Rafi Jag is a Filipino Canadian Artist based in Edmonton Alberta. Born in Baguio City, the City of Pines or more popularly known to many as the Summer Capital of the Philippines. Introduced to music at an early age Rafi was influenced by his very musically inclined family and began singing as young as three years old. Euphonious in tone with soulful notes that carry his stylistic choices and embody his roots in R&B music, Rafi is often hailed for his musicality and the way he tells a story through the music that he embodies within each performance.

New single, “My Love,” is a truly thrilling, exciting and very sexy piece of music that takes each listener into a feeling of serendipity. Layering Rafi’s vocals to create background vocals throughout the song evokes an ‘80s R&B experience. 

With a lyrical mastery that speaks on all of life’s moments paired with a dynamic voice that reveals a well-traveled soul and the burning embers of passion within, Ollee Owens is a musical force of nature. Her 2021 breakout single “Every Step of the Way,” followed by the rock-tinged reckoning of her 2022 release, “Edge of Goodbye,” have both firmly set her intentions as a talented artist who deals in authenticity, openness, and honesty paving the way for a lasting musical connection.

From smoldering intro to blazing end, Owens’ latest single, “Raging Fire,” lends an important warning. Reflecting on her grandma’s influence, Owens states, “She used to say that our tongues have the power to burn folks to the ground…it is so important to watch what we say or we may find ourselves helplessly standing by as the consequences of thoughtless words take full effect.” Out of harsh lessons learned through personal experience, Owens calls listeners to be mindful of what “cannot be unheard.”

SOMBRA is music to turn the lights off to. For music that is created in total depravity of the outside world, SOMBRA’s brooding sound has a surprisingly celestial quality. A fusion of dance-worthy Alternative Rock, Hip Hop, Industrial Pop and Indie, yet at the same time completely indefinable, Matthew Cataldo of SOMBRA has created a signature sound that has caught the attention of music lovers and tastemakers alike.

His new single, “PYRAMIDES,” is his first release after a long break, and is a surprisingly uplifting and lyrically meaningful track. Following a climb of Mt. Fuji with some friends, Matthew felt a sense of enlightenment and happiness, despite being forced to give up and turn back before reaching the summit. 

More than just his physical struggle to climb a mountain, “PYRAMIDES” is about his mental health journey, which has always been a key part of SOMBRA and his musical inspiration and drives. His experience at Mt. Fuji was the first time he gave up, but didn’t feel awful about it. It just felt like the right thing to do – to relinquish control. 

Listen and watch here:

“The weird thing about Fuji is that, once you get above the tree line – you can see the top of the mountain the entire time you’re climbing,” says Cataldo. “The end is always in sight. This makes it such a spiritually challenging climb. I got ¾ to the top of the mountain – unable to continue climbing, legs destroyed and soul completely defeated. The idea for the song, and some of the first lyrics come out of this disappointment.”

ACER is a dream pop duo made up of multi-instrumentalist Kyle Gottschalk and vocalist/art director Connory Ballantyne. Borrowing from the brooding post-punk sound of their former band House Art, Ballantyne’s vocals lend a confident and lyrical vision to the dynamically maximalist instrumentals written out of Gottschalk’s love for bedroom pop and shoegaze. 

Their fatalistic new song, “Someone Else’s Dream,” captures the feeling of resignation, when you finally let go of someone. There’s a lot of beauty but also melancholy in that. 

Kyle and Connory had both taken trips away from home after ending significant relationships, and the song takes inspiration from their reflections on the experience. 

Watch the video here:

ACER (July 8) is a youthful and hungry EP showcasing the musical diversity and raw energy of the two producers. 

Listen to the EP here: https://linktr.ee/acerisaband

“Creating this album was a big catharsis for me – I hadn’t had the chance to be a solo lyricist in a long time and so this project allowed me to flex that somewhat atrophied muscle again,” says Connory. “I hope people listen and get a sense of release as well in our attempt to soundtrack some darker times in a hopeful light.”

Manitoba born/Alberta based emerging artist Tanner Frame has released his third original single entitled “So Long.” Inspired by the emotion of “it is what it is” following a personal heartbreak, Frame incorporates modern country production elements to create a fresh and memorable sound.

The breakout country artist from Hanna, Alberta, with genuine charm, Garrett Gregory will take you to a whole new level of “entertained.”

The first of many singles to be released in 2022 is “Leavin’ You,” a song where Gregory faces the fact that most people won’t understand how much he loves music and that he’s following his dream. Making the choice to chase his dream however, meant that he had to leave behind the people that tried to crush them. It’s a tough dream to support, and most people won’t be behind you through it all. 

https://linktr.ee/garrettgregory

The song is from a point of exhaustion, finality and contempt. It’s the tone of harsh truth and an explosive end to what he thought he wanted. Even though it led to the end of a relationship, it solidified Gregory’s choice to pursue music.