As a rising Canadian alt-pop artist, Lauryn Macfarlane’s honest and vulnerable songwriting style and personality are what draw audiences in and leave them wanting more. Having opened for and shared bills with various acts including Aysanabee, Chantel Kreviazuk, Donovan Woods and Kathleen Edwards, Lauryn has honed in on a presence and aura onstage that commands attention. In the summer of 2022, she had the opportunity to go to Los Angeles and work with Montreal-born producer Jason Kellner. The Montreal-based artist’s brand new single, “Dive,” came out of those sessions.

Written right as she was falling madly in love, it’s a fun yet vulnerable song about allowing yourself to fully “Dive” into a relationship with your whole heart, even though you know you could very well be crushed by the wave. This song is the first time a producer has given Lauryn an instrumental to write to with free reign on melody and lyrics. To her surprise, it came very easily and is a new way of collaboration that she is eager to pursue more of in the future.

Baby Jey is an Edmonton indie pop band who wear their love of classic disco and synth-pop music on their sleeves. “What’s the Point of Saying Sorry,” the lead single from their upcoming LP, Crop Circles, was recorded using vintage keyboards from the 80s and 90s, the Korg M1 and the Yamaha Motif ES7. 

Its lyrical themes have a double meaning, explains the band: 

“Some people listen to the song and think it’s about someone who is bitter, saying ‘who cares that I’m hurt, as long as we’re sleeping together, then everything must be fine.’ 

But other people take a straight up understanding of the lyrics – that words can only say so much and that there are things we can express with physical touch that are also emotionally powerful. 

Saying sorry can be important but spoken language isn’t the only way that people communicate.”

Baby Jey’s members were raised on the Canadian prairie, only to spend their college years studying and playing shows in the urban jungle of New York, finally moving back to their home of Alberta amidst the frenzy of the global pandemic. 

Their sophomore album, Crop Circles, blends spacey synthesizers, cosmic samples, and subtle hints towards their prairie upbringing, including pedal steel guitar. Crop Circles will be released in full on November 24th.

It would be overly simplistic to categorize The Americans as merely a country band and leave it at that. Such a label is often used by journalists taking the easy way out, but doing so would grossly underestimate the band’s depth. Country, as a genre, is incredibly broad and almost to the point of becoming an ambiguous descriptor. The Americans, however, are a group that draws inspiration from a wide array of sounds and styles, seamlessly threading intricate tones and textures throughout their music. This warrants a much closer examination.

“Strays” is a concise and remarkably impressive collection of five songs. These songs are all it takes for the band to persuade listeners that they deserve keen attention, perhaps even more than that – they deserve to be heard. While they may have one foot in the expansive realm of country music, they use their other foot to gracefully traverse various musical landscapes, dabbling, and dancing through any sonic pastures that pique their interest.

If we were to label the opening track, “When You Get Back,” as country, it would be a brand of country that is anthemic, dynamic, and soaring. It spans the spectrum from soothing lows to breathtaking crescendos, from spaciousness to reassuring weight. “Land of The Free” offers a fresh and honest perspective, possibly even a subversive take on the American Dream. It delves into the same territory that artists like Springsteen or Steve Earle explore when they shine a light on the darker aspects of American society. This track fuses elements of indie-folk and understated Americana.

“William (For Leadbelly)” showcases their ability to navigate slow-burning musical paths, shifting seamlessly between melody and intensity. It adds layers of sonic complexity along the way, oscillating between mood and dynamics, blending strength with emotional depth.

Demonstrating their capacity to craft songs that are both delicate and impactful, “I Belong To You” stands out as a love song that transcends clichés, conveying its message with unfiltered honesty and relatability. “Kingdom” serves as the grand finale, commencing unassumingly but evolving through significant dynamic shifts and powerful musical passages. It encapsulates the band’s musical prowess, incorporating the signature elements that make them exceptional, culminating the album on a perfect note.

Hailing from the rugged landscapes of Central Pennsylvania, Masorti made a remarkable entrance into the music scene with a genre that can best be described as “New Alternative” or “New Alt.” Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of musical icons such as Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello, Leonard Cohen, Miles Davis, Gordon Lightfoot, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Lou Reed, Johnny Cash, Paul Simon, Dire Straits, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Rush, and The Doors, Masorti weaves a sound entirely his own.

Notably, Masorti’s musical journey culminated in his latest album, “Lost at Sea,” a significant milestone in his evolving career. As he moves with the musical tides like the waves, the songs resonate with a profound beauty laced throughout.

In the realm of songwriting, Masorti exhibits a profound ability to craft authentic and evocative stories, painting vivid images and evoking deep emotions. His lyrics take listeners on a poetic journey, often laid bare with raw, unfiltered emotions, revealing the path of a troubadour. With impressive productivity, he has recorded a substantial 34 tracks over a span of just 20 months.

