Sleepless Nights – Greatest Hits
Sleepless Nights combines nostalgia and big sing-along choruses on “Greatest Hits” so that we might all join in on the near-universal desire to return to our glory days.
Matt Mays – Talking to the Sky
“Why’d you have to go and rain?” demands Matt Mays of an uncaring sky. “Talking to the Sky” goes for big vocals in a nod to the forefathers of soul, but from the perspective of a small dog in a small room.
Jont – You Are The Dance
Englishman and adopted Haligonian Jont Openheart has a habit of wildly dancing barefoot and in turn drawing in the people around him. It seems only appropriate that he should have a song about this and embracing whatever it is you feel like doing.
Yelverton Undertow – The Silence is Mine
Yelverton Undertow’s impressive debut was highlighted by “The Silence Is Mine,” a track that encapsulates garage rock at its peak — loud and fun.
Villages – Upon the Horizon
Villages took the opportunity of the 2020 touring-hiatus to drop a quick 3-song EP. They describe the title track as a COVID daydream meant to transcend the isolation of the pandemic.
Loviet – Dullshine
It should come as no surprise that one of the emerging voices in Canadian pop music, Loviet, made it onto this list twice. Her single “Dullshine” is about recognizing that you owe yourself something better and that the person you were 5 or 10 years ago isn’t the person you are now.
Rick Sparks & The Enablers – Cézanne
Rick Sparkes crafts an imaginary landscape for himself within the works of 19th-century French painter Paul Cézanne, resulting in a timeless haven away from the vitriol of 2020.
Owen Meany’s Batting Stance – Krakow
A gradual build into heavy cathartic emotions, “Krakow” reflects on Owen Meany’s Batting Stance’s tour of Europe with sombre eyes. Accented beautifully, Walker’s understated vocals march on throughout the song in haunting simplicity.
Michael Feuerstack – I Used to be a Singer
Spacey and swirling with existential beauty, “I Used To Be A Singer” is a sobering hit of melancholy. Stripped down and intimate, Feuerstack’s lyrics look at the nature of existence and time as well as recognizing one’s place within them.
Weak Size Fish – Roots of Creation
Taken from Weak Size Fish’s first full-length — and absolutely stellar — album, “Roots of Creation” pays homage to the golden era of roots reggae and dub while presenting a rather relaxed approach to handling some of the universe’s biggest questions.
Hillsburn – Waking Up
One of the last contributions from outgoing songwriter Paul Aarntzen, “Waking Up” takes Hillsburn’s characteristic energy and tackles the faded dream of rockstar success. Taking a grounded and hopeful look at the present and future, the song is an ever barreling drive as night air whips through the windows.
David Myles – Leave Tonight
As the title track off the latest album by David Myles, “Leave Tonight” is possibly his most personal track to date and a big step forward in originality. Released following his father’s sudden passing, the track is about wanting a moment of connection with a loved one to last forever while knowing that it does inevitably have to end eventually.
Ananas – New Kids
As the opening track on Ananas’ new album Fause réalité, “New Kids” starts the release off with funky and fun energy. With some lyrics in French and some in English, the track shows off the group’s Acadian roots.
Jonah Haché – Patterns of a Tennis Match
In January, Jonah Haché released an album titled That World Already Ended, not realizing how prescient he was being. It’s a big mood, offering a heavy dystopian soundtrack appropriate to our present circumstances. One of the cheerier selections, “Patterns of a Tennis Match,” has the particularly odd effect of getting stuck in our heads every time we pass a tennis court.
Hunter J. Wilson – Living in Words
If indie rock is what you seek, look no further than Living in Words by Hunter J. Wilson and the rest of his most recent EP, If Nothing Happens at All<, I’m Leaving./em> With high energy and airy guitars, it’s an easy listen, but an enjoyable one too.
Keats – Conlon -Only Distance
Adorable and adopted Haligonian Keats Conlon crafts a simply sweet and sincere song that will brighten your day and hopefully make you smile thinking of that special someone. Conlon flexes her songwriting, wit and vocal talents on the love song off her second album.
Tomato/Tomato – Chasing Rainbows
Our favourite folk duo explored new directions this year on their latest album, but “Chasing Rainbows” goes in for a bit of nostalgic woolgathering with nods to legends like the Beatles and the Beach Boys.
Burry – 3 Birthdays
Upbeat with a hint of surf-rock influence, you wouldn’t expect that this single is actually about a child wrestling with their parents’ divorce. Burry effortlessly translates the frustration of holidays creating distance between families as they navigate bitter fallouts. They’ve made it clear on this single that they are able to transmute their past pain into a beautiful, relatable (for many) work of art.
Pineo & Loeb – Free (feat. Liinks & Kayo)
Pineo & Loeb’s upbeat summer hit “Free” combines the talents of the Halifax duo with vocalist Georgia Murray, hip-hop artist Kayo, and guitarist Sparkee.
Brielle Ansems – Ironside
Brielle Ansems‘ lyrics in “Ironside” pack heavy emotions but hit the listener’s ears with ease, carried on the back of her smooth vocals. Covering the way everyday sights and activities take on a new, harsher light following a bad breakup, Ansems sings of how she hopes getting new tattoos will help erase the pieces of her ex that she still carries with her.
A.A. Wallace – Save You
In his usual synth-laden milieu, AA Wallace asks that most elusive of questions: what if we could perpetually dodge the bullet of adulthood and ride out our carefree days into the sunset?
Andre Pettipas & The Giants – Sympathy Card
Andre Pettipas & The Giants make a case that the way to get a hold is with a bit of elbow grease and that the biggest thing holding you back, sometimes, is yourself.
Dennis Ellsworth – Becuz of U
Charlottetown’s songwriting veteran Dennis Ellsworth spins a dreamy yarn for a loved one, each note more gentle than the last.
Mike Trask – Yellow Sky
Mike Trask’s latest single “Yellow Sky” takes trippy to the next level. Guttural bass sounds, sci-fi synths and Trask’s unique vocal performance make this track too good to ignore.
Caribou Run – Highway Home
While it might be a cardinal sin to make a comparison between music and any method of travel, the neo-folk sound of Caribou Run might be the rare exception as they seem to have crafted a soundtrack specifically for the occasion.