The greatest music goes beyond merely entertaining us; instead, it conjures deep and varied emotions by evoking the universal hopes, fears, and experiences of humanity. Few modern artists embody that sentiment as wonderfully as Canadian progressive/post-rock troupe Versa. Founded in 2007, the group has spent over 15 years perfecting their superb chemistry of serene vocals; eloquent songwriting; and majestically ornate, diverse, and engrossing instrumentation across their first four collections (2007’s Versa, 2010’s The Decline & Fall of…, 2012’s Common Things EP, and 2022’s A Voyage / A Destination).

Regarding the decision to split A Voyage / A Destination into two parts (and two releases), the first came in April 2022. Although “the bulk of the material was recorded at the same time,” bandleader Matthew Dolmage confesses, “ultimately, we knew that it’d take a while to finish the remaining songs. As difficult as it was, we knew that delaying the second part would prove to be the right choice for us and our listeners.”

Indeed, A Voyage / A Destination Part 2 is truly a tour-de-force of everything Versa has achieved thus far. From the Big Big Train-like symphonic warmth of “Breaking and Entering” and dramatic complexity of “The Seething Bay,” to the Devin Townsend and The Decemberists-esque acoustic contemplation of “Bury Me at Sea” (inspired by the 1992 burial of Dolmage‘s grandfather), the sequence is breathtakingly exploratory, touching, ambitious, and impactful. That it ends with both a robust prog rock epic (“Artemis,” which Dolmage sees as “Jethro Tull meets Moon Safari… in space!”) and a stirring “medley/summary of everything Versa has been thus far” (closer “Destination”) is only further proof of why A Voyage / A Destination, Part 2 is a musically, thematically, and spiritually rich journey listeners will never forget.

Highlighted single, “Flew the Coop,” features Haken vocalist Ross Jennings and is written by Dolmage who aimed to invoke a nostalgic feeling that mixes elements of indie folk, progressive rock, and post-rock.

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

We felt that Flew the Coop was the best song on the album to introduce new listeners to who we are and what we do.  Our music combines elements of progressive rock, post rock, and indie rock, and on Flew the Coop we’ve blended all of those elements in a single five-minute song.  We also have the amazing Ross Jennings of Haken singing lead vocals, which we want to showcase front and centre!  

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

I make most of our videos myself (though we did have a couple of wonderful animated videos in support of our last album, “A Voyage / A Destination”) and they often start at a similar place, namely “What kind of story can I tell that’s within our very limited budget and my limited abilities as a filmmaker?”.  

“Flew the Coop” is a song about nostalgia, about remembering being a child in summertime, playing in the woods, swimming in the lake, and how that feeling of nostalgia can sometimes be a positive thing, but also can be problematic, trapping you in an impossible desire to revisit moments and memories that can never be recreated.  The video is pretty directly that – our protagonist goes for a hike and a swim in the mountains and is literally captured by those darker elements which try to drive her mad.

3.What was the process of making this video?

The video was filmed in a couple of parts over an extended period.  In early September, 2022, I drove out to Squamish, BC, a smaller community about an hour north of Vancouver, and met up with Lindsay McDonald, the star of the video.  She lives in Squamish and is an avid hiker and I’d asked her to do some location scouting. We filmed at her home, and then drove about 20 minutes out of town to a lake up in the mountains and filmed the rest of her scenes there.  In May of 2023, Haken were touring and playing Vancouver, and I picked Ross Jennings up at the Rickshaw, the venue Haken was performing at, around lunch time, drove him out to my parents’ place in North Van, and we filmed his scenes in my parents’ basement, which was incredibly cool and generous of Ross.  I did something similar a year later with Steph Boutet, the pianist on the song, and then I filmed the rest of the band’s shots in August at my home, and edited it all together.  Rob Birnholz, a video editor and SFX guy in Florida, did the transition shots between the “real” world and the “psychedelic” world, and I did the rest of the visual effects using Runway, an online AI-driven video editor.

Marzzhia Janine (MJ) Ancheta, mononymously known as MARZIA, has gained global recognition for her live performances and vocal range. Following up on her debut single, “SHE IS HER,” released this past January, MARZIA is now sharing the Ariana Grande-inspired track, “Supermodel.”

Inspired by Grande’s “Jason’s Song,” the feel, vibe and overall aura of “Supermodel” evokes pop, R&B and soul sounds with a little dabbling into funk. Growing up on stage, MARZIA has always loved live instruments and live bands, and  really wanted to incorporate that for her future shows. 

The idea stemmed from a keyboard line that one of my closest friends, SANHA KIM, played. It was upbeat and peppy, which I asked him to produce a beat to. The song started off very electronic and midi and eventually it grew to become a full live instrument band track. – MARZIA

Ekelle is an artist and songwriter from Toronto, ON who rhymes about what she knows best – her real-life experience. Key music themes include money, sex, drama, and identity through a black feminist lens. Her genre of choice is a style that she created called Hood Pop – popular music with a street edge. Hood Pop combines elements of hip-hop, pop music, and R&B. Ekelle’s previously released 2023 track, “Flo,” produced by Andre Kaden Black and Jon Karkar, currently sits as her most streamed song on Spotify. It received acclaim as one of Complex’s Best Canadian Tracks of the Week and received radio play on Vibe 105 and Flow 98.7.

