Continuing upon this year’s previous releases, “Lay Your Mind” and “Ground Falls Away,” Strange Plants share “Time Killing,” a contemplative and expansive psych-rock single that blends atmospheric textures with a sense of quiet, underlying tension. Wistful and immersive, the track leans into themes of existential reflection and the slow passage of time, capturing the feeling of moving through life’s routines while something deeper simmers beneath the surface.

The song’s origin traces back to a period of heavy literary influence. “At the risk of sounding absurdly pretentious, I was reading a lot of Charles Bukowski at the time,” explains songwriter Matt Brannon. “So it created a sort of temporary supercharged nihilism.” That perspective shaped the song’s core idea; a meditation on time, purpose, and the subtle weight of existence.

Built around a rich, retro-psychedelic sound palette, “Time Killing” unfolds with layered instrumentation and tonal contrast. Trippy string arrangements intertwine with shimmering lap steel, creating a unique sonic blend that sets the track apart within the band’s catalogue. The result is a sound that feels both expansive and grounded; classic in influence yet exploratory in execution.

The recording process brought together a striking group of collaborators. Loel Campbell (Wintersleep, Billy Talent) contributed drums, while Christine Bougie (Bahamas) added lap steel and Drew Jurecka (Dua Lipa) arranged the song’s sweeping strings. The track was mixed by Chris Shaw and co-produced alongside JUNO Award–winning producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda, further elevating its textured, cinematic feel.

One of the defining moments in the song came through experimentation with its vocal delivery. Originally intended for songwriter Travis Flint, the final vocal emerged from a demo sketch that ultimately became the take heard on the recording. “We spent a lot of time trying to figure out the delivery on the top line,” Matt notes, highlighting the band’s openness to instinct and evolution in the studio.

Lyrically, “Time Killing” captures a universal sense of stagnation and quiet longing. Its lines reflect the monotony of daily life, while hinting at a deeper awareness of time slipping by; a tension that gives the song its emotional weight.

Following the release of her emotional single, “Won’t Let Go,” Satya returns with “Love2Hate,” an energetic and empowering pop anthem that celebrates self-reinvention, confidence, and the freedom that comes from letting go of doubt. Inspired by a year of personal transformation and creative renewal, the track marks a bold step forward in both sound and identity, reflecting an artist fully stepping into her own power.

“This song is something I’m so proud of,” Satya shares. “After being told I couldn’t write songs, I did. A lot changed this year. I transformed myself, started collaborating with new people, and found a new sound.”

Rooted in themes of independence and self-belief, “Love2Hate” plays like a personal victory anthem: a celebration of new beginnings and emotional release. With influences drawn from the soulful power of Mary J. Blige and the early-2000s edge of Blu Cantrell, Satya channels a nostalgic yet forward-facing energy that feels both timeless and fresh.

“I hope people feel delivered and free,” she says. “It’s like an anthem of building yourself up and making new beginnings. Cheers everybody, love you all.”

The single’s artwork reflects that same sense of ease and liberation. “I wanted a visual that makes me look free,” Satya explains. “I’m just chilling on a couch in a 70s vibe, happy, relaxed, and joyful. I’m letting go of things, moving forward, not bothered, and confident in myself.”

Balancing girl power energy with determination and uplift, “Love2Hate” stands as a statement of resilience and self-acceptance, capturing the moment where struggle transforms into strength.

The Mosfets unleash their self-titled EP alongside new single “Keith Is A Blues Artist,” a raw and unfiltered garage rock release that captures the band at their most instinctive and unapologetic. Blending fuzz-drenched garage punk, neo-psychedelic textures, and bluesy grit, the project embraces imperfection, spontaneity, and the kind of chaotic energy that can only come from making music purely for the love of it.

Written from a mix of dreams, jokes, and everyday absurdities, The Mosfets EP rejects overthinking in favour of instinct. “Most of it just came from my love of songwriting and collaborating with my friends,” says frontman Keith Mosfet. “We did it for ourselves, it was fun. I’d do this 100 times.”

