surprises within every note.
Dan Miraldi’s EP “Mood for Introverts,” is out now…and the timing is perfect.
Listen via Digital Outlets & Limited Edition Cassette:
The SunHarmonic are readying to release their new EP, out April 17, titled “It’s All Okay Thanks to You”. The Canada-based band also recently shared their new single “Sign on the Road,” which is a glorious indie-folk-laced song that will have you intrigued from start to finish.
Songwriter Kaleb Hikele of The Sun Harmonic shares:
“Sign On The Road was written in one night, sitting on the piano bench as I watched a US election roll in. It’s optimistic, uplifting and hopeful, with open ended lyrics that let you define your own meaning. Who knew we would need this song so badly in this isolated world we unexpectedly live in, the song is coming out just as my own city shuts down to quarantine and the irony of singing “I see this sign on the road” is heavy. I’m proud to give this song to those who need it the most today.”Sign” is one of my favourite songs that I’ve carried with me on the road for many years now. I’ve toured the song as a solo artist across the country and even recorded it as a demo with another band entirely called The Other Birds a while ago. It’s taken so many years and experiences to finally sink in, to find the right place in time to be performed (with my current rock trio) and be recorded properly (live off the floor at a favourite studio of mine called The Chalet in Ontario). I’d been to The Chalet once ten years ago for my debut album and five years ago to record songs for “Winter”, and I brought the same engineer from the Winter sessions to pay tribute to this past. Josh Bowman brought the perfect touch to this one studio day where we recorded all five songs live in a room together.”
The SunHarmonic is a solo folk act that grew into a rock and roll band and the main creative outlet for Canadian composer Kaleb Hikele since 2009. An eclectic songwriter and adventurous recording artist from Toronto’s east end, raised in the small town of St.Thomas, Ontario. After a decade using his stage name, the artist was gratefully showcased by Canada’s Walk of Fame in downtown Toronto and Festival Du Voyageur in Winnipeg 2020. Now a folk-rock trio, the group is ready to Rock and Roll more than ever.
Pacific Estate entice our ears with their glorious and ambitious new single “She.”Formed in 2013 by a few high school kids looking to play Rush covers, Pacific Estate has evolved into one of the premier up and coming, Ontario indie-rock acts. Their unique brand of rock and roll features high powered vocals, intricate melodies, and an air tight rhythm section, that translate seamlessly into an energetic and floor-shaking live show. Following years of shows all across Ontario as both a headliner, and in support of larger acts like; I Mother Earth, Hollerado, Pkew Pkew Pkew, and The Temperance Movement, the band has recently settled into Arc Recording Studio to begin recording their debut album with Juno Award winning producer Julius Butty (Alexisonfire, City and Colour, Protest the Hero). Pacific Estate’s debut single “She” is out now.
Joey Stylez and Carsen Gray share their EPIC new single “Jungle Night,” which will quickly become the anthem to your Summer.
Canadians and now the world have also started to take notice when Stylez & Gray performed “Sunshine and Moonlight” live on the 2019 CBC National New Years Eve Countdown. Since then, this power couple has been capturing audiences across the country and internationally with their intuitive lyrics and empowering vocals. “Jungle Night” combines Carsen’s energetic pop sound and Joey’s diverse musical background for a single that represents the essence of opposites attract.
When superstar The Weeknd cited “Joey Stylez is a big inspiration” in a now famous video clip, it was a very fitting description. From the time he started his creative journey, to the present, he has always made music a tool to express his individuality. The Stylez part of his energetic persona says a lot about his ability to dabble in all genres of music including Hip Hop, Indie Rock & Pop. Nothing seems to intimidate his creative process as he paints abstract & timeless themes overtop of unique sounding productions. His catalogue has tracks with the likes of Grammy Award winning producer James Ho (Malay), band Dragonette and rappers Bun B & Ty Dolla $ign. In 2017 Aboriginal Peoples Television Network released an hour-long special which aired for over a year, detailing his rise from a troubled youth to an internationally recognized artist. The strong following he has built over the years has earned him a respectable online presence, and millions of YouTube views. When Stylez is not in music mode, he is also a successful visual artist with celebrity clients, and runs his own clothing brand, Stressed Street.
Modern Mystery 