Our periodic roundup of new discoveries and old faves. Now including “liner notes” to help guide you through this journey and hopefully introduce you to some new, great music!
p.s. Right now Meta is not letting Canadians access any news content. It's crazy!
AYLA TESLER-MABE -KEEP MY MIND OFF THE NEWS
I follow Ayla on TikTok and let me tell you, she's an incredible (and young) musician from Vancouver. She's in a band called Ludic, who are also good but I think I prefer her solo stuff. Tough call!
THIS MAD DESIRE -ARMY OF ME
My latest release!
OK GO -THIS
Speaking of OK Go, This is their new song from the movie The Beanie Bubble which their singer Damian directed and which will be on AppleTV. Of course, I'm partial to the drums in this one... lol. Great song!
PAMELA SUOZZI -GALAXIES
Pamela is my pal from Switzerland. I met her on my friend Tianda's Discord and I have fallen in love with her voice. Plus this song has cosmic imagery and a great electropop groove. What more do you want?
HEXADEVI -PIPER
Kristina is a songwriter and DJ based in Florida. I'm really digging this new instrumental.
ANDIE LOREN -I'VE TRIED
Andie is a Toronto singer-songwriter. This is basically a torch song and reminds me of the kinds of songs I used to play with my friend Barzin. Songs of longing and regret. I really like the guitar work in this. Creative but not overstated. Tasteful in a very Toronto way!
TIANDA -SHOW ME AROUND
Tianda's my buddy in Edmonton and this is one of her new songs. Fab production and great confessional/storytelling lyrics.
MAE STEPHENS -IF WE EVER BROKE UP
Catchy song. She is British, 20, and on EMI. I'm so mystified. Who's HER dad and how did she get this record contract??
JAIN -MAKEBA
Pretty hard to get away from this song on TikTok these days but I must say, the music video for this is incredible and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Video back in 2015. 2015! Recently Bill Hader from SNL posted a TikTok and this song is suddenly EVERYWHERE. So if anyone at SNL is reading this, feel free to use any of my tracks for anything!
SARAH MADDACK -COFFEE SHOP BOP
Omg if you're on TikTok you're already sick of this and moved onto the worm song. Lol.
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS -COFFEE SHOP
TRAGICALLY HIP -COFFEE GIRL
A little more coffee action for you!
NYSSA -BREAKUP PARTY
Catchy indie rock. All I know about NYSSA is she is from Toronto and on Six Shooter Records. Whenever I hear people on Six Shooter Records, I am surprised how much I like them. I want to be on that label!
PJ HARVEY -I INSIDE THE OLD I DYING
This new song and album from PJ Harvey are based on a book of poetry she wrote that tells a story about fairies and nature and this sort of thing. The lyrics are written with olde English words and spellings to give it that ancient feel.
TESS POSNER -FERAL CHILD
Speaking of flowers and fairies and hippie trippy stuff, may I introduce Tess Posner who I just am getting to know through her Discord. She is a true Cali hippie, I think, and I could not be more pleased with that. This is her new track.
THIS MAD DESIRE -STORM THE COUNTRYSIDE
One of my fave songs from our Open Hearts Open Minds release. And I really like the drums that Dan Konopka from OK Go did.
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT -IMAGINARY LOVE
The Ruf! Any kind of love or at least my kind of love must be an imaginary love to start with... Schubert bust my brain to start with... Such a great song.
LATIA BRYANT / AQUANDRIA -YOUR LOVE
I just met LaTia last year and glad to see her releasing music. Emotional track about relationship problems.
DANKO JONES -GOOD TIME
And now for something completely different! Danko Jones is from Toronto but started on Hamilton record label Sonic Unyon. I saw them open for Guns N' Roses here in Hamilton. Anyway, he is really funny on TikTok so I thpught I'd check this out.
MEGADETH -PEACE SELLS
Just keeping the rock going!
SLEIGH BELLS -THROW ME DOWN THE STAIRS
Huge fan of Sleigh Bells here. A track like this? I could listen to this forever. I follow the singer, Alexis Krauss, on Instagram and she's wildly into rock climbing. Like, very passionate. Really interesting person. She has a Ted Talk about appreciating nature.
And with that, this wraps up this week’s playlist. Hope you enjoyed it!!
If you like this playlist, please share it and follow these artists. Music is the fuel that fills our soul.
If you are an artist that would like to be included in the future, reach out anywhere and I’d love to check out your tunes!
Yours in music,
Mac