Chinese Man’s Matteo Unveils New Trip-Hop Jazz-World Project in Matteo & Bro

Fri Jun 24, 2022

Built around chance artistic encounters, and confronting electronic music and jazz head-on, new project reveals Matteo’s new trip-hop jazz project, Matteo & Bro.

The brainchild of DJ, producer, and co-founding member of the group, Chinese Man, and label, Chinese Man Records, Matteo’s Matteo & Bro orbits the universe of soul, funk, trip-hop, and world music — all with musicians at the heart of the process.

The eight-song release’s latest single, “Path,” features Franck Lebon; its official video is directed by Fred and Annabelle.  Check it out on YouTube here:

For its part, the single “Prumirim” features the sublime groove of General Elektriks within the atmospheric afrobeat, Brazilian rhythms, and baile funk. Named after a Brazilian beach in Ubatuba Matteo knows well, this song lands as an official invitation to dance.

Jeremy Rice asks “Why Do You Lie” from the Upcoming Album “The End of the Highway”

Fri Jun 24, 2022

Through a mix of classic rock stylings, poignant themes and enduring melodies, Jeremy Rice has set himself apart as a creator and performer, delivering his signature sound with originality and undeniable pop sensibility.

His 2019 album “Jeremy Rice and the Legendary Fist of Takinawa” was released to critical praise and enjoyed extensive air play on radio stations around the globe. Moreover, the record helped to further solidify Rice’s standing as a powerful songwriting force.

Rice’s latest album “The End of the Highway” is a love story themed around the journey of life, in a musical homage to 70’s Americana. The album comes in two parts, with Part 1 scheduled for release October 2022.

Leading into his upcoming album, “The End of the Highway”,  Jeremy Rice is pre-releasing the first single, “Why Do You Lie”.  Accompanying the brand new single is a colourful music video, inspired by the work of Andy Warhol, and the latest addition to Rice’s animated creations.

Check out “Why Do You Lie” on YouTube here:

Justyn Thyme Navigates A Contemplative Soundscape of Letting Go on New Single, “It’s Been Awhile”

Fri Jun 24, 2022

While the music itself lulls us into an even deeper state of meditation, or contemplation, “life could be so simple” is the thought-provoking refrain of award-winning Canadian Americana artist Justyn Thyme’s philosophical new single, “It’s Been Awhile” – check it out on YouTube here:

With deft acoustic fingerpicking and gorgeous, well-timed harmonies, “It’s Been Awhile” is a journey through letting go. It’s a message that’s much-needed throughout the world after several difficult years of a pandemic and so much unrest:
The world has cast a heavy shadow
Well, the light will always win
Yeah, life could be so simple

Acclaimed Guitarist, Songwriter & Producer Jeff Gunn Maximizes the Momentum with “Vitality”

Fri Jun 24, 2022

A song that can take listeners on a joyous, uplifting journey is needed more than ever these days and, if you can do it without singing a single word, that’s an amazing feat. Toronto virtuoso guitarist, songwriter, and producer Jeff Gunn has accomplished just that with his buoyant and brilliantly performed new single, “Vitality” – check it out on YouTube here:

Fresh from his newly released third album Momentum, “Vitality” showcases Gunn’s astounding technical prowess and unique use of harp harmonics for the guitar melodies throughout the piece. It’s a fast, exciting ride up and down the frets as Gunn’s fingers and palms race toward the two-and-a-half-minute finish line.

Canadian Alt-Rocker Harkness Say “Ciao To The Beauty” with New Single

Fri Jun 24, 2022

With Canadian alt-rocker Harkness saying “Ciao To The Beauty,” their new track — available now — will have you saying “hello” to your new favourites on the scene!

Check out “Cia To The Beauty” on YouTube here:

The solo artist from Toronto, Canada delivers a full-bodied soundscape full of rich instrumentation, yesteryear nods, and forward-motion music of the future. The title track from Harkness’ forthcoming album, “Ciao To The Beauty” dips and ducks around 60s flair while incorporating modern alternative rock and exciting musical experimentation.

