K O D A E’s blend of alternative R&B is both Bow Valley and Modern Metropolis. Combining their mutual love for modern groove with their connection to nature and mysticism, this group of intergenerational musicians weave songs that strut like breakbeats but flow and warm the heart like a valley stream at sunset. With their different backgrounds, each member brings a unique flavour to the table: Owen Mcpherson’s gospel roots on the deep five, Seyoung Lee’s lush jazz textures on the keys, Curtis Sauer’s ambitious groove on the drums and Eric Osborne’s fluid harmonies on the guitar.

New single, “Daydreamer,” is a joint release with Calgary’s TAYLR; a self proclaimed softy and singer-songwriter who is no stranger to self reflection and deep internal exploration that bold, technicolor songwriting is born from. The hopeful song offers permission to re-invest in your inner creative, inner artist, inner child while really touching on the importance of play and nurturing an imagination without limits.

K O D A E has always been rooted in mysticism and the romantic ponderings of the universe. A lot of our songs come from a place of wanting to understand our world and ourselves a little bit deeper. We feel connected to nature and the cycles that dance within it and you can find a lot of themes about growth, embracing simplicity, accepting change and settling into our roles in this big vast, magical world! 

– TAYLR (they/them)

For Rena Kozak, writing music is a compulsion which is brought to life through her musical project, Child Actress. It’s a cathartic swell that offers a sanctuary to the overbearing nature of our emotions, crafting a liminal space where the feelings we can’t explain are expressed with limitless reverie. “Fruit Flies” is the first single from forthcoming EP, Just Fine Never Better, anticipated on September 27th.

“Fruit Flies” came to her three years after her partner died in his sleep next to her. It was during this phase when she felt like a widow but was beginning to experience an evolution in her philosophies around life and death – reconciling what it could mean to be dead but to still be able to have power, energy, maybe even awareness – considering the ways that her partner still seemed to have so much power, energy, and interaction with her.

Kozak’s mind was also toying with the concept of reincarnation – she had trapped some fruit flies on some sticky tape in her kitchen and as she watched them wiggle and become more entrapped, she found herself wondering who they might have been in their lives before this and who they would be next, and did they know what they were now? 

Balladeer and actor John Gogo hails from a musical family in Snuneymuxw (a.k.a. Nanaimo) on Vancouver Island. Best known for writing and performing his folk songs about the people and places, the true and tall tales of the West Coast, John produced his sixth full-length album, Western Balladeer.

The wistful “Cougar Annie” was inspired by Western Canadian legendary pioneer Ada Annie Rae-Arthur. The homesteader carved out a five-acre garden in the wilderness, ran a successful nursery, post office and general store while raising 11 children. She became known as Cougar Annie after word got around about her shooting around 70 cougars and countless bears that had threatened her kids and garden. 

One of the aspects of Ada Annie’s life that intrigues me was that she outlived four husbands. My story of her is sung in the form of a letter written from the perspective of a potential suitor. With just vocal, guitar and Appalachian dulcimer, along with my daughters Jena and Jeri’s background vocals, I tried to give the song a reclusive intimacy. Recorded at my home on Protection Island, the dulcimer track was played by my friend and neighbour Rick Scott, of the legendary West Coast band Pied Pumkin. On that very day, a cougar made its way over to the island!  – John Gogo

Based in Toronto, ON by way of London, England, by way of Ile-Ife, Nigeria, artist and producer Seye Odebiyi uses his musical exposure from different countries to feed into his creative process.

“What I do not want to do is to sound like everything else.” Seye is looking to make his music reach and impact as many people as possible, as well as bring a smile, a dance and a lasting memory. “I love African percussion in my rhythms. So no matter the style, if you listen hard enough, you’ll hear some congas, bongos, and/or shakers.”

Familiar but fresh, “A Walk With You” is his soulful single with an old school R&B sound, transporting listeners to a special place with their special someone.

1. The story is kinda like every story a guy has experienced at least once. You see a girl you like in a coffee shop, you make eye contact, you smile and you wonder what it could be. In my mind, I imagine being able to walk up to her, have a conversation and go for a nice long, romantic walk! Like you would see in movies where boy meets girl and they end up walking and talking and spending the whole day together. 

2. In my scenario with the situation above, it would be a walk by the beach. That would be my idea of a perfect situation to go for a walk, and talk about everything and nothing with that special someone.

3. I use an app called Pond5 for inspiration for ideas and visuals. I think it is really important to have visuals that can capture the emotions and feelings of a song. Once I got the visuals, I was able to edit it and create a nice video with it, I think.

Vikki Minor (FKA “velours”) is an award-nominated neo-90s alt-pop artist proudly from Saskatoon, SK, and now partially based in Toronto, ON. She’s earned nominations for awards like Rock/Pop Artist of the Year at the SaskMusic Awards three years in a row and Pop Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Minor’s music is a seamless blend of synth-pop and alternative rock, with powerful vocals and a rock star edge noted by wide-ranging audiences, news outlets, and fellow musicians.

Produced by L.A.’s Zack Burke and mixed by Dean Maher, “COOL” is Minor’s 90s-referencing, unabashedly fun-loving new single that lists all of the cool things about a person she’s crushing on from afar. It combines a rock edge with its guitar and vocal growls, and an excitedly catchy chorus. If you listen closely, you can hear Minor talk to her crush about his vinyl collection and the potential thrift store date the pair could go on.

Saskatoon’s Rakk Productions tackled the fun, unabashedly earnest music video for “COOL,” with Minor also taking the reins as director. The nostalgic, 2000s-esque music video plays on the silly aspects already in the song and was filmed in a weekend at various Saskatoon locations with a small but amazing team.