niecesandnephews become one our favorite new digs this year. Releasing one of our favorite EPs of the Spring “Lines Appearing Parallel.” The 4-song collection really puts niecesandnephews on the map with a truly organic and original sound. There is no dull moment on the release as frontman and the brains behind the operation, Mario Gutierrez, creates an album that is truly a labor of love.

Sharing some insight regarding the EP, Gutierrez tells:

“This EP reflects on experiences of being led astray. The wish that maybe you said something different. Thinking back and feeling better that it may have been something else, something that was out of your control. Did your best to be vulnerable. Then the cycle of confusion/anger comes back but not as strong or ill tempered. It’s a sonic representation of this experience. A flower appearing to be at arms reach but there’s 80 feet and a fence between.”

Our ears are wanting more niecesandnephews…so let the good times roll!

Dive in deeper!

Mat Cardinal, Jeff Dick, Mike Nash, Doc deGroot, and Jay Der formed The Prairie States in 2017 and immediately started writing songs for their full length album, Lost In The Right Direction. Independently released in June 2018, it was nominated for the ACMA Album Of The Year and included three radio singles, which all broke the top 100 Mediabase Canadian Country Chart.

https://soundcloud.com/theprairiestates/sets/low-life-auteur-private-link/s-DLYeWfZTUuH

Their current single, “Low Life,” is a bumpin’ tongue-in-cheek song about how the high life is no life for them. It’s all about finding joy in the simplest of things. To accompany the release of the song, The Prairie States teamed up with a local Edmonton business, Sea Change Brewing Co, to create a custom “Low Life” branded beer to accompany the song. 

After taking a hiatus from a decade of non-stop touring, Peter Katz returns with material from his highly anticipated new album. Peter’s acclaimed 2015 album We Are The Reckoning was hailed by CBC Q Radio host Tom Power as “one of the most heartfelt, beautiful and vulnerable records of the year.”

The forthcoming LP’s latest single, “Like We Used To Be,” is an energetic, synth-infused departure from Katz’s usual foundation of guitar and piano. Organic drums, rhythmic elements, synth bass, and some synth hooks hit your senses before hitting your thoughts, fueling you to dance through your emotions.

Toronto audiences agreed, crowning Katz as Best Male Vocalist in that year’s NOW Magazine reader’s poll. The albums lead single ‘Brother’, a duet with Royal Wood, is a certifiable hit, reaching #3 on the national public radio charts and was ranked #3 on CBC Music’s best-of-the-year list. The accompanying video reached more than half a million viewers in its first week of release alone. In 2017, the album was re-released as La somme de tous nos efforts and the same song in a duet with Rémi Chassé reached Top 10 with francophone audiences at commercial radio in Peter’s birth province of Quebec.
Peter shares recently of the new song:

“This song may sound like it’s a love song to someone else with the lyrics ‘I will never leave you’ but it’s actually a love song to self.  To be honest , when I first wrote that ‘I will never leave you’ hook I thought it was for someone else, but as the rest of the lyrics started coming out of me, it became clear that I was actually saying ‘I will never leave you’ in the mirror. The person that I think we need to ‘not leave’ first and foremost is ourselves, and yet that’s often the first person to get sacrificed, which ultimately means you can’t be of service to anybody.  I’m guilty of that a lot, so there was something pretty special about letting these lyrics out, trying to capture giving myself that love.”

The JUNO Award, Canadian Screen Award, and two-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee’s music has been featured on television and film including Lethal Weapon, Reign, Felicity, Hello Goodbye, Alias, Heartland as well as on CBC Television’s 2016 Rio Olympics / Paralympics coverage.

Find Peter Katz via:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/peterkatzmusic

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/peterkatzmusic

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/peterkatzmusic

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6O5zKwY8kFFYhBwZdJ7VKI?si=91-TsUeuSDGO1Ra8If2btA

Apple: https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/peter–katz/7608067

Website: www.peterkatz.com

Kat Hamilton is an artist to watch in 2020, and our ears are ready. Her latest single “Amnesia,” is a breath of fresh air, and a stunning one at that, as her true self shines through.