“Many years ago, I went on a solo trip to Brazil on holiday,” says Harkness. “The gorgeous environment and the open, joyful character of the people had a profound effect on me — as did the fantastic local music that seemed to always be playing in the open air.

London, ON-Based Blu Bones Signs Deal With S!NG INC. NFT Market Place

Fri Jun 24, 2022

The stage is set for more Canadian artists releasing NFTs in Web 3, and classic rockers Blu Bones remain front and centre with their recent partnerships with both S!NG Market and Lemmon Entertainment! The new single and video, “Summertime in Europe (LIVE at Canadian Music Week),” is available now as an NFT.

The crypto-cred is longstanding for the London, Ontario-based band that just marked their 26-year anniversary; they were the first Canadian artists to release a single and video via NFT in Spring 2021.

With Our Lady Peace’s Raine Maida as CPO and EVP, S!NG Market is the music-only NFT marketplace for fans to buy, collect, and listen to exclusive music and add-ons from their favourite artists — before it’s available anywhere else.

“Artists can’t afford to not pay attention to Web 3,” Maida says of the burgeoning digital frontier — and Blu Bones agree.

“We are elated to be part of such a brand new, exciting, and cutting-edge platform,” Blu Bones lead singer Gord Prior shares. “I have no doubt that the S!NG platform is the future of music delivery, and is going to be a massive game-changer for artists across Canada and all over the world.

"Volume 1" From Strongman Blues Remedy Feat Steve Strongman, Harrison Kennedy

Fri Jun 17, 2022

Readying itself as an antidote for the weariness worn on the sleeves of blues music lovers everywhere, a new collective project makes its way to the scene with the Strongman Blues Remedy, Volume 1 —available June 17 via Stony Plain Records.

Watch “I Like To Ride” featuring Harrison Kennedy on YouTube here:

Conceived by producer, songwriter and artist Steve Strongman, the “collective”  features a veritable who’s who of the blues, including Dawn Tyler Watson, Crystal Shawanda, Steve Marriner, Jesse O’Brien, Alec Fraser, and Harrison Kennedy — who can be heard on the album’s newly released single, “I Like To Ride.”

The Heavyweights Brass Band Funk It Up & Never “Fake It” on Horn-tastic New Single

Fri Jun 17, 2022

The best brass music is full of sass, funky rhythms, and snappy melodies and Canada’s Heavyweights Brass Band has all that, and more! Down and deeply in the groove with their new sax- and soul-powered new single, “Fake It” is available from Slammin Media, and distributed worldwide by Believe this June 10th on all platforms!

Watch and listen to “Fake It” on YouTube here:

The latest single release from the Toronto-based brass band draws inspiration from drummer Gregory C. Coleman and his famous “Amen Break” solo first performed in 1969. Coleman originated it in the recording for funk and soul band The Winston Brothers’ b-side track, “Amen Brother.” It’s a rhythm pattern that is an enduring favourite in funk, hip-hop, and drum and bass music.

Award-Winning Artist Sarantos Is “Looking UP At The World” with the Release of New Single

Fri Jun 17, 2022

Internationally acclaimed award-winning DIY artist Sarantos channels his signature upbeat songwriting style to tell a melancholic story about pushing through life's physical and mental pain with the evocative new single, “Looking UP At The World” – check it out YouTube here:

Sarantos’s latest emotional single, “Looking UP At The World,” conveys the crippling feeling of being helpless as everyone else moves on in life. As Sarantos says, “being on the floor because that’s the only position that doesn’t hurt, and there I feel alone and like the world is passing me by.”

Vancouver Symphonic Metal Rockers OPHELIA FALLING Are “Destroyed in Delight” with New Single

Fri Jun 17, 2022

Canadian symphonic metal rockers Ophelia Falling are “Destroyed in Delight” with the release of their haunting new single and symbolic cinematic video – check it out on YouTube here: 

The title song from the Vancouver-based festival-favourite band’s recent full-length album, the track trades in themes of addiction, broken promises, and domestic disputes and violence, vocalist Chelsea Rose reveals.

