June 19, 2020—After our participation in the music industry #TheShowMustBePaused initiative on June 2, we are committing ourselves to serious change going forward. Outside of ongoing listening, protesting, educating ourselves, and sharing resources, we will be: – Donating all $$ (both label and artist shares) from Bandcamp Days on June 5th and June 19th to various Black and anti-racist…
March 26, 2024—The songs of Jon McKiel are born of the bruised marshlands of remote New Brunswick, from the craggy shores of the Atlantic coast; places where nature is a powerful wonder and the made-world is in slow decay. His new album, Hex, is a bloodshot pop record steeped in our dystopian present, tempered, across its ten tracks, by an…
March 26, 2024—“hypnotic” – The Guardian“these glittering electro-acoustic hybrids exude a sense of awe” – Aquarium Drunkard Nick Schofield’s Ambient Ensemble sees the Canadian composer and synth maven expanding his solo practice with an ensemble, adding his signature ambient essence to contemporary-classical and electronic music. Where his previous two albums (Water Sine, Glass Gallery) were entirely solo endeavours and synth-focused, Ambient Ensemble invites gregarious group play. The compositions feature a chamber ensemble of…
January 28, 2024—“gorgeous” – Petal Motel“heaving and gorgeous…anguishing and contemplative.” – Stereogum Eternity Mongers, the upcoming album from Michael Feuerstack, is filled with some of the questions we ask ourselves as we navigate this beautiful and complicated world. What is the thing you live for? What is your strongest fear? What is it that makes you wonder? Heading into the studio to…
January 10, 2024—Nick Schofield Cri – MiraclesRomy – Mid AirDuskus – Healers vol. 1Christopher Honeywell aka Libra Rising – Every New MoonBrian Eno, Fred Again.. – Secret Life Michael Feuerstack Performances:Hatis Noit at Mutek was totally enthralling and mind-blowing.Nile Rodgers and Chic’s Tiny Desk Concert. I watch way too much Y**Tube but it is rarely as uplifting…
January 6, 2024—“extremely atmospheric” – York Calling“an ambient weighted blanket we can’t wait to slip under” – CBC Music The ambient music upon which Joshua Van Tassel has built his reputation has often been pushed by large concepts: the life cycle of a giant squid, a sci-fi folk tale, a custom score for craniosacral therapy. Those compositions lean long, psychedelic, grandiose—music for the…
January 25, 2023—After spending the last 3 years of making music in and around his home city of Montreal, Canadian songwriter Michael Feuerstack will be returning to the road to perform throughout Europe this February. The pandemic was largely spent creating 2021’s Harmonize the Moon, his “excellent” (Talkhouse), “gentle and reflective” (Americana UK) 6th LP under his own name since dropping the Snailhouse moniker, as…
January 11, 2023—Elly Hannon In my ears: Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (Big Thief), Big Time (Angel Olsen), And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Weyes Blood), Pre Pleasure (Julia Jacklin) + revisiting: High in the Minuses (Charlotte Cornfield), Case/Lang/Viers, Wednesday Morning 3A.M. (Simon/Garfunkel). Live Music: I was lucky to catch these four intimate shows at Sourwood (my place of work) — JOYFULTALK & Cousins (December), Michael Feuerstack in the…
January 10, 2023—“beautiful” – CBC Music “enchanting and bewildering” – Cast the Dice“Heavenly…gorgeous…reminiscent of Aldous Harding or Grouper.” – CLASH Magazine Nico Paulo‘s new single, “Now or Never” arrives as a stunning introduction to the forthcoming record, fusing deftly strummed guitar with Nico’s glowing vocals that course atop, sounding somewhat reminiscent of the current change in season and turn to fall. In an effort to fully understand how things end and why, “Now or Never” looks to unpack…
September 5, 2022—After release shows across Canada, Motherhood are taking their latest LP Winded across the pond for a series of European and UK dates. The tour will take the band through several countries for the first time – Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Belgium, and Germany – and see them return to England for shows in Brighton, Ramsgate,…
