Mimi Barks gets her grind on, Pearls & Bones slice it straight down the middle, Blueface shows some patience, oddCouple gets in touch with himself — and he’s just one of a jillion artists reaching out in your latest Weekend Roundup. Will you accept the charges?
31 | Mimi Barks | Grind
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “London artist Mimi Barks releases her single and video for Grind. “Can’t nurture a seed without water and warmth. Can’t fix someone when you’re broken inside. Push down to feel superior. Watching the spark ignite the fire and turn to ash and it’s too late to realize that you can’t love anybody when you despise yourself,” states Barks. Her “from-the-heart-guts-n-soul” smash of trap beats and raspy, pissed-off vocals has been self-christened Doom Trap, and the name fits. It’s the bitter pill the former Berliner intends to smear all over the genre in a way that’s punk as fuck and louder than-hell. This is the sound of music eating its young.”
32 | Pearls & Bones | Sawed In Half
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Pearls & Bones are an alternative hip-hop band based out of Toronto and Montreal. The trio write and perform music inspired by discordant influences, from metalcore and PC music to backpack rap and pop-punk. Since forming in 2012, they hae released five EPs and two albums. Their third record Cool Uncles culminates a two-year period of technical and aesthetic development and is officially out today. Focus track Sawed In Half was originally inspired by the movie Kill Bill and the contrast of Uma Thurman spraying viscera and pulling out eyeballs paired with a psychedelic colour scheme. The song ironically pairs some pretty horrific lines and gnarly concepts with a radio ready, power pop melody.”
33 | Blueface | Patience (ft. Calboy)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Platinum-selling rapper Blueface releases the track Patience, featuring Calboy. Produced by Zaytoven, the track has the two artists trading verses breaking down how the long road reaps rewards. Patience is the first of many singles dropping this summer from Blueface.”
34 | oddCouple | Who I Gotta Be (ft. Elijah Blake & Melanie Faye)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Chicago producer and musician oddCouple debuted his single Who I Gotta Be, the third and final preview of his upcoming album Reflections, due out June 4. Who I Gotta Be features Grammy-winning vocalist Elijah Blake and guitar extraordinaire Melanie Faye. Blake lays infinitely catchy vocals over Faye’s bright guitar playing, expertly woven together with oddCouple’s production. The track delves into existential questions of acceptance, love, and knowing oneself. oddCouple says: “We all end up experiencing moments where we question ourselves and the ones who love us most. Where we reach a crossroads and have to realign ourselves, and what we need, to be our best selves. As imperfect as these instances are, they’re always some of our realest and most unfiltered moments, and can help lead to raw clarity and understanding of where to go.”
35 | Bukola | I Am Enough
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Vancouver musician Bukola shares her story of growing up Black in Canada — and shows gratitude to her favourite Black female artists for paving the way — on I Am Enough. “(It) was the last song written for my new EP and it was initially supposed to be a playful song about a day in my life,” says Bukola. “However, after the continuous rise of anti-Black racism, I knew I wanted to write something more poignant. The song talks about my journey growing up as a young black woman and some of my struggles. It also shows gratitude to my favourite Black female artists, who have helped me gain confidence with my skin and who ultimately taught me that I Am Enough.”
36 | Master KG | Shine Your Light (ft. David Guetta and Akon)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Producer, songwriter and DJ Master KG joins forces with David Guetta and Akon for Shine Your Light. The jubilant atmosphere of the song is enhanced with Akon’s signature touch — singing “having a good time dancing and laughing,” he gets to the heart of the song with his uplifting lyrics and flawless delivery. KG says: “I am blessed and excited to have collaborated with not one but two legends in David Guetta and Akon. Shine Your Light is special for me because it not only combines our different styles of music, but also spreads a positive message.”
37 | Elliot Lee | Drama Queen
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brooklyn’s Elliot Lee has emerged on the music scene with bold statements and punk-flavored originality. Drama Queen is Elliot’s second single from her forthcoming EP Queen of Nothing, which tells the story of Queendom and the rise and fall of an empire seen through the lens of a tyrannical ruler. In Drama Queen, Elliot explores materialism as a coping mechanism and the inability to handle criticism. This song and chapter of Elliot’s story marks the beginning of the queen’s downfall as she threatens to burn her empire to the ground and is marked with luscious vocals, an explosive chorus, and unmatched lyrical prowess.”
38 | Lhasa Petik | Hurts To Be Young
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Winnipeg’s Lhasa Petik has quickly become a lo-fi favourite with her unique and stunning soundscape. The young artist continues to shine with her nostalgic new single Hurts To Be Young. Lhasa notes: “Hurts To Be Young is about the challenges that come with growing up, and the nostalgia I get when I look back on my childhood. As I have gotten older, the pressures of society have become a more present force in my life and sometimes intrusive thoughts creep in. I feel like I always looked forward to being an adult, but now that I’m here, I miss the days where my biggest worry was how late I’d get to stay out biking with the neighbours. This tune is about those days, and trying to get back to the headspace I was in, because although I am older, I don’t always feel wiser.”
