stereophonic xiv is just around the corner (january 19-21) and as a former coordinator and sackvilliain, cori, sadie and katharyn gave me the chance to throw together a sampler of my favourite songs from this year’s artists. buckle up and settle in on the latest crème de la crème.
cellarghost - “whiteout”
fredericton, nb
freddy beach post-rockers with a tinge of classic can-con indie rock carving out a new niche in the nb music scene. 100% better than that wolf parade comeback.
dan misha goldman - “sleepwalker”
los angeles, california, usa
seasoned magicman from snowblink, hydra & luxury pond. goldman is as shimmering and meticulous as ever with his latest solo effort - expect the full LP in march.
deathsticks - “ugh”
whitby, on
power slop duo deathsticks are joining us all the way from ontario after a stint of east coast dates earlier this winter. one beautiful, feel-good mess is in store.
flour - n/a
sackville, nb
super-secret sackville supergroup consisting of all ur pals and a few unexpected surprises. believe the hype for yourself at the fest.
girth - “burn down the mall”
sackville, nb
if you don’t lose your fucking mind when you listen to girth, something’s wrong.
jon mckiel - “still remain”
sackville, nb
the loveliest man in town is still spinning thoughtful rockers with newfound edgy instrumentals soaked in the mud of the marsh. mckiel hasn’t missed a step and his new record this spring will continue that hot streak.
joyfultalk - “pommel horse”
crousetown, ns
equal parts transcendent and chilling, joyfultalk oscillate between organic and synthetic sounds that warp you to another dimension, where Simon (the game) is God.
klarka weinwurm - “the planet”
sackville, nb
buddy! klarka steers you through doom and gloom with her trusted axe and merry men (scott & luke) to such earnest and heartwarming heights. if you’re feeling down in the dumps, klarka’s the one to pull you up and share a pint.
kurt inder – “august”
halifax, ns
it feels like kurt has been building a steady stream of bedroom pop forever, but truthfully the dude knows how to fill a track with luscious lyrics and heavy hooks in no time. let kurt and co. tuck you in and send you off to the sweetest of dreams.
la fête – “la foire”
québec, qc
it’s rare that we are gifted the opportunity to host music beyond the maritimes in our humble little marsh, but luck has never struck as well as it does in the form of la fête. fusing the more melodical and methodical strokes of math-rock with a pop-focused sound, la fête guarantee party favours to the eleventh degree.
l con – “at daybreak”
toronto, on
lisa conway had the chance to record her latest record “moon milk” at sappyfest as part of the songwriter-in-residence program many moons ago, so it only makes sense that she makes her homecoming back in sackville on the stereo stages. experimental avant-pop soundscapes guaranteed.
loveland – “strongest force”
halifax, ns
taking cues from classic r&b and funk, and more modern electronic influences, halifax’s jumbo-sized loveland will surely kick off your late nights in style. no one else will carry you through ‘til the light of dawn quite like them. just don’t count the number of empties that surround your bed.
luka – “pauses of the night”
toronto, on
o, luka. no stranger to sackville, luka comes back to his second home yet again to caress you through the inevitable snowstorm that will plague the dark days of january. ideal drink pairings are a cozy hot toddy or a sexy gin martini (depending on your ~feels~ after this track).
nightbummerz – “plastic death”
halifax, ns
scuzzy, lo-fi post-punk that shows the resilient true grit of the maritimes, delivered straight from halifax.
no problem – “new balancing”
halifax, ns
the best comparison i can think of for these cuties that kinda describes their music is maybe a v good dog meme. maybe a shiba inu one dressed up for the news? woozy, swoozy pop that goes down smooth.
protruders – “side a”
toronto, on
veterans to the stereophonic scene come home in a new form – this time in the hard-hitting, world-conquering garage rock with a signature punk edge. thanks for always coming back to us! <3
right shitty – “1000”
saint john, nb
blurring the lines between hard rock, punk, garage and grunge come the latest export out of the thriving saint john music scene.
thom coombes – “another catalyst”
st. john’s, nfld
mr. coombes has slowly built an endearing catalogue of life in atlantic canada, from sweet folk ballads to blistering string instrumentals, and a sound as delicious as your grandmother’s homemade jam preserves.
towanda – “he’s my muse”
montreal, qc
another classic comes home to sackville. towanda is rough and loud, but their precision in incorporating scorching vocals, steady rhythms and a fresh feel can’t be touched. and never will.
usse – “angel of the revolution”
saint john, nb
a fun little kaleidsoscope swimming down from saint john on the waves of the bay of fundy to give us a little electronic treat. handle me with care.
stereophonic xiv takes place january 19-21 in sackville, nb and you can pick up a full-weekend pass for $45!
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