Raincity Unveil the Video for ‘Give This Up’

Vancouver funk rockers Raincity have unveiled the video for ‘Give This Up’.

The release of the clip comes ahead of the band’s upcoming show at The Commodore Ballroom in their hometown on December 26.

The track is taken from their current self-titled EP. They recorded the EP at Warehouse Studios with support from Creative BC.

Raincity shot the video for ‘Give This Up’ in one day with directors Wayne Chung and Bailey Wood as well as a crew of 45 people. They shot the video in an elevator that was built then torn down in two days. Most of the extras were close friends of the band, giving it a fun, party-like atmosphere.

“’Give This Up’ has been with us for a long time, back to the jazz trio days of 2016,” the band’s vocalist Clare Twiddy said in a press release. “It has changed so much, in reflection of the ways that we too have changed. Over time, the song came to describe the freedom that we found in letting go, in embracing ourselves, finding confidence in our voice, and striving to be the ideal self. The fun and energetic video for ‘Give This Up’ embodies that freedom and embrace during a time where many people may need a reminder to love themselves and to look for the joy in life, family, and friends.”

Initially known as Raincity Blue, they released their debut album Stuck in Replay in 2017 and played to a sold-out crowd at Wise Hall in January 2018.

Things progressed quickly for Raincity in 2018 with them making the top 100  CBC Searchlight as well as winning contests including the Hard Rock Casino’s Rock the Mic, Music Heals Covers for the Cause, and The Roxy Launch Project.

They’ve played a number of festivals in British Columbia and across Canada including Victoria’s Rifflandia, the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival and Toronto’s Canadian Music Week.

Catch Raincity on the following dates;

Dec 26th – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom w/ Five Alarm Funk
Dec 31st – Vancouver, BC – The eatART Foundation
Jan 18th – Vancouver, BC – Guilt & Company

Sasha Cay Shares the Video for ‘Archie’

Montreal-based singer/songwriter/storyteller Sasha Cay has shared the video for ‘Archie’.

In an e-mail, Cay had this to say about the track; “I think about songs the same way I think about stories. The characters I imagine and the lives they live out typically wind up in one or the other, and ‘Archie’ is one of them.

The song follows a young boy who has run away from home to join his outcast uncle, who lives and roams in an old van.

Through a series of vignettes, I take you through the boy’s realization of Archie’s life as a thief, the consequences that follow and the looming fear that it is too late to turn back.”

The track also marked the first time she worked in a studio, her previous music was produced in her bedroom. She worked with Steve Gibbs at Lites Down in Montreal.

“This experience allowed me to control and craft my sound in ways I didn’t have access to before,” she said. “With these tools and Steven’s experience, I felt for the first time that I was able to accurately represent a song the way I intended. “

Ezra Furman Shares New Video & Tour Dates

Ezra Furman has shared the video for ‘I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend’ as well as announcing the dates of his fall tour.

Monday, Sept. 9th – Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON
Tuesday, Sept. 10th – Bar Le Ritz – Montreal, QC

The track is taken his forthcoming album Twelve Nudes, due out on August 30. He previously released the video for ‘Calm Down aka I Should Not Be Alone’ from the album.

Furman said he drew on two spiritual heroes, the late punk rock musician Jay Reatard and Canadian poet, essayist and philosopher Anne Carson.

“She’s one of my top three living writers,” he said in a press release. “Anne had these visions, or meditations, to deal with the intense pain in her life, which she calls ‘nudes’, and similarly these songs are meditations on pain and recognising what’s there if you go digging around in your anger and fear and anxiety. So, my album is called Twelve Nudes.”

“This record is political, but it offers an emotional reaction rather than being specific or partisan,” Furman said.

He gained wide exposure thanks to writing the soundtrack to the Netflix series Sex Education, who was viewed by 40 million subscribers within its first month of release. Furman has a loyal fanbase in the LGTBQ+ community and he also wrote book for the 33 1/3 series on Lou Reed’s Transformer.

iskwe Shares the Video for ‘Breaking Down’

iskwe has unveiled the video for her track ‘Breaking Down’.

In an e-mail, she said the song is, “about freeing yourself of a toxic relationship to find your sense of self and your personal strength. The question is – what relationship? On the surface, it could be personal, but listen closely and you will discover a deeper meaning. The accompanying video (directed by Jessica Lea Fleming) captures this metamorphosis.”
“This video sees me finding my way back to my clan – the butterfly clan – which represents my family in the spirit world,” she explained.  “I wanted to show the emergence of self by shedding layers of the past, while discovering strength in being true to who I am. Our vision was to be as inclusive as possible, with each dancer representing different communities – Indigenous,  POC, LGBTQ – as a way to honour the various stages of emergence and growth in taking comfort in who we truly are.”

‘Breaking Down’ is taken from her forthcoming release achakosuk due out in the late fall. Release date TBA.

Stream Porteau’s ‘Penelope’ for Free

Porteau had this to say about ‘Penelope’, the latest single from their album debut Water’s Gate in an e-mail; “’Penelope’, the album’s latest single, was a direct result of this inspiration and draws on this imagery to explore and unearth personal experience. At a time where I felt powerless in certain relationships, ‘Penelope’ was my way of saying that I could unwind myself from the pain and learn to be at peace with the fact that those I am leaving behind may not be okay. ”

The Vancouver duo of Victoria Williams Craig Stevenson drew inspiration for the album from the Gustave Dore painting ‘Andromeda’, wishing to capture its “cold, urgent yet liberating” look in sound.