39 | Coeur de Pirate | Plan à Trois
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Cœur de Pirate is back with a new bittersweet single, accompanied by a video that’s both unforgiving and aesthetically appealing. Plan à Trois is as welcome as it is unexpected. Without much ado or delay, the singer-songwriter, pianist and businesswoman drops the second track off an album slated for release this year. Plan à Trois features all the distinctive traits that Béatrice is known and loved for. Scathing, yet laid-back lyrics. A melody that’s much lighter than the message it bears. On this danceable electro-pop tune, Cœur de Pirate showcases her iconic tone of voice, delivering a stinging blow to an unfaithful lover. Plan à Trois gives the metaphorical finger to the highly unpleasant feeling of being the third wheel of a wobbly cart — one that isn’t headed anywhere promising, anyway.”
40 | Tush | Chrysalis
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian electronic music act Tush have announced their debut album Fantast. The lead single Chrysalis is a high-octane ride through a technicolour fantasy world influenced by retro video games and melodic house. The song is about knowing what you want and going after it no matter the cost. The video for Chrysalis also marks a directorial and production debut for Tush, extending their multifaceted talent into the visual realm. Lead singer Kamilah Apong says, “It’s 2021, in a damn pandemic. We don’t have time for polite modesty. Do what you need to do right now. Whatever is scary and wild and curious to you.”
41 | Flara K | Rumours & Doubts
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Montreal duo Flara K are ready for a reinvention with the release of their single Rumours & Doubts. The song came out of Sam Martel & Collin Steinz’s realization that they were often second-guessing themselves and looking externally for confirmation and validation. This resulted in a toxic, negative headspace that was rooted in a lack of confidence and trust. “We had spent so many nights during the winter drinking wine and talking about life, and why we react to certain things the way we do. We couldn’t quite put our finger on the reason why — was it something we inherited from our parents or were we afraid of what people might think? We just realized we have such a hard time trusting ourselves to do the right thing, and so we always look for external validation or approval. It made us exhausted, and we made a conscious decision to look inward for validation moving forward, and ended up writing Rumours & Doubts soon after.”
42 | Smaller Hearts | Mean Routine
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nova Scotia husband-and-wife duo Smaller Hearts announce new album Attention (out July 23) and share the single Mean Routine. “This song is about how we can have great ideals and big plans for who we think we are, who we want to be, and how we’ll change the world — but the daily grind of going to work and paying the bills gets in the way,” said Smaller Hearts. “The mean routine is the pattern of not getting to do the things we really want to do.”
43 | Jason Matu | Be Nice To Yourself
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Jason Matu deopped the new single Be Nice To Yourself. Recorded remotely in conjunction with producer, frequent collaborator, and Grammy nominee Justin Craig (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Be Nice To Yourself focuses on the feelings of grief and the ability to take time for one’s self in times of tragedy. In short, it acts as a masterclass in self-care.”
44 | Anna Smyrk | Human Condition
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Earlier this month, Melbourne singer-songwriter Anna Smyrk revealed her first new music in almost two years with her catchy pop-rock number Human Condition. Now she shares the video. A song catalyzed by lockdown, Human Condition speaks to the feelings of detachment still lingering. She says: “The video is about that weird mix of isolation and claustrophobia. It all takes place in one small room, with two people trying and completely failing to connect with each other — much like a bad Zoom call.”
45 | So Kindly | The River
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Bursting back onto the scene in 2021 with a single that expertly combines his empowered attitude, bold lyricism, and stunning vocals alternative-pop singer-songwriter So Kindly shares The River. Emerging out of the vibrant Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, So Kindly presents a sound that lands comfortably between electronic-influenced dance music and indie-folk. He explained: “The River deals with the painful yet beautiful reality of being a human. Sometimes we find ourselves at a fork in the road of our lives. That moment comes with hard emotional decisions that need to be made. This track is about that decision-making process internally and emotionally. Sometimes we have to cut ourselves some slack and accept that we are not always in control of the way things pan out.”
46 | Jaded Truth | Spirit
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Jaded Truth are a hard rock band from St. John’s. It all started it in 2019 when vocalist & guitarist Kyle Woodland and bassist Aaron Jones were looking for a drummer after the demise of their previous band. They soon got in touch with Michael Small who was a known drummer in the local metal scene. Bonding over there shared love of ’90s rock, metal & punk and having a similar mindset, the band soon began learning cover songs and crafting original material. In 2020 the band released their album Rx, a physiological triller packed among brooding guitars, manic bass and pounding drums. Covid saw the end of live shows, so the band returned to the studio to record their newest opus.”
47 | Further The Lion | Never Be The Same
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Further The Lion are a rock ’n’ roll band from Hamilton. Formed during their final year of high school in 2007, Brent Etherden (vocals/bass) and brothers Jordan (guitar) and Greg Kopoian (drums) have played across the country, sharing stages with artists like k-os and Yukon Blonde. New single Never Be The Same was written over the course of eight years and takes influence from different parts of Etherden’s life and a variety of songwriting styles. Emotional and expressive, Never Be The Same reminds the listener that sometimes something profound can happen to you that changes you to your core — and it’s not always a negative thing.”
