Canadian indie artist Joe Lapinski unveils his bold and deeply personal new album, New Day, a genre-blurring exploration of identity, community, trauma, and healing. At the heart of the album is its theatrical and liberating focus track, “Set Free,” a passionate plea to break cycles of addiction and self-sabotage in the name of love.

Produced in close collaboration with longtime creative partner Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Gord Downie’s Country of Miracles), New Day is Lapinski’s most sonically adventurous and emotionally resonant release to date. Across its tracks, Lapinski channels life-altering transitions – opening a studio, becoming a father – into songs that wrestle with what it means to surrender to growth.

“Set Free” stands as a powerful centerpiece, blending indie rock punch with glam-era theatricality, calling to mind early Bowie and Bahamas in its fearless emotional range. It plays like a duet between two people desperate to connect, but haunted by inner baggage – a raw, slow-burn anthem made for anyone who’s ever felt like their past keeps them from the love they want.

“Set Free” is a passionate scream – a cry to be free from your baggage, your addictions, your fear so you can finally let love in. It’s about pushing past what’s holding you back, not just for yourself, but for someone you care about. A thread that runs through New Day is “letting go.” If we let love rule, we’ll find a deeper happiness, as well as a deeper connection to the people around us, and our community. – Joe Lapinski

Toronto indie/pop singer-songwriter and producer ARK IDENTITY returns with his latest single, “Still In Love”—a hypnotic track that explores the emotional limbo of heartbreak that refuses to fully fade. 

“Still In Love” is the latest taste of ARK IDENTITY’s just-announced second EP, Deluxe Nightmare, a collection of dynamic, genre-bending indie pop songs slated for release on October 24th.

The song itself takes you on a journey, blending dream pop textures with indie sensibilities, hints of alt-R&B, culminating in a psychedelic finale. The song pulls listeners into a dreamy, otherworldly space where the past and present blur. “This song came from that weird space between holding on and letting go,” says Noah Mroueh, the artist behind ARK IDENTITY. 

“It’s about still being in love with someone who’s already moved on—feeling pulled back into their orbit even though you know it’s not good for you.”

“Still In Love” articulates the emotional contradiction of missing someone you’re better off without. “It’s about the kind of love that lingers even after it’s over,” Noah explains. “I was trying to capture that push-pull—being obsessed but detached, wanting someone’s presence but not their attention. It’s messy, and that’s the point.”

The lyrics are laced with poetic longing, delivering lines that echo in the heart like unanswered questions. “It’s about chasing a feeling you can’t recreate,” Noah continues. “Being still in love with a version of someone that might not even exist anymore—and wondering if they ever really did. It’s heartbreak disguised as a dream.”

Musically, “Still In Love” floats between genres, never settling into one form—echoing the unsettled emotion at its core. “It lives somewhere between dream pop, indie, alt-R&B, with a sprinkle of psychedelia,” Noah explains. “The sonics aren’t trying to fit one box—it’s more about chasing an emotion and letting the production follow that.”

“I liked the idea of love existing in another timeline—like maybe we ended up together somewhere else, in some alternate dimension,” Noah reflects. Perhaps that dimension is the 1980s. Fittingly, the official video is a throwback to the late ’80s, opening with the flicker of a worn VHS tape in a VCR. ARK IDENTITY and his live band perform in soft focus and retro lighting, channeling the spirit of a classic MTV video. The song itself nods to that era too—blending shimmering synths with timeless hooks.

For ARK IDENTITY, “Still In Love” continues the artist’s exploration of emotional nuance, internal conflict, and the search for meaning within the haze of memory. It’s a dreamy anthem for anyone who’s ever been stuck in love’s rearview mirror.

With siren-like vocals, delicate guitar, and emotional depth, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Erica Knox returns with “Kerosene,” a folk-tinged pop single that turns heartbreak into healing. The track, originally written in 2018, finds new life and deeper resonance after being recorded live off the floor at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios.

“It’s a full circle moment,” Knox shares. “I wrote it after my first trip to London, and my first heartbreak. Coming back, and recording at Abbey Road, it feels like the perfect time for this song to be heard.”

Written for a college project on metaphor in music, “Kerosene” weaves poetic double meanings into its sparse, four-word chorus by balancing simplicity with profound emotional weight. The track explores the shame and longing that often follow a first heartbreak, and the fear of being “too much.”

“The lyrics and picking pattern hold a lot of space so we didn’t want to overcrowd it during production”, Knox says, and adds “there’s something about this one that feels like it’s been waiting for the right moment to be heard.”

The final studio version of “Kerosene” stays true to its live roots. Recorded in Studio 3 at Abbey Road and later polished in Toronto with producer Tal Vaisman, the team used AI isolation software to retain the original live guitar and vocal takes – preserving the track’s raw beauty while enhancing it with ambient layers.

Canadian indie singer-songwriter Andrew Spice swaps fury for farce on his charming new track, “Terrible Date.” Following the cinematic drama of his previous singles, “Rage Stage” and “Gentle Sentinel,” this whimsical indie waltz turns the awkwardness of a romantic flop into something melodically melancholic and universally relatable.