“A mutual understanding and inspiration was found and became a driving and unifying force,” they said.

“Water’s Gate tells the story of one’s path to liberation. The album is bookended by mysticism; starting with the first track ‘Re:Birth’ which alludes to a character being born and rising out of the water. The final track, ‘Moon Maidens”’ sees this character liberated and ascending into the night sky. Everything in between discusses the challenges and complex relationships we face,” they said.

“The album artwork features this character ambiguously between the ocean and the sky, unclear whether they are falling or ascending,” the band added.

Stream Margot’s ‘Arles’ for Free

London, UK dream-pop quintet Margot have shared a free stream of ‘Arles’.

It’s the follow-up to ‘Coffee Stained Scars’.

The band had this to say about ‘Arles’ in an e-mail; “’Arles’ is about the juxtaposition of receiving devastating news in a beautiful place.”

Stream Octo Octa’s ‘Bodies Meld’ for Free

“‘Bodies Meld Together’ is a song about physically connecting with the people you love,” Maya Bouldry-Morrison, aka Octo Octa explained in a statement. “I believe that connection is a deeply integral part of creating bonds and trust with them. It’s about sharing an experience of becoming one with them and having that experience carry on. Love is important and showing that love to your partners in important. It lets you all become a stronger force together.”

The track is taking from her forthcoming EP For Lovers, out on March 1.

Octo Octa also announced the dates of her upcoming tour;

Fri 08 Mar – Natural Selection at Headrow House – Leeds, UK
Sat 09 Mar – Sónar İstanbul 2019 – Istanbul, TR
Fri 15 Mar – Public Records – New York, US
Fri 22 Mar – Origins at Moles – Bath, UK
Sat 23 Mar – Origins at Mick’s Garage – London, UK
Sat 04 May – Dabadaba – San Sebastian, ES
Sun 05 May – ZeeZout Liberty Day – Amsterdam, NL
Thu 30 May – Primavera Sound – Barcelona, ES
Fri 31 May – Lighthouse Festival – Tar, HR

Stream AlphaClub’s ‘Night Heart’ for Free

Toronto artist AlphaClub had this to say about his track ‘Night Heart’, the title track from his new album, in an e-mail;

“Growing up in a quiet place along the countryside, I fell in love with the darkness. I was always fascinated by that one, distant light that shone from the forest or near the ocean,” he wrote. “The only thing I love more is the wild night that I embrace trying to reach that glow.”

Videos for a Lazy Sunday: Lil Baby’s ‘Close Friends’ (Featuring Gunna)

It’s fitting that Lil Baby chose Paris to shoot the Daps-directed video for ‘Close Friends’.

It was his first time in the city and the song represents love and romance. It co-stars his real-life girlfriend, who’s expecting their their first child any time now.

The track is taken from his collaborative project with Gunna,  Drip Harder, out now on Quality Control Music / Young Stoner Life Records, a 300 Entertainment Label / Wolfpack Global Music / Capitol Records / Motown.

He also unveiled the video for ‘Global, which has received over six billion worldwide streams. The track is taken from his Street Gossip mixtape. He received a plaque from his label for this achievement. He also recently performed ‘Put a Date On It’ with Yo Gotti on The Tonight Show.

Lil Baby also announced the dates of his The New Generation Tour;

Videos for a Lazy Sunday: Christian Loffler’s ‘Like Water’ (Feat. Mohna)

German electronic producer Christian Loffler has shared the animated video for ‘Like Water’, featuring Mohna.

It’s the first single from his forthcoming album Graal (Prologue) out on April 4 on Ki-Records.

The clip features the main character gazing out over the ocean as cathartic emotions emotions emerge as Loffler’s music takes the viewer on a solitary metaphysical journey. The video was directed by Magnus Lenneskog and Tezo Kyungdon Lee. Best known as the founders of he award-winning Tjoff Koong Studios, their work has been featured in the Wes Anderson film Isle of Dogs as well as several Gorillaz videos.

The new album is a reflection of his frustration at the time about not having the mental space at the time to create music. He instead focussed on visual art and the album is a reflection of that. Drawing gave him the chance to create without constraints or as he explained to, “turn off my brain a bit, especially thoughts about what is possible or not.”

Loffler also announced the dates of his upcoming tour;

3/1 Brooklyn, NY – National Sawdust
3/6 London (UK) – Southbank Centre

3/22 Saint-Sebastien (ES) – Dabada

4/3 Utrecht (NL) – Pandora at TivoliVredenburg*
4/4 Poznan (PL) – Tama*
4/5 Warsaw (PL) – Niebo*
4/6 Paris (FR) – Pavillon Cambon*
4/10 Brussels (BE) – Botanique*
4/11 Berlin (DE) – Columbia Theater*
4/12 Vienna (AT) – WUK*
4/13 Prague (CZ) – Cross Club*
*with special guest Janus Rasmussen

1. Ry

2. Running (feat Josephine Philip)

3. Bird

4. Like Water (feat Mohna)

5. Refu

6. Graal