Full disclosure: Not all these videos are Halloween-themed. But the ones that are won’t be as much fun to watch tomorrow. And the ones that aren’t don’t deserve to be left behind. So I’m putting them all together. See if you can tell which is which. And remember: Sometimes the things you think are treats turn out to be the scariest tricks of all. Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Wrené x Caijo | Cannibal (The Lost Souls)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Cannibal represents a black mirror into the fears of our youth in our current oppressive climate — making the most joy of what they have, while fearing what is to become of us. In a culture that values consumption above all else, these Canadian artists demonstrate that painting ourselves as cannibals doesn’t seem all too far fetched. As Caijo describes: “It’s like after we’ve taken all the drugs, eaten our weight in artificial foods and bought all the guns, the only thing left for us to consume is each other —figuratively or literally…” The track’s abrasive, apocalyptic sound reflects the distorted hopelessness of today’s youth, marked by financial crisis, heavy drug use, and uncertainty. Pounding synthesizers and layered voices build a surreal, circus-like atmosphere — blurring the line between escape and suffocation. Wrené adds: “I’m disturbed and disheartened by what I am seeing in our cities- so many more people seemingly forgotten and being neglected. My biggest fear as an artist is my livelihood being taken from me and swallowed by this capitalist system.”
Ombiigizi | Street Names & Land Claims
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On Nov. 1, Ombiigizi, the Anishinaabe-Canadian band led by Daniel Monkman (aka Zoon) and Adam Sturgeon (aka Status/Non-Status), release their sophomore album Shame, a starkly honest, yet richly uplifting journey. “Shame is a thing we all share,” the band say. “While the last album (2022’s debut Sewn Back Together) focused a lot on the positive force of healing despite odds, Shame lets things slide. It shares the things we don’t always say, it calls to others to heal and reminds them it’s OK — to feel, to be angry or sad, and that the world we experience can set the drag on high. But always it calls you in and forward.” Ahead of the release of Shame, they are highlighting the track Street Names and Land Claims. “We are the effect and our shame is hard to define,” they sing over the sounds of their towering guitars constructed on ancient syncopated rhythms, the band’s quintessential blend of modern and traditional elements. ”
Jackie And Her Brother | Happy Shadows
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In today’s cultural landscape, where social media thrives on remixing narratives and presenting fragmented views of our everyday lives, Toronto’s Jackie And Her Brother (siblings Jackie & Mark Andrade) harness gritty digital instruments to deliver a punk-infused, abstract critique. Their latest single, Happy Shadows, reflects our collective obsession with life mimicry, constant updates, and the pervasive nature of surveillance in our daily routines. From the earliest days of childhood to the twilight years of life, everyone is participating in this social media experiment. Jackie And Her Brother function as both participants and critics of this new mode of experiencing and representing life; in short, the song explores concepts of mimicry and resistance to following trends and trending patterns. Happy Shadows includes lyrics that explore the beauty and simplicity of cherished childhood memories and the forceful presence and constant intrusion of social media in those memories.”
Ruby Singh | Radiate
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Composer and producer Ruby Singh continues to push musical boundaries with his latest single Radiate, from the forthcoming album Vox.Infold II, a followup to his Juno-nominated and WCMA-winning project Vox.Infold. This second single offers a sensuous and introspective journey, blending a cappella mastery with a deep and rich tapestry of voices. Radiate defies pop convention, unfolding at its own pace, beginning with an ember of droning voices before building and expanding into a powerful and emotional flame of polyphonic poetry and complex, interlocking melodies. The composition tracks a personal awakening of liberation through sound “unlocking wings in your throat,” explains Singh. “Penetrating time through being, before the after of now.” It’s a moody, contemplative, and sultry single that stands as an ode to the transformative power of song in our lives, “these hymns bring worlds upon worlds into existence.”
Erik Lankin | Aloft On Broken Wings
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Montreal neoclassical and new classical composer Erik Lankin is forging new paths for classical music in the world. His forthcoming debut full-length, The Icarus Album (out early 2025), hears Lankin reinterpreting the myth of Icarus and Daedalus as a metaphor for losing his father to mental illness. Combining classical orchestration with contemporary sound design, he channels the full spectrum of emotion into instrumental soundscapes which are compellingly narrative and evocative. His latest single, Aloft On Broken Wings, is told from the perspective of Icarus, who is in shock, having just witnessed his father’s death. His ears are ringing and he is plummeting downward, only to catch himself with a reflexive beat of his wings at the last moment. The cello enters alone over the sound design as Icarus, also alone, begins weeping. As the cello rises and descends, so does Icarus. He flies dangerously low and dangerously high.”
Kristen Anzelc | Scars
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Kristen Anzelc is a dynamic songwriter and vocalist who immerses herself in music and pop culture. Demonstrating her passion for songwriting, Kristen co-wrote a song that earned a coveted spot in the semifinals of Eurovision 2018. Kristen is excited to release her upcoming debut EP and is now sharing its first single, the melancholic and resilient, Scars. This project marks a significant milestone in her artistic evolution. After taking a break from music, she feels that the timing is finally right. As a big fan of horror movies and Halloween, it feels serendipitous that her return to music aligns with her favourite time of year.”
Cold Specks | Wandering In The Wild
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter and producer Cold Specks (aka Al Spx) releases a new track, Wandering In The Wild, co-written with Chantal Kreviazuk. The stripped-back beauty of the song was inspired by Spx’s months in a psychiatric ward (“If we survive, can we smile and be not sorry anymore / If they decide we’re free, to run and scream / Will we jump for joy?”), and how she survived an incredibly difficult time preceding her bipolar diagnosis. Wandering In The Wild — which follows How It Feels, the artist’s first music in seven years — was primarily written by Kreviazuk, following a long discussion with Spx about her experiences. Spx goes on to explain, “I used to be really precious about holding on to as much songwriting as possible but then I remembered James Carr did not write The Dark End of the Street. Thank you, Chantal, for such a timeless piece of music.”
David Jane | Garden Out Back
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Following the 2020 release of David Jane’s debut EP Welcome To Today, he found inspiration in his lingering passion for film and enrolled in film school. There, he found an amalgamation of community, creativity and adventure, fell in love for the first time and met many kindred spirits. His new single Garden Out Back paves the way for a set of songs that showcase a moment lost in time, reminiscing in hues of melancholic beauty flushed with a desperate yearning to return. Inspired by David’s year in Vancouver and the slow fade ending of a relationship that began there, it begins by chronicling the helpless sense of futility in a long distance relationship before exploding into a desperate yearning to return to that lost time.”
