Staytus is the musical alter-ego of Arizona-based recording prodigy Sam Grundemann, who fuses the immersive sensibility of gaming culture and the moody, stylized futurism of anime with Gen X-inspired angst, all set to a serrated electro-industrial goth metal soundtrack. 

A black-winged avatar come to deliver reckoning for the onslaught of challenges today’s young adults have to navigate, Grundemann’s ability to translate trauma, betrayal, heartbreak, grief and anxiety into sound from a non-neurotypical perspective arrives not a moment too soon.

“Depravity Bites,” the latest single from her upcoming sophomore full-length Wasteland of Broken Hearts, out today, goes for an even starker edge than previous single “Lovesick.” The “Depravity Bites” video sees Grundemann incorporating BDSM imagery for the first time, alternating between a whip and the guitar that has become the centerpiece of her sonic arsenal. Once again, Grundemann shows that she can match her prodigious DAW chops with a burgeoning sense of songcraft.

Listen to the album here:

For Grundemann—a multi-instrumentalist who acquired multiple recording degrees and certifications by the ripe old age of 17—riffing, writing, programming, recording and sound-design all derive from the same creative life force that fires her imagination. And the high-resolution, surround-like ambience of her music demands that we make a distinction between bedroom producer and auteur. With her vision growing by leaps and bounds, Grundemann has crafted an album that grips your attention from start to finish and unfolds much like a film. 

In an age where the full-length album is supposedly dead and buried, Grundemann is doggedly striving to revive the epic appeal of Nine Inch Nails’ classic double album The Fragile. She also unabashedly wears the influence of groups like KoRn, Orgy, Kittie, Black Dresses and How To Destroy Angels on her sleeve. If there’s one act poised to give nu metal a modern makeover so that the familiar riffs, grooves and attitude hit us as fresh and stylish to us again, it’s Staytus. 

Kandle can weave magic so powerful because she feels it too, she is out here in the darkness with us. A true music industry veteran, she has been a powerhouse in the scene with an impressive career spanning over a decade.

“Live A Lie” is the first single off her next album to be released spring 2024. Coming back bolder than ever, self-produced and in charge, this fearless chanteuse shows us once again that her cinematic, raw songwriting can’t be packaged up and put in one simple category. With a wide range of influences ranging from Portishead to PJ Harvey, “Live A Lie” is a hypnotic taste from one of Canada’s finest songwriters.

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

Live A Lie is a reflection on a society that’s burnt out from living in a structure that doesn’t work anymore. After struggling so much myself the last few years with mental and physical health, exhaustion and the near impossible cost of living, the song seemed to almost write itself. I chose to visualize this song specifically because it felt important and relatable and it had a lot of raw emotion. With the sound so influenced by 90s alt rock/trip hop sounds, my mind was time travelling, and all I could see was The X-Files. What better way to tell the story of living a lie than by searching for the truth with everybody’s favourite FBI agents?

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

The first image that came to me was the blinding lights in the car. A chilling scene I remember seeing in an episode as a child that stuck with me for my entire life and brought all kinds of nostalgic curiosity with it. This song, and thus the video, is all about the struggle of searching for a reason, a buried truth; Mulder’s UFO hunt in the face of dense intrigue and deception parallels the average person’s search for an answer to why one must work oneself to death in order to achieve just the mere basics of life. I had to throw dancing into the idea, because really the whole message of the song is to break out of the hamster wheel. “Why aren’t we prioritizing fun in our lives anymore? Fuck it, let’s dance.”

3. What was the process of making this video?

This video was done incredibly DIY with a solid small group of friends and a nearly impossible timeline. My partner/co-writer Jeffrey Mitchell ran with my ideas, created the a treatment for the “episode” and took on the role of director. We shot most of it guerrilla-style in the dead of night, trying to look casual with our hazmat suits, FBI badges, movie lights and musical instruments every time the cops or fire department came by. With little budget to actually create a set, we used my aunt’s print shop which was conveniently filled with old computers, printing presses, and shredders. The outfits were plucked out of local thrift stores and one of my all-time favourite directors Brandon William Fletcher came on as cinematographer. He’s a huge X-Files fan, and he nailed the look, it looks absolutely gorgeous. The deadline was insane, we shot and edited the entire video in just over 48 hours. We were exhausted and excited, and a more than a little sore from all the dancing.

From Thunder Bay, ON, stardrop is here to ignite your senses through the power of music and video. Together, with her team of musical genius, they create catchy, soulful pop songs that aim to make softies like you feel like a badass.

Recently, stardrop recorded her first album with Toronto-based producers Tennyson King and Dan Hosh; a collection of self-love anthems that grant us all permission to be unapologetically ourselves. In collaboration with Scott MacKay, they’ve created story-based, character-driven, music videos that visually capture the essence of stardrop and her message.

