Montreal-born composer, vocalist, and meditation leader Mark Fenster unveils his latest single, “Gabriola Breeze”—a soulful instrumental odyssey inspired by his transformative move from bustling city life to the calm nature of Gabriola Island, British Columbia.
The piece blends multicultural instrumentation with lush, cinematic textures, offering a serene yet emotionally charged soundscape that explores what it means to follow one’s calling.
“This is essentially a musical rendition of my move to Gabriola—or more generally, of one’s leaping quest into their dream,” Fenster explains.
“It begins with a ‘calling’ of sorts—somewhat softly alluring, but also accompanied by a bit of tension and fear as it represents the unknown. Then ultimately, [the music] shows us the value and loving kindness that awaits if we prove our strength and faith are stronger than the fear.”
“Gabriola Breeze” stands out for its rich fusion of spiritual and electric elements, where instruments like the tambura and distorted Telecaster weave together seemingly contrasting emotions, just as life’s challenges often hide within them the seeds of peace. It is meditative, multicultural, and emotionally complex—mirroring the internal landscape of transformation.
Chris Potter, while creating the mix, adds: “Several times I got lost in the music and forgot I was working.”
Grace Elly’s latest single, “I Don’t Care Anymore,” has struck a powerful chord with listeners, delivering a haunting, emotionally raw experience wrapped in gorgeously layered pop vocals. Marking a significant moment in her evolution as a solo artist, the track blends ethereal production with a sense of cathartic release—offering both nostalgia and empowerment in equal measure. Today, we’re thrilled to sit down with Grace for an exclusive interview that explores her creative process, the inspiration behind the single, and how she’s come into her own as a solo musician.
Grace’s passion for music began early—at just six years old—when she first dove into a wide spectrum of genres including folk, pop, rock, and classical. This eclectic foundation helped shape the distinct sound she’s known for today: a seamless fusion of atmospheric textures and emotionally resonant storytelling. “I Don’t Care Anymore” is a testament to that sonic versatility, showcasing Grace’s ability to turn vulnerability into strength.
Before stepping out as a solo act, Grace was part of the girl group Chosen5, formed during the height of the pandemic. Their debut project, The Every Christmas Album, and performances across the country not only gained them a loyal following but also gave Grace invaluable experience as both a performer and songwriter. As the group evolved into The Chosen Girls, Grace’s individuality and artistic vision began to take center stage—ultimately paving the way for her solo debut.
Now forging her own path, Grace Elly is creating music with a clear purpose: to uplift, empower, and resonate with anyone navigating life’s emotional landscape. In this interview, she opens up about her journey from group member to solo artist, the personal truths behind “I Don’t Care Anymore,” and the creative principles that continue to guide her.
From discussions about musical influences to reflections on self-discovery, Grace shares what it means to stay authentic in an ever-changing industry—and how music has been both her outlet and her anchor.
Don’t miss this candid conversation with Grace Elly—an artist whose voice is as powerful as the story behind it.
Toronto indie rock band The Lightning Struck return with Century Storm, their boldest and most focused record to date. Drawing from gnostic philosophy, science fiction, and a distinctly vintage sonic palette, the band paints a picture of modern life’s turbulence through a deeply personal lens.
On Century Storm, the band recorded 17 songs, carefully curating the final album to represent the most cohesive, uncompromising version of their vision. Grounded in raw instrumentation, sharp songwriting, and existential reflections, Century Storm is a portrait of a band with a defined identity and a wide sonic reach.
The focus track, “In Her Dreams Tonight,” captures the album’s surreal but grounded ethos while channeling homesickness, alienation, and unexpected optimism through a surf-tinged indie rock lens.
Written from the perspective of an alien longing to return home but trapped in a human body fated to die first, “In Her Dreams Tonight” draws direct inspiration from Fritz Leiber’s sci-fi short story The Ship Sails at Midnight. The result is a track that feels eerily joyful: upbeat melodies and retro rock touches like surf guitar riffs and Duane Eddy-style leads mask the melancholy at its core.
1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically? The song was inspired by a Fritz Leiber short story, The Ships Sails at Midnight, about an alien being who is trapped on Earth in a human body. The story is told from the perspective of a human friend of this alien being, as well as from the perspective of the alien talking to herself. It explores themes about how she seems to not fit into the society around her, and how she will have to abandon her body in order to be free.
2.What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
The video was conceived to bring together visual elements that reinforced the story and the underlying feelings of longing and alienation. We combined elements of modern dance, shadow puppets and performance video. The idea was that the protagonist could be anyone among us, and we anonymized her by never showing her face. You’ll either see her as a shadow puppet, a masked dancer, or shot from behind as she walks through her environment.
3.What was the process of making this video?
Damra Camat was our dancer and choreographer. Her brief was to “dance alien”, which she captured amazingly. All of those moves were her invention. Although she found the paper mask unpleasant to dance in, it really reinforced the anonymity of the protagonist. (And we had an amusing social media post where she rips off the mask and jumps up and down on it, crushing it.) The shadow puppets were created by Linda Troxel, and were shot behind translucent paper. They allowed us to portray the more difficult parts of the story (like spaceships landing), as well as providing a symbolic language (like the closing of the heart) to work against the live action footage.
