Aladean Kheroufi, Canadian by way of Algeria, is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and DJ based in Edmonton. He writes songs that are idiosyncratic, soulful and devastating with a glass half full optimism that turns heartbreak into melancholy party anthems.

“Love! … (is the answer)” is a new ballad in line with Aladean’s espoused ideology. Velvet vocals, a playful swing to the drums, and intimate exchanges between guitar and keyboard tease at yearnings which harmonizing backing vocals satisfy with exultation. This isn’t a simple love song sharing romantic feelings for just one person, this is a grand gesture that declares love for everyone. This is therapy, philosophy, and a recipe to get through hard times. 

The video portrays love in a beautiful way: an afternoon basketball game, at home karaoke, spending time at the studio, a backyard concert all with people who Aladean cares deeply about. 

Josh Ramsay is ready for his foray into his solo music career. The Marianas Trench frontman indulged himself during isolation by writing songs in as many different genres as possible. 

The new single is “Best of Me,” a country song featuring the Canadian country singer, Dallas Smith. “The challenging part for me was that I don’t sound like a country singer…” said Ramsay. “I went back and did it over and over, trying to get it to a place that felt country but still felt authentically like me.”

While the song might initially come off as angsty, but at its heart, it’s really about having hope that your hesitancy about not being able to move on from your relationship might mean that there could be some unresolved feelings there. 

“Before we got married, there was a time when my wife and I were split up,” said Ramsay. “I felt like I couldn’t successfully be with anyone else because the best parts of me were still wrapped up in her. This proved to be very true for both of us – and we got back together and got married in the end.”

Immersive Instrumentalist MAYSUN explores the relationship between the temporality and spatiality of sound. Using sounds from real life environments and transforming them into musical tones to be used in the creation of soundscapes, MAYSUN channels his feelings, experiences, and wishes. 

His new album, Wanderlust II, will be released on February 14th. Drawing from his previous works, the tracks on Wanderlust II revisit earlier themes, the same way that memories can seem to condense over time. 

The first single, “An Opening,” captures the feeling of accepting new opportunities, and to trust the process and take a leap of faith. This song also highlights how MAYSUN takes advantage of the duality between rhythms and ambient sounds, drums vs. textures. 

The ambience of MAYSUN’s living space is preserved within the album. Recorded on a shared kitchen table, underwater in the bathtub, and even making use of the stove with temporary tape loop installations, MAYSUN worked quickly, impulsively recording ideas as soon as they came up. 

“My music stems from my life events,” says MAYSUN. “In this album, I imagined myself revisiting different rooms, which represent different time frames from the past. I pictured spaces that do not physically make sense, spaces where the areas overlap each other, fade into another and collapse on themselves.”

Based in Toronto, Rosanne Baker Thornley is an internationally recognized, award-winning singer, and prolific songwriter. Rosanne loves that she is able to step in behind the eyes of a diverse range of artists to write their heartfelt songs, such as Justin Nozuka, Tyler Shaw, Ryland James and Colin MacDonald of The Trews.

“As my songwriting years have evolved, my writing is more grounded in writing what I know. In searching my heart and writing that. To be honest. To be vulnerable. To be brave,” she shares about her own intimate album, Sorry I’m Late, coming in the summer of 2022. The lush, expansive songs are an ode to self-discovery and the subtle-yet-profound moments of life, resulting in an unpredictable, strident and sincere album built upon strong lyricism and dynamic musicianship.

“In Paris” is the latest single, a narrative of experiencing the past, the present and the future all in one moment. On a trip to Paris with her daughter, Rosanne “realized that life is forever in motion and that it’s important to savour the journey. I remember thinking, ‘just take this all in, because it all goes by so fast. Don’t waste time pining for the past when you’re undoubtedly standing at the edge of the future.’”We think “In Paris” would be a great fit for OUTLET: 

Steve Bosch, professionally known as STVB, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer. Following the release of four albums and many performances with indie rock project White Lightning, he continued with the creation of the darker solo persona STVB.

Inspired by his now-fiancée, he blends trap, hip-hop, and pop in his dancey and upbeat track “Made Up My Mind” about an undeniable relationship about to unfold.

It would be great if you could share the dark and mysterious music video at OUTLET:

For Toronto-based Nelson Sobral, when you inject Americana with a hard-edged, urban blast of gritty midwest blues, rock’n’roll, and northern soul, the genre adopts an entirely new identity, one of overpasses, subway trains, and the grit of city streets. 

On his full-length album Second Arrow (out Feb 25), Nelson’s lifelong love of country, soul and rock is woven into a sound aptly described as a torrential downpour of jubilation. The album title is “a reference to a Buddhist parable,” Sobral explains. “If someone does you harm, that’s the first arrow; but dwelling on it, that’s you causing yourself the next wave of suffering. The second arrow is the arrow that you fire upon yourself. It’s all about how you deal with things.” Listen to the full album here.

High-energy opener “Dancing Fool,” about letting go of what no longer serves you, leads the charge with its bombastic chorus, raw swagger, and virtuosic guitar playing.