Kat Hamilton is a West-coast, singer, songwriter and performer. Hamilton has had the career trajectory of a chameleon; lending her talents to pop-punk, emo, r&b, hip-hop, pop, and country.

In 2017, Hamilton ended her five year run as the front woman of popular east-coast pop punkers, Manic Pixi. In 2018, the multiple SXSW performer, reemerged with her own vulnerable approach to Indie-Rock. Kat Hamilton’s debut e.p “The Grey Area” dropped on November 5th, 2018. The intimate blend of country, pop, and emo has become a darling of Spotify playlists and indie bloggers alike. Her standout single “Bees” was featured on Fox’s family dramedy, Almost Family (2019). After relocating to Los Angeles, CA, Hamilton has shifted her focus to her upcoming solo album. The songwriters full length album, “Recovery Songs”, is slated for release in 2020 Kat Hamilton’s “Recovery Songs”, captivates the listener with her eclectic marriage of early 2000s Emo-Rock and Americana.

Weaving together the very best of spaghetti western music, alternative country and early 2000’s indie rock, with elements reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie, Fleetwood Mac and Sheryl Crow, Hamilton has forged a sound unlike anything else. Recovery Songs was recorded at Hall of Justice in Seattle, WA and Hallowed Halls in Portland, OR. The album was produced by Allee Futterer (The Astronots), Engineered by Vira Byramji (Father John Misty, Patti Smith), Mixed by Ryan Gilligan (Kanye West, Kevin Garrett) and Mastered by Joe La Porta (Imagine Dragons, Lana Del Ray).
Find More of Kat Hamilton via:

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 EP release “Back Where We Started: Remix Diary,” is an epic and bold journey, which features high-profile collaborators such as Barkley putting the twist on Szabo’s standout original. The EP is filled to the brim with gorgeously crafted vocals, surrounded by sultry and vibrant melodies that will entice your ears, with intricate beats that will have your head swirling. 

Listen in Loudly on Spotify: 

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.

Follow Maggie Szabo:

Website​ -​  Tik Tok -​ ​Instagram​ -​ ​Youtube​ -​ ​Spotify – Facebook​ ​-​ ​Twitter​ – ​​Soundcloud​

A fusion of contemporary classical and modern pop music, Dallas String Quartet (affectionately called DSQ by fans) is often referred to as “Bach meets Bon Jovi” and compared to artists like Lindsey Stirling and 2Cellos. The group has released their new single and video for “Lost in Japan.” They transform the delightful Shawn Mendes cover into their own, as a magical and ethereal instrumental piece that shows the vibrancy and elegance of the group. The video was recorded in their individual studios, as to comply with social distancing guidelines.

DSQ currently has over 37 million streams on Spotify, 1 million streams per week on Pandora (totaling 532 million streams) and more than 4 million views on YouTube.

DSQ has performed for Presidents Obama and Bush, the College Football Playoffs, NBA, and NFL organizations. They’ve sold out concert venues like the House of Blues and symphony halls and have played alongside Josh Groban, Chicago, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. You’ll find the group’s music featured by ESPN, A&E, The Wall Street Journal and prominent Spotify playlists such as Pop Goes Classical and Sinfonía Hipster.

An international music sensation, Dallas String Quartet was founded in 2007 by violist Ion Zanca. A fusion of contemporary classical and pop music, DSQ uses both traditional and electric strings performing as a quartet with the full accompaniment of drums and guitar. They are represented by Universal Attractions Agency and known for their eclectic renditions of anything from Guns N’ Roses ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ to Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s ‘Señorita.’ 

Follow Dallas String Quartet:

Website –  Spotify – Instagram – Facebook – YouTube