Allow us to introduce JD & the RetroRyders, a dynamic sextet hailing from Huntington Beach, reinvigorating classic rock with a modern twist. Their musical fusion echoes the sonic influences of legendary acts like Aerosmith, the Beatles, and Jefferson Airplane, embodying a philosophy of “skip the filler, hit the chorus” in the world of rock ‘n’ roll. Leading the charge is Joe “JD” DeMeo, a native of New York, whose rock ‘n’ roll journey commenced at the tender age of 12. The band pays homage to the spirit of the ’60s and ’70s while crafting contemporary hits for the A-side of today’s music scene.

JD DeMeo, the founder, lead vocalist, songwriter, co-producer, and rhythm guitarist of RetroRyders, encapsulates their mission, stating, “We sound like the classics because we’ve lived and breathed this music—it’s part of our DNA.”Their musical prowess doesn’t end in the studio; JD & the RetroRyders ignite the stage with their electrifying live performances. They’ve graced renowned venues such as The Mint and the House of Blues, securing airplay on Rodney Bingenheimer’s XM Radio show and making an indelible mark in the world of rock. Drawing inspiration from the late Tom Petty, the band’s objective is to elevate spirits and forge connections with their audience, one anthemic hook at a time. Stay tuned as they set their sights on conquering the festival circuit and continue to release top-tier rock ‘n’ roll.Their latest release, “I Belong With You,” might strike a chord of familiarity for fans of the TV show ‘Friends.’ Whether you tuned in back in the day or are currently binge-watching, this track is an irresistible medley of infectious melodies, harmonies, and unadulterated joy. It’s practically dripping with the iconic vibes of ‘Friends,’ making it an instant crowd-pleaser.

Sebastian Reynolds, a seasoned musician with a musical journey spanning over 25 years, has consistently woven the threads of electronic and organic elements into his sonic tapestry. Born to a computer-engineer mother, his formative years were steeped in the presence of enigmatic machines, those archaic contraptions that churned out games from cassette tapes. It’s hardly surprising that the allure of electronic production beckoned to him long before he ever laid hands on a “real” instrument.

Yet, as Reynolds ventured into the realm of bands, his music underwent a transformation, acquiring a living, breathing, and perspiring essence that would come to define his artistic trajectory. This is an artist who boldly christened one of his releases as “Nihilism Is Pointless,” a sentiment that speaks volumes about his philosophical approach to music.

However, with his latest opus, “Canary,” Reynolds takes us on a profound journey through the corridors of life, death, and the afterlife. It’s a deeply introspective record, one that emerged in the wake of two seismic events in his personal life – the passing of his mother, followed closely by the heartbreaking stillbirth of his son. In “Canary,” Reynolds channels his emotions into a soul-stirring meditation that tugs at the heartstrings of listeners.

In crafting this album, Reynolds draws inspiration from the ethereal “dreamworlds” sculpted by the likes of Susumu Yokota, as well as the post-traumatic sonic landscapes that catalyzed the compositions of luminaries such as Luigi Nono, Olivier Messiaen, and Karlheinz Stockhausen. What sets Reynolds apart is his remarkable ability to blur the boundary between mechanical and organic sound sources, not as a heedless modern-day Dr. Frankenstein, but as an artist who views electronic music as a potent medium for conveying profound meaning.

Harking back to his teenage years in the ’90s Oxford, Reynolds witnessed firsthand how Radiohead masterfully retained the humanity of their music, even as they delved headlong into a digital abyss. This experience left an indelible mark on him, and it’s evident in “Canary.” It’s an album that gazes into the precipice that defines our contemporary existence – a world marred by sudden explosions, the fracturing of our collective consciousness, the awakening of machine intelligence, the tragedy of a child’s life cut short before it begins, and the everyday reality of navigating life without one’s parents. Yet, in the midst of this turmoil, Reynolds unfailingly locates a heartbeat within his electro-organic melange of sounds.

Throughout his illustrious career, Sebastian Reynolds has collaborated with esteemed artists like Anne Müller (Erased Tapes), Alex Stolze (Bodi Bill), and Mike Bannard at The Aviary, among others. His work has graced the airwaves of the BBC and beyond, garnering recognition and acclaim. Additionally, Reynolds continues to lend his creative talents to commissions for Neon Dance, further cementing his status as a pioneering force in the electronic music scene.

In “Canary,” Sebastian Reynolds has delivered a magnum opus that resonates on a profound level. It’s a testament to the enduring power of music to encapsulate the human experience, from the depths of sorrow to the heights of introspection. This album stands as a testament to Reynolds’ remarkable ability to navigate the intricate interplay between technology and emotion, creating a musical landscape that is both captivating and cathartic. “Canary” is not just an album; it’s a sonic journey that invites listeners to explore the complexities of existence and find solace in the melodies that arise from the depths of the human soul.