Some artists spend their lives chasing music. For Lila Forde, music arrived early—and never let go.
Raised in a spiritual, creatively nurturing home in Seattle, the singer-songwriter found herself surrounded by jazz records, meditation sessions, and the kind of freedom that lets an artist bloom. She didn’t have a television growing up, but she had rhythm, harmony, and a deep curiosity. Her parents—a musician and a pair of meditation teachers—encouraged her to explore without limits, planting the seeds for a musical voice that now feels as wise as it is fresh.
That voice finds full expression on Vessel, Forde’s striking debut album. A blend of jazz, folk, soul, and old-school R&B, it’s a warm and introspective collection that plays like a conversation between the past and the present. “There’s nothing else in this world I could possibly do,” she says, reflecting on a journey that’s felt less like a choice and more like a calling.
After studying jazz in college and gigging across Los Angeles—from quiet lounges to pop-up stages—Forde caught the attention of a producer from The Voice during a New Year’s Day performance. Her stint on the show brought her to the Top 5 under the mentorship of John Legend, giving her a national platform without compromising her identity. “They never tried to make me into anything I wasn’t,” she recalls.
But the real turning point came offscreen. With over $16,000 raised through a grassroots Kickstarter campaign, Forde recorded Vessel in just three days alongside producer Aidan Carroll and a handpicked ensemble of musicians. The sessions, she says, were driven by energy, trust, and instinct. “We crafted the perfect cocktail of people,” she explains. “It was all vibes.”
Those vibes ripple through the album, from the flirty, funk-tinged opener “Temptation” to the heartbreak-laced stillness of “Honesty,” a raw ballad written in the wake of a breakup. “You can hear me going through it,” she admits. “That’s the point.”
On “Brick by Brick,” Forde channels a steady, determined kind of hope—building a life, a love, and a career with patience and intention. And in the title track, she lets go entirely, repeating a single mantra over gentle chords: “I let the music come and go / I’m just a vessel, not a home.” It’s a moment of surrender, and the album’s emotional core.
Forde closes Vessel with a nod to her roots: a live voice memo of her covering “The Masquerade Is Over” during a restaurant jazz set, silverware clinking in the background. “You can’t recreate that,” she says. “It’s a reminder of where I come from.”
If Vessel feels unusually complete for a debut, it’s because it is. Forde isn’t trying on different personas—she’s simply showing us who she is, one track at a time. “I want people to feel like they’ve had a well-balanced meal,” she says. “Not too much of anything, just enough of everything.”
With this release, Lila Forde emerges as more than a promising new voice—she’s a fully-formed artist with something real to say. And she’s just getting started.
Toronto-based instrumental electronic artist 8know8 is proud to announce the release of her fourth studio album, She. A deeply personal and sonically immersive record, She continues Polly-Jean Vernon’s journey of self-discovery, expressed through intricate layers of synth and live percussion.
Polly-Jean recorded She using her signature approach: layering live drums and synthesizers in real-time, preserving the raw energy of a live performance. “No quantizing, no electronic drum pads, no punch-ins. I want it to feel and be real,” she explains. “Mistakes happen, and you can hear some on every one of my records – but they sound real, in a world that is increasingly sterile and uniform.”
The album’s focus track, “Make It Work,” embodies the intensity, frustration, and eventual triumph of the creative process, delivering a hypnotic blend of electronic and acoustic elements. “I was playing around with a synthesized music box sound and fell in love with the interplay of syncopated waves and hi-hats,” says Vernon. “This song started from that groove and evolved into something that truly represents my experience: life is tough, but you have to make it work.”
Driven by an unrelenting rhythm and shimmering melodic textures, “Make It Work” stands as a testament to Vernon’s ability to merge human emotion with electronic soundscapes. The track, born out of artistic frustration and perseverance, took on an unexpected life of its own when a technical glitch caused an outro melody to continuously reset itself – a flaw that ultimately became a defining feature of the song.
“Sometimes the best parts of life are substantially flawed,” Vernon reflects. “And you just have to make it work.”
Strange Plants return with “Horseshoe Smile,” a bouncy psychedelic pop throwback that lives somewhere between Tears For Fears and The Beatles’ Revolver-era. Happy, trippy, and just the right amount of weird, the track playfully critiques curated digital personas and the exaggerated performances people put on to appear perfect. The song’s title refers to the exaggerated “horseshoe” shape of over-laughed upper teeth – a not-so-subtle jab at the fakeness we often witness in public and online personas.
“Horseshoe Smile” leans fully into its retro-pop influences while distorting them through a funhouse mirror. The track is the third single from the forthcoming full-length Strange Plants album, and showcases the band’s musical versatility with songwriter Matt Brannon taking over lead vocal duties from collaborator Travis Flint. The resulting track gives The Beach Boys feel-good vibes, but with a sharp lyrical wink.
Produced by multi-instrumentalist Robbie Crowell (Sturgill Simpson, Deer Tick), “Horseshoe Smile” is featured on Strange Plants’ eponymous debut album, recorded at the iconic Creative Workshop Studio in Nashville and officially out on June 6th, 2025.
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