Ervin Mitchell is a songwriter and rap artist from Memphis, Tennessee who is currently based out of the hotbed of urban culture – Atlanta, GA. He has quickly gained over 4,000,000 monetized streams and hundreds of thousands of Shazams of his songs. Ervin’s overarching theme is the power of the mind to manifest our reality. He internalizes the philosophy that the job of a true artist is to convey meaningful messages and emotions in the simplest way. 

On “Games,” Ekelle & Ervin Mitchell team up to deliver a sexy single that’s inspired by the swipe culture of online dating. Although we usually have an idea of who we’d like to be with, there’s this energy nowadays where everyone thinks they’re going to find someone better so they keep looking. The song’s protagonist (Ekelle) doesn’t necessarily want to be in the streets anymore, but is forced to because of the current culture.

Fun fact: I’ve known Ervin Mitchell for about 10 years! I met him when I was in Atlanta for work. I was just getting started with music so it was amazing to meet another down to Earth artist who had a lot of the experience I wanted to have as well. It’s such a great full circle moment to finally collaborate together. I probably could have asked earlier but I wanted to wait for that right song. – Ekelle

Toronto singer-songwriter Angela Saini captivates audiences with instantly-memorable country roots pop, celebrating courage and finding joy in surprising places. With several Canadian tours under her belt, as well as treks across Germany, England and The Netherlands, the positive and upbeat songstress has been called “massively talented” by BBC Radio. A 2020 Independent Music Award Finalist for “Best Alt Country” and 2017 Toronto Independent Music Award winner, she uplifts and inspires audiences with songs that make you want to take a leap of faith and trust in the process.

Her empathic and upbeat new single, “Wanna Be You,” blends mandolin with acoustic guitar and warm production to strip back and interrogate the patterns of comparison we engage in far too easily thanks to social media. As the song develops, she recognizes the value of herself and her own individuality, with a singalong refrain which emphasizes the importance of finding the courage to love oneself.

“Wanna Be You” is an empowering anthem encouraging self-love with the courage to be yourself, in an age of comparison, competition, and not feeling good enough. – Angela Saini

Vicki Lovelee is a Chinese-Canadian alt-pop sensation based in Markham, Ontario. With a foundation in classical piano and a degree in jazz vocals, she masterfully blends her deep musical knowledge with a passion for pop – to create a unique genre she calls “dark pop ballerina music at the opera.” Her sound is a dramatic fusion of dark pop and orchestral instrumentations, offering a cinematic experience to listeners.

Lovelee’s new record, Phase 2: Power Struggle, continues her album series initiated in 2021 with Phase 1: Shadows. This whimsical, fun, and seering new LP represents a period of being in flux – “transitioning into a more confident person but still struggling to regain our power,” she explains. 

The album’s focus track, “Double Edged Sword,” grapples with one of the challenges to one’s confidence, the archetype of the masked fool. The theatrical alt-pop piece pulsates with anticipation and nimble strings as Lovelee stops falling for their tricks and reveals this individual for who they really are.

“Double Edged Sword” is about revealing someone’s true nature. There are some people who are kind and charismatic and everyone loves them and are drawn to them. But it’s all just an act; it’s just a mask that they’re wearing. If we take off their mask, we realize that they have selfish and nasty intentions behind their kind actions. – Vicki Lovelee

Shane Pendergast has folk music in his blood. Growing up in Prince Edward Island, he hails from a lineage of storytellers and musicians. He began singing and playing guitar at a young age, and performed frequently at small halls across PEI with his family. 

Shane moved to Toronto to study Documentary Filmmaking and English at York University. While there, he performed in pubs on weekends, gradually honing his craft and finding his voice as a songwriter. Drawing inspiration from the landscapes and lore of his Maritime home, Shane’s songs began to take shape, resonating with themes of community, history, and the sea. In 2020, Shane returned to PEI, where he founded the Jack Pine Folk Club – a monthly gathering inspired by the coffeehouses of the 1960s, featuring a mix of traditional music and poetry. Under Shane’s guidance, the Jack Pine stage has become a vibrant hub for folk music, attracting talent from across Canada.

Shane’s latest single, “Crossing the Bridge,” sparked its conception when he witnessed a seagull eating a starfish. It was an odd and comical sight to witness, directly contrasting with the beauty of the river. This made Shane think about all the quirks of his home – the real life rough edges that make his surroundings unique.

I walk over the bridge in my village every day, but the title “Crossing the Bridge” suggests a shift in perspective. Seeing the beauty in the rough edges, and going with the flow a little more instead of seeking perfection. – Shane Pendergast