“So many have witnessed or experienced the destruction addiction causes,” she continues. “This song is about the pain experienced by those surrounding and who love the afflicted, and written from my personal experience with partners whose alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling addictions destroyed the relationship.”

Maureen Trainor Guides Us Through an Internal Seascape of Mood & Emotion on Pandemic-Inspired “Adrift”

Fri Jun 17, 2022

The ocean is always an apt metaphor for our internal swells, ebbs, and tides, and that’s likely why it transfixes us so much. Charlottetown, PEI-based alt-folk artist Maureen Trainor found herself particularly taken with the sea during the early days of the pandemic, resulting in her nautical-themed interior soundscape of a single “Adrift” – check it out on YouTube here:

“Adrift” begins with a mellow, acoustic strum and somber introspection as Trainor narrates, “I’ve been staring at the ocean/ While it sets its sights on me/ My heart adrift without direction/ Salt spray rapture on the sea.” The song takes us over rocking waves of mood and emotion, and on a gliding journey of self-reflection.

Martin Schiller Transports Listeners Back in Time with Psychedelic New Post-Jazz-Rock Single, “Future Prints”

Fri Jun 17, 2022

Canadian multi-instrumentalist Martin Schiller takes a musical idea for an internet sketch comedy series and turns it into a psychedelic jam session, transporting listeners to a time of carpeted walls and smoke-filled rooms with the bodacious new single, “Future Prints” – check it out on YouTube:

The song sees Schiller whisk listeners on a sonic journey through space and time as part of his groovy new LP, Dreams vol. 1 (2022). An instrumental post-jazz-rock opus with equal parts Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, and something entirely new, the eight-song album also features cover art designed and created by his wife, artist Amanda Brierty.

Halifax's Lisa Richard’s New Single Has “News You Can Use”

Fri Jun 17, 2022

Talk about Promises Kept… Downhome Canadian country maven Lisa Richard is back with some “News You Can Use” – check it out on YouTube

The East Coast crooner shares a deeply personal, uplifting, and uptempo track that shines a light on homegrown values, staying optimistic, and finding the good in the everyday.

The magic behind Lisa Richard’s heartfelt songwriting is the authenticity that oozes from every note; her vocal prowess delivers on the melody, unearthing what matters most to each of us. Matched with her ability to write a track that is equal parts catchy as it is sincere, “News You Can Use” is another capturing of the moments that matter the most. Richard is spellbinding, and captivating; coercing you to swim in nostalgia, and you appreciate the world at present.

Award-Nominated Canadian Pop Singer Hannah Thomas Sets the Stage for a Free Summer of Songs with Annual Dock Music Concert Series

Fri Jun 17, 2022

Fresh off her 2022 Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for ‘Young Performer of the Year,’ Canadian pop singer Hannah Thomas sets the stage for a summer of songs in Stratford, Ontario with the return of her third annual Dock Music Concert Series — starting this week! Shows run every Sunday at 7:00pm now through July 24th in front of the new Tom Patterson Theatre along the Avon River.

Watch “‘Just Sing’ Dock Mural — Featuring Hannah Thomas & Claire Scott” by Kris Von Kleist via YouTube Here:

Hannah’s smooth and powerful vocals leave audiences captivated, and this season her stunning performances will be complemented by guest performers, themed shows, and duets with her father, Dale Thomas — who was featured on her recently released seasonal album, Christmas Don’t Be Late.

London, ON R&B-Pop Artist Chad Price’s New Single Captures Resilience & Self-Healing

Fri Jun 17, 2022

Canadian R&B pop artist Chad Price draws on the battles with inner demons to manifest his introspective journey of self-healing into an uplifting tale of resilience in a new single, “Broken Open” – check it out on YouTube here:

Recorded with producer Matthew Johnston, “Broken Open” is anthemic with its gospel-tinged choral background vocals, brutally honest and intimate with its heart-breaking and confessional lyrics, and — ultimately — optimistic, unifying, and healing with its message of acknowledgment and collective vulnerability.

