IT’S WRITTEN IN THE STARS
Bridging cross-cultural aesthetics while exploring her own struggle has been an important part of iskwē’s vision since her self-titled debut album. Her lead single “Nobody Knows,” was featured in the Netflix series Between, captivating audiences by turning a spotlight on the more than 1200 missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada. Unafraid to challenge her…
Hyaenas Embodying the energy and ferocity of the animal they’re named after, Hyaenas is a new indie rock band with fun, catchy hooks and a queer feminist view on acceptance, love, witchcraft, and social justice. Drawing inspiration from ‘80s icons The Go-Gos to modern day indie darlings Warpaint, Sophie Heppell (guitar, vocals), Jessie Robertson (bass),…
Hotel Mira Hotel Mira has taken the sound out of the garage and into a considerably lusher landscape on the band’s debut LP Perfectionism. Mastermind Charlie Kerr writes sharp hooks and memorable melodies full of anthemic, rock ‘n’ roll energy wrapped up in a polished, yet untethered and cracked aesthetic. Influences range from Nirvana to…
Haley Blais Based in Vancouver, Haley Blais has been DIY-ing it since 2014 with bedroom pop anthems recorded in her actual bedroom. Her self-deprecating, self-loving balladry, which won her a legion of social media fans, is reflected on Below the Salt, her debut studio LP. The record opens with a flurry of drums and keys,…
Fake Shark For their latest, and aptly titled LP Time for the Future, genre-fluid alt-pop outfit Fake Shark took a page from the Paul’s Boutique playbook to create something novel and incredibly compelling, straddling sounds both fresh and familiar. Thanks to the clever lyricism laced throughout the monster hooks, it’s universally appealing and individually relatable…
Coastal Wolf Pack Tsatsu Staqayu is a young group of Coast Salish people coming from across the Coast and throughout the Fraser Valley, they have members in their group from Musqueam, Nanaimo, Kuper Island, Cowichan, Tsartlip, Skway, just to name a few. They all come from different homes but they all come from one creator,…
Blonde Diamond Blonde Diamond’s signature sound—energetic drums, slinky keys, dreamy guitars, groovy bass, and intimate vocals—is the perfect summation of their tagline: what the ’60s thought the future would sound like. Since its formation in 2016, Blonde Diamond has made waves across the world, gracing stages across Canada, Europe, Australia, the US, and India, sharing…
Black Pistol Fire A high-octane indie rock duo born in Canada and based in Austin, Texas, Black Pistol Fire is an uncompromising amalgam of no-frills Southern rock, blues, and gritty garage punk. Citing Led Zeppelin, Chuck Berry, Nirvana, Buddy Holly, and Muddy Waters as inspiration, drummer Eric Owen and vocalist/guitarist Kevin McKeown have drawn comparisons to the…
Ashleigh Ball A celebrated musician and voice actress, Ashleigh Ball is best known as the magnetic front woman for indie pop band Hey Ocean! She released her first solo EP in 2017 (Gold in You), marking a turn toward a grittier, more mature sound. She returned to the material in 2019 with Gold in You…
Andy Shauf Canadian musician Andy Shauf pens songs that explore universal truths through picaresque vignettes, from the colourful people-watching observations of 2016’s The Party to the tale of a failed relationship explained over one night at a local watering hole on last year’s The Neon Skyline. His latest recording, Wilds, is a collection of nine songs culled from around…