That spirit carries through every track. Equal parts electric and defiant, the EP leans into rough edges and embraces the band’s natural chemistry rather than sanding it down. “It taught me not to worry so much about polish,” Keith explains. “Rough and raw is good. Our flaws are also our greatest strengths.”

At the centre of the release is “Keith Is A Blues Artist,” a hypnotic, blues-driven garage rock track that began quite literally in a dream. “I was at a party in my dream and put on a random vinyl,” Keith recalls. “This song is what played.” Waking up, he quickly recorded the demo, capturing the melody almost exactly as it had appeared.

The track channels the spirit of early ‘60s blues and garage rock while twisting it into something distinctly their own. Rather than drawing from modern revival acts, The Mosfets looked further back, pulling inspiration from artists like The Sonics, John Lee Hooker, and Them. “We’re not trying to sound like The Black Keys or The White Stripes,” Keith says. “We’re trying to sound like what they were listening to.”

There’s a tongue-in-cheek element at play, too. The title itself came from a band joke, with members Maarten and Ilari agreeing to record the song on one condition: that it be called “Keith Is A Blues Artist.” The result is both a loving nod to classic blues tropes and a playful jab at the band’s frontman.

Recorded on a Tascam 388 reel-to-reel, both the EP and its lead single fully embrace a mid-fi, analog warmth that prioritizes feel over perfection. Much of the project came together in the aftermath of a show in Hamburg, Germany, during a hungover but highly productive session at Yeah Yeah Yeah Studios. “We were very hungover, yet played magnificently,” Keith laughs.

Canadian singer-songwriter Ellie Heath shares her debut album Pushing Forty alongside its bright and empowering lead single “That Sunshine’s Mine.”

Rooted in joyful reflection and forward momentum, Pushing Forty captures a pivotal chapter in Ellie’s life; standing at the edge of change while embracing both the excitement and uncertainty that come with it. Blending pop, synth, indie, and rock textures, the record radiates with an effervescent energy that celebrates growth, transformation, and the beauty of stepping into something new.

“Pushing Forty began as a way to document a specific season of life,” Ellie explains. “I was entering the final year of my thirties, moving in with my partner, settling into a home and just about to welcome a dog into our lives. It felt like I was closing certain doors while opening others and I wanted to capture that emotional crossroads; the excitement and the nerves!”

At the heart of the record’s uplifting spirit is “That Sunshine’s Mine,” a playful yet powerful anthem about protecting your joy. What began as a lighthearted challenge in the studio quickly evolved into something more personal and resonant.

“We joked that writing a sunshine song was basically a guaranteed hit,” she says. “From there, it evolved into something more personal about protecting your joy and not letting others dim your light.”

Driven by punchy, high-energy production and a sense of uninhibited fun, “That Sunshine’s Mine” leans into a bright, confident pop-rock sound. Its fast-paced momentum and communal gang vocals create a feeling of spontaneity and release, tapping into a kind of childlike freedom. “It makes me feel like a kid in the best possible way,” Ellie notes. “It feels fun, empowered, mischievous and free!”

The song’s playful spirit extends into its creation. Originally opening with a rooster crow as a theatrical wake-up call, the track underwent a last-minute shift when Ellie agreed to strip it back and let the energy of the song speak for itself. The result is immediate, vibrant, and undeniably infectious.

Barrie, ON-based indie folk artist Rogan Mei shares “Don’t Look Twice,” a restless and emotionally charged indie folk/Americana single that drifts between late-night haze and uneasy clarity. Anchored in gritty storytelling and cinematic detail, the track explores addiction, avoidance, and the fragile negotiations that unfold inside a relationship slowly unraveling under the weight of denial.

At its core, “Don’t Look Twice” is about the moments where truth is seen but deliberately ignored; when one person chooses to acknowledge what’s happening while the other insists on silence. The song traces a relationship shaped by cycles of escape and return, where fleeting highs and emotional distance become a way of life rather than something to confront.

“It’s about these moments in addiction where one partner sees what’s going on, and the other tells them not to acknowledge it,” Rogan explains. “This guy is always coming back from a ‘flight,’ and running away from his baggage; trying to evade it, leave it behind, and pretend everything is alright without actually changing his lifestyle.”

