Sebastian Reynolds, a seasoned musician with a musical journey spanning over 25 years, has consistently woven the threads of electronic and organic elements into his sonic tapestry. Born to a computer-engineer mother, his formative years were steeped in the presence of enigmatic machines, those archaic contraptions that churned out games from cassette tapes. It’s hardly surprising that the allure of electronic production beckoned to him long before he ever laid hands on a “real” instrument.

Yet, as Reynolds ventured into the realm of bands, his music underwent a transformation, acquiring a living, breathing, and perspiring essence that would come to define his artistic trajectory. This is an artist who boldly christened one of his releases as “Nihilism Is Pointless,” a sentiment that speaks volumes about his philosophical approach to music.

However, with his latest opus, “Canary,” Reynolds takes us on a profound journey through the corridors of life, death, and the afterlife. It’s a deeply introspective record, one that emerged in the wake of two seismic events in his personal life – the passing of his mother, followed closely by the heartbreaking stillbirth of his son. In “Canary,” Reynolds channels his emotions into a soul-stirring meditation that tugs at the heartstrings of listeners.

In crafting this album, Reynolds draws inspiration from the ethereal “dreamworlds” sculpted by the likes of Susumu Yokota, as well as the post-traumatic sonic landscapes that catalyzed the compositions of luminaries such as Luigi Nono, Olivier Messiaen, and Karlheinz Stockhausen. What sets Reynolds apart is his remarkable ability to blur the boundary between mechanical and organic sound sources, not as a heedless modern-day Dr. Frankenstein, but as an artist who views electronic music as a potent medium for conveying profound meaning.

Harking back to his teenage years in the ’90s Oxford, Reynolds witnessed firsthand how Radiohead masterfully retained the humanity of their music, even as they delved headlong into a digital abyss. This experience left an indelible mark on him, and it’s evident in “Canary.” It’s an album that gazes into the precipice that defines our contemporary existence – a world marred by sudden explosions, the fracturing of our collective consciousness, the awakening of machine intelligence, the tragedy of a child’s life cut short before it begins, and the everyday reality of navigating life without one’s parents. Yet, in the midst of this turmoil, Reynolds unfailingly locates a heartbeat within his electro-organic melange of sounds.

Throughout his illustrious career, Sebastian Reynolds has collaborated with esteemed artists like Anne Müller (Erased Tapes), Alex Stolze (Bodi Bill), and Mike Bannard at The Aviary, among others. His work has graced the airwaves of the BBC and beyond, garnering recognition and acclaim. Additionally, Reynolds continues to lend his creative talents to commissions for Neon Dance, further cementing his status as a pioneering force in the electronic music scene.

In “Canary,” Sebastian Reynolds has delivered a magnum opus that resonates on a profound level. It’s a testament to the enduring power of music to encapsulate the human experience, from the depths of sorrow to the heights of introspection. This album stands as a testament to Reynolds’ remarkable ability to navigate the intricate interplay between technology and emotion, creating a musical landscape that is both captivating and cathartic. “Canary” is not just an album; it’s a sonic journey that invites listeners to explore the complexities of existence and find solace in the melodies that arise from the depths of the human soul.

Michele Stodart is an award-winning solo artist, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in London. Born in Trinidad, she spent her early years surrounded by Caribbean music and culture, until she and her family moved to Queens, New York where she spent a large part of her childhood. Michele is best known as bassist, vocalist and co-songwriter of Mercury-nominated, double-platinum selling band, The Magic Numbers, who have released five critically acclaimed studio albums with top ten singles. Her third solo studio album, Invitation, will be released on Sept. 15. 

The final single from the LP is “Push & Pull.” It’s a play on words – there is always a rhythmical push (ahead of the beat) and pull (slightly behind), when playing music. On an emotional level (inside of one’s body) the push and pull is a feeling of being torn, pulled in many different directions. This part of the album touches on motherhood, the responsibilities and sometimes guilt that comes with and around being a single mum.

There is a cinematic experience that happens with the music arrangements on this song. There are crossover rhythms, creating a heartbeat atmosphere around the conversational lyrics which build in intensity and sudden relief. The soaring melody line of both violin and piano breaks through and sings – creating that yearning musical pull. 

