Review

With its luscious blend of string arrangements, electronics, and ethereal vocals, ‘Chrysalia’ is a beautiful masterwork. It isn’t simply a case of contemporary pop with orchestral instruments, as Finley fuses the elegant movements of classical music with their own sense contemporary song. Tracks like “Clouds” and “Electrofeu” feature swirling rhythms with string highlights — complex […]

There’s a dark, post-punk atmosphere that pervades ‘The Fink’, but Lee’s unbridled exuberance makes it a fun experience. Lee (actually Daniel Lee of Hooded Fang) captures our interest immediately with an intriguing intro of conversation snippets and strange electronic rhythms, which quickly cuts to the funky sounds of “Message to the Past”. From then on […]

After several years recording as Konig, Kingston’s Nadia Pacey now emerges as John Michigan, and with the name change comes a boost in intensity. This is the same singer-songwriter/electronic artist but the surrounding colour is amplified. Despite its whimsical elements, “Twist and Shout” is a dark tune about troubled sleep and features a powerfully downbeat […]

Sarah Harris, Jack Etch, and Liam Wight make a bold statement on their latest EP. Their signature mix of punk rhythms, post-punk arrangements and artsy vocals is delivered commandingly. “The Isolator” has a Kinks-esque vibe, but vocalist Harris goes from whimsy to the voice of authority in the blink of an eye. “Running Away”, on […]

Although now based in Toronto, Tough Age are from Vancouver and their West Coast sensibilities are very apparent. They have a folksy lyricism, despite being driven by garage rock/proto-punk energy (in clear evidence on tracks like the colourful ‘My Life’s a Joke & I’m Throwing It Away’). Their music can actually be beautiful (check out […]

JP Meldrum Music Dept. Greg Fox’s “Contact” for RVNG INTL is a rhythmic flurry, harkening back to the epic outros of Rock n Roll classics, the complex and quirky patterns of Matmos, the insanely fast tempos of Black Metal, and the overdubbed chaotic-grooves of Miles Davis’s “Live-Evil.” “Contact” sees Fox using any and all percussive […]