Marcus Lowry is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer based in Montreal. His debut solo album Time, Time, Time is set to be released this coming fall. It is produced by the beloved Canadian musician and producer Joe Grass, recipient of two Félix awards and multiple Juno nominations. 

From the upcoming LP, the gentle “Hold You Tight” is a tender remedy for loneliness. The song’s simple, cyclical melody catches your ear and then lulls you into a peaceful dreamstate that is sure to comfort you to the very last note.

Marcus sings atop a busy overpass, late at night in his hometown of Montreal. His delicate vocal performance pierces through the sounds of the traffic and city life, and draws us into a peaceful musical refuge. 

“We had just wrapped filming a music video on a cool, rainy night and when the rain stopped, we decided to go for a walk to scout a new location,” says Marcus. “I was walking with my guitar in hand, singing the song, and when we ended up on a nearby overpass I knew right away that the restless, obtrusive sounds of the city at night would be a perfectly poetic backdrop for this soft and intimate song.”

Being bipoc and white, Toronto’s Matt Fasullo always struggled with his artistic identity. When he discovered his love for music, it became a diary of sorts, giving him an outlet to vent and discover who he truly was.  From the infancy of experimenting with music in his parent’s basement to 7 years of him maturing his sound, Matt splices together the warmth and rawness of folk music with the underbelly of alternative electronic.

“OHSOPROUD” their latest work is a detailed and sonically divergent production with sampled old home videos and the general static and pop they give off. Inspired by a year long dance with psychedelic drugs that left Matt further away from what he hoped they would give him. “They broke me down, shattered my ego, and I learned that there were some harsh consequences to treating your mind like a toy. I faced some harsh realities that I still live with to this day. This song is about a time I lost my mind, only to find it in a million pieces and slowly putting it back together over the years.”

At the end of the writing and recording process Matt had this profound statement we could all find comfort in “I need to embrace my life as it currently is. Instead of pandering to some idea of who I think I should be.”

Windsor, ON indie-folk artist Brendan Scott Friel is a spell-binding singer-songwriter.  Re-inspired to be a musician after a befalling loss in his personal life.  While hurt and confused and low on cash he traveled to Holland to be a busker, and has brought those experiences into his new flame of singer/songwriting for the better half of the last decade.

As part of a collection of songs on his upcoming record that were inspired by the passing of his father, “Simon the Doubter” is a thought provoking and dizzying exploration into thoughts upon tragedy and life’s unanswered and most important questions, leading to a cynical space.

“No weighing souls against a feather / No angry Gods, just bad weather”

Golden Feather is a project that was started by Steve Kiely and Brad Germain, inspired by their love of bands that like to jam and take their listeners on a musical journey. So far, Golden Feather has released the 2022 EP Now & Then (Sonic Unyon Records) and follow that with a full-length live album, Welcome\\Release.

“Just For Now” is a song about fearing that the present misfortune will last, but dearly hoping that it won’t – that it’s just for now. The song features an epic saxophone solo by Murray Heaton, who was a part-time musician for the band before joining as a full-time member recently. The half-time sax solo changes gears completely from the rest of the song, and following that, there’s something about the three chords which oscillate up and down for the rest of the song are subconsciously dissatisfying.

“We’ve always felt that we needed to release a live album to really showcase how we see and play these songs in a live setting,” says Kiely. “Recording a studio album is a great way to capture a glimpse of a moment in time, but we believe that in a live setting, songs should have the ability to grow and change, just as a band does.”

From landing early sync placements on hit shows like Sons of Anarchy and Law and Order, to winning the 2022 USA Songwriting Competition (Jazz), to working with heavy hitters like Grammy Award winning Steve Jordan (Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan) and David Kahne (Paul McCartney, Lana Del Rey), Brooklyn based singer-songwriter MSB (Micheal Sackler-Berner) has lived a life beyond what any artist could hope for – and yet somehow this is still just the beginning.

MSB’s new album, Borrowed Time, was co-written and produced with long-time friend and collaborator Nick Movshon (Amy Winehouse, The Black Keys, Bruno Mars). Deep into the pandemic, the LP was a lifeline for the two creators as they locked themselves up in a classic New York brownstone studio and channeled their fears and uncertainties of the times. The result is a record that reflects on finding meaning and beauty amidst chaos. 

“Shout Out Loud” was built when MSB was meant to be practicing piano fundamentals. It’s a reminder that stuff under the rug has a way of building up and then breaking you down from the inside if it isn’t handled honestly, loudly, and regularly. 

Miel Azevedo (they/them), is a nonbinary artist and musician hailing from Toronto, and currently based in Montreal. Mostly self-taught, MIEL recorded and produced their debut album Beginnings which was released in 2021. The songs have unexpected changes but mostly adhere to a pop song form with a jazz feel and a warm live band sound. 

Miel Azevedo’s forthcoming EP SOFT departs from the limitations of song form, traversing genres and instrumentation in a unique sound that points forward and backward at the same time. SOFT is a leap in their voice as a producer as well as a composer as they were able to arrange and record orchestral arrangements for the first time. 

Their magical new song, “Healing Tears,” is an expression of their journey in sexual healing and discovery. It came together with the support of two mentors: Kevin Breit (Canadian guitarist for Norah Jones and Cassandra Wilson) and Dave Clark (original drummer for Rheostatics) who each provided guidance during songwriting. 

Miel Azevedo reimagined a queer erotic art project from 2020, to create the music video for this single. Gabriel Lapierre directs MIEL and fellow artist Eddying Jackson to portray a soft queer embrace, a sensual play, and nurturing with room to grow.