Written through a lens of lived experience, the song captures the surreal humour and dark optimism often found in denial itself. Set against late nights, fleeting highs, and fragmented memory, “Don’t Look Twice” leans into the contradictions of self-destruction; where recklessness can feel almost normal, even strangely comedic in hindsight.

One of the song’s most vivid moments was born on the road. While travelling back to Calgary from Kelowna, Rogan pulled over in the Rockies and sat on a guard rail with his guitar, taking in the vast landscape. That in-between space, physically isolated yet visually expansive, became part of the track’s emotional DNA, grounding its haze in something real and reflective.

That sense of disorientation carries into the production. A standout guitar solo shifts into an effected, warped sonic passage before snapping back into focus, mirroring the song’s fractured perspective. Inspired in part by Supertramp’s “Goodbye Stranger,” Rogan and lead guitarist Jacob Diamond pushed the solo into a surreal, distorted space before letting it resolve naturally back into the arrangement.

Within the broader context of his upcoming Dickies Green Plaid Jacket EP, the track serves as a release valve. While other songs on the project lean more emotionally direct, “Don’t Look Twice” expands the palette; loosening the tension with chaotic energy while still circling the EP’s central themes of memory, loss, reinvention, and transformation.

Hamilton, Ontario singer-songwriter and guitarist Matty Simpson shares “Boxcar Baby,” a melancholic and introspective folk rock single rooted in empathy, observation, and the quiet resilience of people surviving on the margins. Blending organic roots instrumentation with vivid storytelling, the track paints a portrait of loneliness and perseverance while reflecting on the fragile balance between hardship and hope.

Inspired by real interactions in his neighbourhood, “Boxcar Baby” emerged from Simpson’s reflections on the bottle collectors and unhoused individuals he encountered regularly. “Songwriting is a cathartic experience for me, and events and situations that are happening in my daily life often come out when I’m writing,” he explains. “This song portrays a vagrant type character living in desperation.”

The title itself carries symbolic weight. Drawn from a spontaneous lyrical phrase that surfaced during one of Simpson’s meditative songwriting sessions, “Boxcar Baby” references a Great Depression-era term for train hoppers searching for a better life. “Often lines in songs just come out of me, making up sounds and words in a meditative-like state when playing my guitar,” Simpson says. “When I look back on what I was doing, I can get pieces of the puzzle that I’m putting together.”

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

This song is for the restless wanderers. It’s a tribute to the legends of train hoppers that fought for a better life during the Great Depression. It’s an acknowledgment of the resilience and desperation carried by those hiding out in the dark corners of the world; in the broken buildings and lonely alleys; living in uncertainty, with deep longing and tireless dreams of hope and love.

We chose to visualize this song specifically because the imagery and the lyrics portray a vagrant type character and a very specific time period that we were inspired by in the moment, that we felt we could recreate. Hamilton has a lot of railroads and scenic spots that we could choose from that lent itself to the theme of our video and song. 

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

We wanted to make it look like it was from the time of the Great Depression. We had also just recently watched the movie, “Sinners”, and were inspired by the visuals and wardrobes of that film, which we tried to recreate ourselves the day of the shoot. 

We drove around town and chose the settings that we used because they were exactly what we had imagined when envisioning the background of the video. Hamilton has a lot of beauty and character, which we were able to capture. There are also a lot of train tracks and great spots to choose from for capturing railroad visuals, so we had a lot of fun playing with that. We also wanted to include some older train footage to pay homage to the era we were referencing, as well as keeping with the theme of making the video look like it was from a specific time period. 

3. What was the process of making this video?

We wanted to keep the video low budget, and so we used an iPhone camera to capture the whole video ourselves. We shot it vertically and initially thought it was a mistake, but then chose to run with it and really liked how it turned out. We scoured through old footage of train videos that were from days gone by, that we picked and chose parts of to insert into the video to add some action between scenes and make it more visually exciting. Overall, we are very happy with how the whole thing turned out!