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

My song “Crown On” is about my day to day struggles of being a human adult. That familiar journey of feeling completely overwhelmed and incapable to then somehow softening and letting go into the mystery of life.  When I wrote “Crown On” I was feeling really stuck and frustrated, but music does this beautiful thing for me, where it allows me to step outside of myself and see a larger picture. As I sang the lyrics I could see this movie happening in my mind, like a short film, starring me and all my messy emotions. 

I knew I had to make this music video that was now playing out in my mind, because “Crown On” is more than just a song to me, it’s a glimpse into my emotional and creative world. It’s my opportunity to feel seen and connected, and it serves as this beautiful reminder that I’m not alone in my struggles. When someone tells me they resonated and felt emotional watching my Music Video, I feel this wonderful sense of connection, and purpose.

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

The inspiration behind the music video comes from different moments in my life where I had to let go of the status quo and just be my full weird self. I’ve always felt this pressure to hide parts of me to be “normal”. 

I wanted to create an honest, character driven video to show this emotional journey of self empowerment. I was so excited to be able to, not only express myself through music and metaphors, but through visuals that go beyond the walls of reality and into my imagination. 

3. What was the process of making this video?

Making this music video was an incredibly fulfilling process for me. Our crew consisted of three; myself, Jesse Hebert and Scott MacKay. We were a dream team. It was our first time working together but boy did we click! Since the vision for the video was already so clear in my mind, I began by drawing out the storyboard (a sequence of drawings that illustrate the different shots that will be filmed). I choreographed a dance number and started teaching it to my dance friends. I called Mario’s Bowl, (one of the local bowling alleys in Thunder Bay), casted my friends, and rallied up some pals to stand around and look cute in the background. It was an incredibly empowering experience for me to produce, write, direct, edit and star in my own project. I still get emotional remembering how good it felt on set. We were filming a scene where I’m singing “I’m right where I need to be!” and those words hit me right in the freaking soul! My own lyrics had never felt more true. That feeling hits me everytime I watch the video now, because it all began as this vision in my mind and now it exists in the world! Honestly, making this video was one of the best experiences of my life.
 A princess locked away in a tower waiting, and waiting. Waiting for my big break as a performer, waiting for a man to come along and make me feel loved and valued. My song “Crown On” was inspired by the moment I broke free from this trap, and climbed outta that dang tower!

The Lazys have been doing the hard yards carving their name into the stables of modern rock since 2007. With a reputation for electrifying live performances and a sound that delivers the true essence of rock, it’s no surprise that the band’s reputation over the last decade has spread from their home shores of Australia to North America, Europe and beyond.

Explosive new track, “Rattle Them Bones,” embodies their trials, tribulations and resurrection throughout the pandemic and its aftermath. Inspired by the frustration of not knowing when or how things would ever get back to normal, it also offers the positive thought that we will all eventually break out of this curse. 

Introducing Malade, the gloss-pop project of Montreal-based singer, songwriter and producer Camille Brown. RnB groove meets crafty pop in this playful, maximalist endeavor.

“Give Up”, produced by her longtime friend and engineer Damien Muller, is Malade’s latest single and most earnest girlpop effort. A hot pink earful, the track exudes post-breakup acrimony, which Malade’s vocals express almost as a mockery. Countermelodies shimmer atop a gloating bass and textured drums. “I’m on the other side of a time where I had to let go of some relationships that weren’t serving me,” she reminisces. “The hyperfeminine pop persona that emerged from that pain was almost like a guardian angel, or a shield to me. The next few releases from this project really reflect that sugar coated, lacquered coping.”

Creating one of this fall’s most anticipated original drama series, Julien Christian Lutz (Director X) unveils the original soundtrack for Robyn Hood, with the release of “Run This Hood” by The Hood (feat. Tia Bank$, SLM, Bouff). Available via Wax Records, the pulsing track opens the series’ first episode, hooking the audience and setting the dark, dramatic tone of the original scripted series, premiering Wednesday September 27th at 10pm ET/PT only on Global and STACKTV.

Featuring the vocals of Canadian rappers Tia Bank$, SLM, and Bouff, The Hood is a fictional hip-hop group at the centre of the Robyn Hood series. “Run This Hood” is the first of three original tracks that back the modern adaptation of the classic tale that Julien Christian Lutz (Director X) has spent nearly a decade bringing to life. With an impactful soundtrack that continues to push the show’s gripping commentary of today’s social climate, Robyn Hood breaks ground in a way that has yet to be seen in the realm of Canadian television. 

The eight-episode, one-hour contemporary re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend follows fearless heroine Robyn Loxley and anti-authoritarian masked hip-hop band, The Hood, as they call out injustices and fight for freedom and equality in the city of New Nottingham. Handpicked by Julien Christian Lutz (Director X) himself, “Run This Hood” was written by Davi Alexandre Magalhaes de Almeida and Nick Jarjour, and produced by Ryan Stewart and Jamie Appleby.