VENNA is the new vision of Edmonton-based indie alt-pop artist, Shay Esposito. At the age of 15, VENNA (then Shay Esposito) was the youngest recipient of the Rawlco Radio 10k/20 grant. At 16, she recorded and released her first album, For Annie.

Exercising her passion for evocative lyricism, “Nirvana” is about using somebody to perpetuate self-abuse. Inspired by the concept of masochism as a defense mechanism, it’s about choosing to continue an unhealthy relationship because gratification provides a sense of control.

Pulling inspiration from classic poets, fantasy literature, and countless powerful women bringing “anti-pop” to the mainstream, her music serves to provoke thought and emotion; as an aspiring author as well, she takes great care in crafting her lyrics to this end.

Distant Matter is the moniker of electronic pop artist and multi-instrumentalist Alexander Seligman-Swartz, who brings a textured, colourful, and sentimental infused sound to the electronic scene.

Distant Matter announced his highly anticipated debut EP, Iridescent, with new single “Do You Miss Me?” featuring Toronto artist, GUS. The 6 track EP will be his first EP since the creation of the Distant Matter project, and is scheduled for release in September of 2022. “Do You Miss Me?” is distinctive with a memorable vocal hook, bouncy baseline, and clever sound design. 

Birds see colours differently than humans do. For example, the male Yellow-breasted Chat has a yellow breast to the human eye, but a bird’s eye view reveals ultraviolet iridescent feathers on his chest that set him apart from the females of the species. This relates to the idea of who we let see our true colours, or in other words who we let see our iridescence.

There is a double meaning here, as one side of the coin is Seligman-Swartz showing who he is as an artist, whereas on the other hand, the meanings of the songs relate to what has gone on in his life throughout the last little while. 

Musician Brendan Scott Friel and frequent collaborator, JUNO award-winning producer James Bunton (Donovan Woods, Joey Landereth) have partnered again for the pop-centric and sneaky new track, “Piece Of You.” The song is part of a double single release, paired with “Through The Rain.” 

There’s a specific feeling that goes along with doing something purely driven by your emotions in spite of logic telling you otherwise. You can know fully well that that person is wrong for you, or that what you are doing with them is wrong but at the same time feel incapable of stopping yourself. With that comes a complex mix of guilt, excitement, longing and helplessness. That’s what “Piece Of You” is about. 

“I’m not proud of it, but I have been on both sides of the situation this song is about,” says Friel. “I feel like that fact is baked into this song and allows it to offer some special insight into the situation. I really hope that resonates when you listen to it.”

A fresh mix of electronic rock with a few drops of synth pop are the secret ingredients of the Vancouver-based band, OurGlassZoo. The band completed the recording of its first full length album entitled, Aftermath, with the support of Creative BC in late 2021. Two singles, “Free” and “Here” have already been released and have received significant radio airplay. 

Their new song, “Unforgettable,” is about that time in our lives when we are in between chapters and feeling a little stuck. A lot of us like to take a road trip to clear our heads and move on from what has been haunting our past. The song is precisely about that moment: when you are driving down a long winding road through a canyon or a valley, the windows are down and the wind is caressing your skin. You are on your own and finally have time to distance yourself and reflect. 

Listen to the melancholic song, “Unforgettable,” which marks a new chapter in the band’s career.

Musically, OurGlassZoo wanted to approach their album without a particular genre in mind. They wanted listeners to join them on a musical journey and let each song affect them in their own way. The album contains collaborations with Indo-Canadian electronic producer O.K.A (“Reminisce” & “Paradise Reprise”), Hip Hop artist Prevail from Swollen Members (“Free”), guest singer Erin Puckey, a brass section lead by Gavin Grochowski, cellist Jonah Ocean, Keyboard player Tom Dobrzanski (“The Zolas”) and pianists/composers Sandra Stadler & Baenz Isler. It was a big undertaking with a blend of colors & genres. 

Internationally acclaimed Canadian East Coast singer/songwriter Tara MacLean is releasing a new version of her 2000 hit song, “If I Fall.” The re-recorded version comes from her new album, Sparrow. 

The song was originally intended to be an upbeat and inspiring theme song for a TV show. Tara had never written music for anyone other than herself, and found that it was a wonderful exercise that allowed her to be unabashedly hooky in her approach. With this song, Tara wanted people to feel like there was nothing they couldn’t do. 

“I love this part of the song because in re-recording it, I realized how prophetic this song has been for me, in my search for stillness, in my dreams coming true,” says Tara. “Now I look at my life and career and see how I have achieved so much of what I set out to do, and this song was a vehicle that brought me there.”

Her new album, Sparrow, is a companion soundtrack to her upcoming memoir about her life in music, which will be released with a major publisher in March 2023. The album is a reimagined collection of her past work, as well as brand new material. 

Grant Boyer is embarking on his career as a solo artist, after years of success as a founding member of Canadian rock group Golden Gate Graves. After they disbanded in 2018, Grant took time to enjoy the downtime and to also start his family – though he never stopped writing music. 

Delivering edgy alt-rock with a dash of humour, Boyer took a lighthearted approach to “Alarm Bells (Never Drinking Again).” He had lots of fun writing it, and that shines through in the fun new single, intended to be relatable and make listeners laugh.