Rocker Josh Ritchie Is Looking for “Love at the End of the World”

Fri Jun 17, 2022

Josh Ritchie, the insightful, curious, inquisitive, and mega-talented rock star from rural Ontario, has released his soulful title track, “Love at the End of the World” LIVE from Old Bank Studios – check it out on YouTube here:

“I’m really excited to have a live version of this song out in the world,” Ritchie says of the soul-wrenching think-piece rife with heart-stopping wonderment, stripped down and beautifully performed. “The magic of it really is in the live performance of it. The band and I, we just get lost in the build and the drama of it. I can’t wait to share it with people.”

The sophomore release from Ritchie couldn’t have been better timed; the world is searching for an artist who lays it bare on the lyric sheet, and Ritchie’s no-nonsense approach to communicating the realness of today’s societal climate is a welcomed breath of fresh air.

Seattle-Based Electronic Group The Nylon Admirals Release New Album, Handbags

Fri Jun 10, 2022

Yeah, sure, you’ve heard of EDM, but what about Cinematic Breakbeat and – more importantly – The Nylon Admirals? Growing ever more popular due to their dramatic style of electronic music, The Nylon Admirals are ready to release their new album, Handbags – check out “In A World” on YouTube here:

Consisting of four previously released singles and five completely new tracks, Handbags is the spirit of the Nylon Admirals – infusing emotion into their productions and creating an enveloping experience for their listeners. Alongside its lead single, “In A World,” Handbags is an exciting experience filled with highs and lows seldom explored in the world of digital production. 

Canadian Pop-Rock Virtual Concept Artist Priz Em Soars Through the Galaxy at Love’s “First Kiss”

Fri Jun 10, 2022

On the fringe of the Mega Centarri cluster, in their own galaxy not so far away, war has all but consumed the blue planet Zederth and, after 1,000 years of peace and harmony, virtual diva Priz Em and her lover, musician/scientist Prin Jori Merkanteel, are forced to go to battle — not only with an unseen enemy but also with each other. So goes the tale for Canadian pop-rock virtual concept artist Priz Em and their new single, “First Kiss” – check it out on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/5brLdK4BHuDdWMIMzjCXjj?si=5304ae7451df4d24&nd=1

It’s a fantastical story of grace, love, perseverance, and grace under pressure; no matter the fiction, the reality of relationships faced with grim circumstances is tied to the human experience and, for Priz Em and Merkanteel (aka Stray Horn), their journey is faced with even further dire consequences as they attempt to hold onto one another while trying to save the world they know and love.

Nova Scotian Jeff Hope Delivers a Country Rock Kiss Off with New Single, “Goodbye Baby”

Fri Jun 10, 2022

While analogies and metaphors can be pretty and poetic and all, sometimes you just have to tell it like it is. And there’s no mistaking that Nova Scotian singer-songwriter Jeff Hope is giving a bad relationship the hook, both literally and musically, with his new single, “Goodbye Baby” – check it out on YouTube here:

The “Goodbye, baby, goodbye” in the chorus is anthemic and instantly relatable as Hope’s expressive tenor kicks into the chorus after a spate of done-me-wrong epithets. We’ve all been there and this super catchy song’s four-on-the-floor rhythm is bound to have everyone involuntarily nodding in agreement.

‘I’d rather be flat broke, stuck in the cold
Then waste my time growing old with you.’

Ouch!

In broader terms, Hope describes “Goodbye Baby” as a “timeless breakup song with a punchy up-tempo feel” and big, harmony vocals.

Rock Guitarist Nikhil Bagga Takes a Leap of Faith with Debut Album

Fri Jun 10, 2022

Before they released the Kraken on the ice, it was teen Nikhil Bagga — the virtuoso guitarist — who stirred the crowd into a rock frenzy with his electric rendition of “Star Spangled Banner.”

Watch the NHL performance here:

In fact, the Seattle Times said the day after: “From the get-go, the Kraken seemed to have a step on their opponents. A rousing electric guitar performance of the national anthem by youngster Nikhil Bagga, 12, had the crowd buzzing beforehand and the electricity seemed to carry over to the home team’s performance.”

Watch Hypnotized here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9QzXJc2xhc

And with that, Bagga — now 13 — with his insatiable talent and megawatt grin, has entered the chat.