Written by Spice and produced by two–time JUNO nominee Matthew Barber, “Terrible Date” is a playful detour into romantic misadventure. The song features strings, synths, and a lilting piano rhythm that mirrors the emotional chaos of an evening gone sideways. Acclaimed musician Mike Tompa contributed a madcap string arrangement along with additional keys and guitar, helping to capture both the charm and cringe of a date best left in the rearview. Spice’s husband, Miss Moço, directed, filmed and co-starred in the accompanying visuals – an ironic, full circle moment for a song about a “Terrible Date.”

A “Terrible Date” is something most of us have gone through. Although it can be a crushing experience, a little time and distance can help us look back and find some humour in it all. This song is a whimsical and melancholic ode to a Saturday night with a person I will never see again (and I’m sure we’re both okay with that). – Andrew Spice

Hamilton, Ontario baroque-pop quartet Superstar Crush share their latest single, “They Keep Calling,” a bombastic power ballad rooted in female rage, emotional exhaustion, and mutual care. Tugging at the threads of pop rock melodrama, the track is the latest preview of their debut album, Way Too Much, due August 5th, and a vivid portrait of creative camaraderie and burnout survival.

Written from the perspective of lead singer Marzieh Darling – by her partner and bandmate Sam Hansell – “They Keep Calling” is a love letter in reverse: one that says “I see you,” when no one else does. Inspired by the overwhelming sense of obligation she carried as a confidant, friend, and university Resident Advisor, the song chronicles a descent into psychic static, with Marzieh as its electrified centre. “I didn’t really know how to help,” says Sam. “So I wrote a scenario where she finally stands up and asks to be heard.”

The song’s unique production – equal parts polished and chaotic – came from a delirious overnight session at their old middle school. Sam and drummer Truaxe Fox set up a DIY studio in the forest-fringed building and tracked into the early hours, chasing ideas with semi-filled wine glasses and sleepless abandon. The next morning, bassist Chloe Butler-Stubbs and Marzieh arrived to add their voices, turning the sonic mess into something crystalline. “Our friend Lenny McGowan (Irresponsible Purchase) dropped by for coffee,” says Truaxe. “We ended up asking them to record a dream tap dance solo which you can hear at the very end of the track.”

Lyrically desperate and sonically layered, “They Keep Calling” is a Frankenstein of references: tremolo vocals à la Capital Steez, Motels-tight drums, Mike Dean synths, and Bangles-style string drama courtesy of violinist Helen Faucher. It’s a song stitched together by mutual admiration, inside jokes, and deeply felt emotion. “A lot of our songs are like that – inspired by each other,” says the band.

Lebanese-Canadian artist Raphaela unveils a new side of herself with “Muse,” a light, romantic indie-pop single that captures the giddy glow of a love so deep, it becomes your inspiration. It’s a sonic exhale – warm, cinematic, and effervescent – marking a bright step forward from the moody introspection of her earlier work. This is a song about ease after ache, about finally finding the kind of love that doesn’t ask you to shrink, change, or chase.

Written on a sunny summer afternoon, “Muse” is all soft light and open-hearted ease. It’s a celebration of the kind of love that feels natural and grounded – the kind that makes you feel seen, steady, and full of joy. Produced with a new pop-forward polish, “Muse” balances Raphaela‘s signature emotional honesty with a more playful tone: sunlight on your shoulders, dancing in the kitchen, a song you want to get lost in.

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

I wrote Muse after a string of heavier, more introspective songs. I was craving something lighter — something that felt like sunlight on your shoulders. Warm, giddy, effortless. This song is a celebration of love that doesn’t come with drama or confusion — love that’s simple, grounding, and quietly inspiring. The kind of love that becomes your muse.

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

Muse feels like a summer daydream, so I teamed up with my friend and talented videographer Almyr Jules, who came up with the picnic concept. It was soft, playful, and intimate — like a love letter wrapped in golden hour light. Every detail had to reflect that energy, even down to the clothes I wore. I was so happy to find a brand — For Love & Lemons — whose aesthetic matched the song perfectly. They even use the word Muse in their branding, which felt like a beautiful coincidence that tied everything together. It wasn’t about grand gestures — just two people in their own little world. That’s what Muse captures, and what we tried to reflect in the video. The picnic felt like the perfect visual metaphor: peaceful, intimate, and unhurried. It’s the kind of moment where you forget the rest of the world exists — where everything slows down and all that matters is the connection in front of you. 

3. What was the process of making this video?

We shot the video at Fletcher Wildlife Garden in Ottawa on a beautiful spring day. The team brought the romantic picnic setup to life, and it honestly felt like stepping into one of my own daydreams — but made real. Everything from the lighting to the details in the setup felt soft, intentional, and full of heart. It was such a fun, easygoing shoot, and I’m so grateful to the team for capturing the exact feeling I had imagined when I wrote Muse.