From the much-heralded artistry of the contemporary a cappella ensemble that has earned standing ovations worldwide, Countermeasure is bringing it home to where they started. On the heels of the release of the fifth album, Guest Sessions Vol II, they are giving their final concert, One More Spin, on Saturday, June 6 at Hart House Theatre as part of SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival. Tickets are available  https://harthouse.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1772

They were 14 friends just out of university in 2010.  They were dubbed “the fresh face of a cappella”.  They started in a classroom, then sang in malls, then moved to small festival stages, co-founded an a cappella festival, and grew. They toured the world, produced five highly praised albums, and earned international accolades.  “5 Stars but should be 12 stars! Extraordinary group, unmissable concert, made for our times, flexible, versatile, highly recommended, breathtaking talent, astoundingly good, world class.” Wandsworth Radio, UK

That’s Countermeasure, one of Canada’s foremost contemporary a cappella ensembles. And now, on the heels of the release of the fifth album, Guest Sessions Vol II, they are giving their final concert, One More Spin, on May 22 at Toronto’s Paradise Theatre as part of SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival. Tickets are available at singtoronto.tickit.ca/events/34562

Multi-award-winning Toronto-based vocal group, Countermeasure, has just released the video for Hold On - the first single off their concept album, Guest Sessions. Countermeasure's musical director, Aaron Jensen, composed Hold On, inspired by a conversation with bandmate, and vocal soloist Qwyn Alexis. The song reflects the experiences of motherhood: the fear and helplessness of setting your children out into the world, and the hope that by instilling them with love, decency, and pride, they'll be equipped to face whatever life has in store. The track features award-winning Toronto-based vibraphonist, Michael Davidson.

Acapella is the high wire act of vocalizing, You’re out there all alone, just you and your voice and a tonne of expectations; you will rekindle old emotions, awaken the sleeping dogs of memory and bring fresh dynamics to songs your audience thought they knew inside out. That tall order is tough for most acapella crews. For Countermeasure, it’s their specialty, made possible by voices that replicate the sounds of guitar, bass, percussion, trombone and more.

Here’s why there’s not another like this 13 member Toronto-based group. They’re fearless. Their live sets and album are primarily original material, an act bordering on heresy in a genre where idiosyncratic arrangements of popular standards is the norm.

Snowblink released their album Returning Current last September in Canada and now the rest of the world will be able to hear what Exclaim! calls “a blissful ride, sounds as the world does when you’re underwater: soft and calm”.