As an Emergency Department Administrator, Christian singer/songwriter Howard Lull is no stranger to pain and the woes of our world. He experiences daily the agony of people who suffer physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds. These connections with people are what have inspired his music and his ministry. With contemporaries such as Keith Green, Paul Clark, Randy Stonehill, Casting Crowns, and Neil Diamond, Howard’s goal in the field of music is to take the classic sounds of worship and share it in all it’s raw and real stories.

His new album, A Blue August Journey, released September 21, contains 14 songs, each about the glory of God and how He not only changed Howard’s life, but how He can affect your life too. As a child, Howard’s father died in Vietnam, leaving a fatherless hole in his life that he has since tried to fill. A large part of the mission of his music is to minister to those who walk in those shoes.  “I had to come to a place of total reliance on God for all areas of my life. I had to live Matthew 6:33. Seeking not only His kingdom, but also His righteousness,” exclaims Howard.

The album opens with a powerful song called “Yeah I Failed,” a Michael Jackson meets rock style of music accompanied by Howards voice, similar to that of Toby Keith. It’s about how he has failed, and failed big. But in the end, God forgave him anyway, even if he didn’t necessarily deserve forgiveness. He sings “Yeah, I failed and found out who I am, fell right in your hands, one more imperfect man” about his own journey to finding his faith. We are all flawed, but that’s what makes us human and that’s why Jesus died.

All of his songs are about Howard’s journey that can translate to other’s paths. To mix it up, every song is a different genre married with the broader Christian genre. You get “Can I Pray For You” and “Transformed” which employ the piano and organ to create more angelic sounds. You get “I Got What I Prayed For” and “Walk This Way” which lean more to country rock. He throws in some pop rock inspired songs with “I Will Die Young” and “Give A Damn” as well. But for those who really like the classic christian music sound, he gives you that too in “Stand Upon Your Knees” and “C’mon Let’s Dance.”

His most interesting song is “You’re Not Alone” as it’s a stark contrast to the rest of the songs on the album. Where every other track is through Howard’s point of view, “You’re Not Alone” is sung through God’s point of view. It’s a ballad to us humans that we are never truly alone, that God is always there.

Howard’s story is one of resilience, perseverance, and strength to find out who he is and what his purpose is. He says “I can now walk with my head held high, having a relationship with a God that accepts me for who I am and who has forgiven me for who I was and uses me to speak of His love, forgiveness, and security to others. This is the essence of my music. I walked everything I sing of.” You can find A Blue August Journey on Spotify now. Be sure to give it a listen.

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Joseph Dubuc-Lavoie, also known as Many Masks, seems to be most comfortable with all of them when he is left alone to create. 

His new single, “Her Cold Hands,” is a new track in his oeuvre of heartfelt electronic music, exploring the symbolism of a way to lay the blame of Joseph’s own “crappy decision” on someone else’s cold hands. 

The first song he ever created in Ableton Live, “Her Cold Hands” was born in the dead of winter several years ago but later reimagined through refined production.

This electropop track is thoughtful and inquisitive, welcoming listeners to project their own struggles and victories onto the sound of Many Masks.

We caught up with Many Masks for an exclusive Video Voyageur below!

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

Her Cold Hands is actually the first Many Masks song I’ve ever done before Many Masks was even a thing. The one on the album is a total rework. The original was messy and poorly produced, so I redid it 7 years later, and managed to keep its soul I believe.

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

I’m honestly not sure, inspiration to me is hard to put in words, it’s more akin to a feeling or a color. It is pretty hard to describe a color. The feeling of emerging from dark, cold waters and taking a deep breath?

What was the process of making this video?

It was a lot of work. I have zero experience making music videos and feel very lucky I got to work with someone that knew where they were going. I do all my music by myself, from start to finish it is just me. I have total control. It was interesting to just let go of that with the clip, and just trust someone completely. It was a terrifying experience, but a good one nonetheless. 

Parks N’ Rec is the new project from Canadian singer Marco DiFelice (Supergarage), songwriter, music supervisor (Orphan Black, Lost Girl). In collaboration with several producers at Self Titled Studios, Parks N’ Rec deals with lost love, polarizing societies, and self-renewal. 

“Righteous … Right ?!” is the first release from the “First Take” sessions, a song in which DiFelice questions society’s penchant for absolutism and asks himself how he can do better. He examines how indoctrination into unhealthy living is built into the predicament of social media platforms.

LYRAS are an alt-R&B band from Newcastle upon Tyne, UK who blend dreamy vocal harmonies and a sophisticated sonic backdrop to create a sound grounded in soul, jazz and contemporary R&B. LYRAS released their debut at the height of the pandemic, which garnered attention from BBC, Amazing Radio, among others.

They are now following up with new single, “Paradise.” The track juxtaposes images of “paradise” against moody sonic ideas, coming in and out of major and minor to set an uneasy tone of not knowing where you stand.

Lemon Cash started out as a cover band, forming an alternative rock band with some local friends from their hometown of Ottawa, Ontario. Looking to evolve their music, Cory and Jeff found their sweet spot and transitioned into the country world where they would come to realize this is where their tastes and personalities fit best. 

The inspiration to switch to the country genre came from their parents: Jeff Sr. and Sandra. They introduced Jeff and Cory to country music at a very young age. Listening to a wide range of artists such as Patsy Cline, George Jones, George Strait, Dolly Parton, Tim McGraw and Garth Brooks. These country legends became the inspiration for the brothers beginning to write and perform their own songs with their signature blend of harmonies and a tinge of their love of rock music thrown into the lemonade of Lemon Cash. 

“Wildside” is the new single. Written by Jeff and Cory Papineau, it is an homage to your inner child.  Every so often we just need to forget about the world’s problems, and grab your “Bonnie or Clyde”, step out of your comfort zone and just let go.

Vancouver-based musician Jessicka gets listeners dancing with trance-like beats and melodic lyrics that conjure positivity. Her infectious sense of rhythm, peace and genuine joy took the Canadian pop world by storm with three previous lauded EPs. 

Now she has teamed up with Grammy Award-winning producer John Congleton to release her fourth EP, uptempo and empowering Mistress Queen. Listen to it here, about allowing despair to have a voice while maintaining queen status. 

When everything around you is crumbling, all you want is a voice to say they’ll catch you if you fall. Set to a propelling, high energy beat, “I Hear You Calling” captures the inner battle of giving up on yourself versus the confidence to overcome the darkness.