The songs on Invitation come from a place of inviting in the darkness, the hard times, the sadness, anger, loss, love and grief – all of the unknown feelings that get woken up inside you. To practice staying with them, no matter how uncomfortable. To understand that they are trying to tell you something, and that ultimately it’s ok to feel these emotions, even if you can’t make any sense of them.

Raised in the small town of Hopeville, Ontario, Rachael Bawn knew she was destined to be a singer before she even can remember. Discovering her voice as a songwriter and developing a core message to help other young women took a bit of time as she weathered life lessons. And now, a few years after the release of Bawn’s debut album, signing a recording and publishing deal in America with BMG New York, and later parting ways with the record label, her innate talent and positive persona are aligned with a melodic missive primed for the masses.

Teaming up with songwriter Rosanne Baker Thornley, and producer Ben Pelchat, Bawn has co-written powerful new songs with an overarching theme of truth-telling. They confront the toxic side of social media (“Snapshot”), inspire courage for the inevitable hard things in life, and encourage listeners to slow down and not allow the busyness of life to overwhelm.

“Snapshot” in particular is about the social media paradox and its negative effects. “We use it to feel connected but we end up doom scrolling, comparing ourselves to others, and end up feeling more lonely and bad about ourselves,” says Bawn.

Dead Levee is a 4-piece old-school, no-nonsense rock band consisting of members Tayler “Izzy” Morgan, Ray Klapatiuk, Rylan “Buck” Dusyk, and Preston Laschuk. Their aggressive, organic, and attitude-driven style harkens back to the high energy rock of the late 60’s with the attitude of 90’s rock. 

Playing alongside established bands such as Chilliwack, The Trews, Monster Truck, The Lazys, The Wild!, Econoline Crush and touring coast to coast for hundreds of shows, they are no stranger to the stage. Dead Levee’s worked with renowned producers Garth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Nickelback, Alice Cooper), Kevin Dietz (The Glorious Sons, JJ Wilde) and Noah Mintz (Arkelles, Billy Talent, Matt Mays, Death From Above 1979).

On their latest offering “Love & Misery,” the group delivers a polished arena rock sing-along wall of sound that chugs with howling swirling guitars in an ode to a toxic but passionate relationship. 

“In the case of this song, it’s about a relationship where the sex outweighs the obvious toxicity. Even though the peers around you can all see how bad it is, they don’t know how good it gets.”

Mitchell Makoons (he/him) is a Roots/Rock musician from Brandon, Manitoba. Mitchell started playing guitar at the age of seven to accompany his grandfather and brother playing Metis fiddle tunes. He continues to be an active member of the Manitoba Metis community and writes songs that incorporate traditional Ojibway music and culture with modern influences.

Under his legal name of Mitchell Mozdsen, he released five EPs accompanied by their own Western Canadian tour. In early 2021, he decided to change his stage name to something that nodded to his Ojibway heritage. Makoons is an Anishinaabemowin word that means “Little Bear or Bear Cub.” Since Mitchell Mozdzen’s spirit name is “Standing Strong Black Bear,” and he is only 5’5, this name is perfectly fitting.

Anytime Mitchell was feeling low while pursuing his first Bachelor’s degree at Brandon University, it was the same three friends that helped him out of it and made him feel better. New single, “Cold Coffee,” was written to show his appreciation for them. Privileged to still have these folks in his life, the trio still play in his band today – Matt on bass, Daniel on lead guitar, and Caitlin on the fiddle. 

On her sixth album, singer-songwriter Norma MacDonald explores new songwriting tactics, reimagines old demos, and conducts sound experimentations that expand her folk and country influences into 60s pop, Motown harmonies, and jangly early millennium indie-rock. 

“The Heart Wants” was actually a song that was written back in 2011. However, it never fit in with her release at the time (her third album, Morning You Wake). Over the years, MacDonald tried rearranging and producing the song in different ways but it didn’t seem right. Luckily, MacDonald’s band and producer Dan Ledwell didn’t give up on it and saw her vision through, capturing that dreamy sound that kept slipping through their fingers until now. 

The upcoming album In Waves (Oct 27) takes listeners through the seasons, starting with winter. MacDonald wrote the bulk of the track list during lockdown in which she and partner Chad Peck (of indie-shoegaze trio Kestrels) would challenge each other to write three songs in three hours to combat their anxieties and Netflix tedium.