September 2, 2022—“Beau et déstabilisant” – Le Devoir“Stunning and futuristic” – Broadway World To coincide with the release of his new album Desiderata, released in partnership with Joyful Noise Records, Canadian composer/songwriter Ben Shemie shared an incredible animated video created by Montreal-based artist Brandon Blommaert for two of the album tracks. – watch video for ‘The Mirror’ + ‘The Future Indefinite’ –“While Shemie’s image of a faraway universe is equal parts inspiring and chaotic, he…
September 1, 2022—“Atlantic Canada’s next big thing” – Complex“Comforting, effervescent, intoxicating” – CBC Music Listening to Aquakultre’s Don’t Trip is like stepping into a Halifax house party in full swing. Throughout 12 jam-packed songs, the award-winning rapper and neo-soul songwriter Lance Sampson is joined by over 20 guests from locations spanning the globe. – listen // order Don’t Trip on LP/CD/CASS/DIG –“Don’t Trip hits the bloodstream…
September 1, 2022—“tighter and more dynamic than ever.” – CBC Music“a whole new level of discomforting genius” – God Is In The TV It’s been two months since Motherhood’s newest LP, Winded, arrived into the world, diving headlong into a narrative that explores the natural world as it mirrors human suffering. With their home province of New Brunswick’s dramatic vistas as a…
April 20, 2022—“uplifting, reflective, and spiritual” – Bandcamp“an alchemist of sound” – Backseat Mafia Composer/producer Jay Crocker turns to exuberant noise-tinged polychrome electronic avant-jazz on his third JOYFULTALK album for Constellation Records, Familiar Science. The first single, Take It To The Grave, is “powered from a foundry of scorching locomotive beats that wrestle with Crocker’s lithesome harmolodic guitar” (Backseat Mafia). – watch ‘Ballad in 9’ video // listen // pre-order Familair Science on…
April 19, 2022—“The Maritimes’ most promising young MC” – Complex“one of this country’s most promising young rappers.” – CBC Music It’s all coming up Wolf Castle. After releasing his latest album in August, the rapper and producer from Pabineau First Nation has been getting a steady stream of well-deserved praise and has now dropped an incredible new video for the first track on the record. – watch video // read the Complex feature // read the CBC feature – “I grew up…
January 2, 2022—Nick SchofieldPaintings by Jeff Bierk and Darby Milbrath Music by: Shabason, Krgovich & Harris – Florence (instrumentals from Philadelphia) The Weather Station – IgnoranceBell Orchestre – House Music Jennah Barry1. Sharon van Etten & Angel Olsen – Like I Used To2. Bridgewater Value Village, just for the heck of it.3. As usual: the internet4. Weed…
September 22, 2021—The stimulating, fluid sonic blends and forthright, open-hearted lyrics throughout Hang Time, the new LP from Cedric Noel, finds the Tio’tiá:ke/Montreal-based artist untangling complex realities, and ultimately landing with a stunning sense of surety and self. – Order Hang Time on LP/CD/CASS // listen to his interview on the Joyful Noise Radio Hour – Written during a period of intense self-reflection, his eighth…
August 8, 2021—On his fourth EP Da Vinci’s Inquest, Mi’kmaq rapper/singer/producer Wolf Castle writes the epilogue for one story and the opening chapters of his own destiny. The record marks the death of Da Vinci—a vicious, ambitious Mr. Hyde alter-ego—and the birth of the true Wolf Castle. – Listen to Da Vinci’s Inquest // Watch video for ‘Welfman’ – Over three previous EPs, Da…
August 6, 2021—Nova Scotia’s Jennah Barry melted hearts and captivated everyone that came across her critically-acclaimed sophomore album Holiday last year. Now she’s back with a new single that marks another glorious take on 70’s-inspired Americana. – Listen to Venus In Heat – Again produced by Colin Nealis (Foxwarren, Andy Shauf), ‘Venus in Heat’ maintains all of the woozy, intimate indie-folk synonymous with Barry’s sound; gentle piano, swooning lap…