Toronto-based artist KERUB dives headfirst into memory, fear, and the uneasy pull of nostalgia on their mesmerizing new album, APHANTASIA. Blending lush indie electronica with philosophical depth and glitchy, dream-like textures, the album is a raw exploration of queerness, childhood, and trying to build a future when you can’t always picture one. Haunting lead single, “Calm,” captures the aftermath of panic in striking detail – that delicate moment when your heart finally slows and you’re left alone with the wreckage.
Written partially as a master’s thesis, “Calm” began in a haze of bodily awareness after KERUB‘s first panic attack, unpacking what it means to be so far from home, trying to stay grounded in a new city. Relocation from the West Coast to Toronto sparked reflections on connections left behind and those newly formed – woven through late-night phone calls, breathless arguments, and moments of quiet dissociation. With intimate vocals and instrumentals designed to feel both familiar and uncannily synthetic, “Calm” becomes a soft yet unflinching look at vulnerability, rendered with voyeuristic tenderness.
Across APHANTASIA, KERUB builds on this tension. Inspired by Nietzsche’s concept of the Eternal Return – an endless loop of life repeating itself – the album critiques the comforting but dangerous pull of early 2000s nostalgia. It’s at once a personal meditation on growing up queer in suburban Vancouver and a broader challenge to hauntology’s cultural recycling, asking: what if we’re doomed to relive it all? And what might it mean to claw out a new home anyway?
Daniel Johnston’s legacy is legendary. The quintessential DIY artist started his career in Austin, TX whilst hawking cassettes from his day job at McDonald’s. The rest, as they say, is history, and fans of US alternative music from the 1980s onwards know about his work and the people he went on to inspire.
This, however, is not a biography; it’s a simple piece of communication to let people know about the second pressing of Daniel’s radio sessions recorded for the BBC as a double album entitled ‘Love Lives Forever (BBC Sessions 2003-11)’. A project inspired by BBC Radio 6 Music’s Marc Riley, the tracks have been licensed from the BBC and approved by Daniel’s family, management and charity.
The sessions were spread across an eight-year period with two sessions for Rob Da Bank and three with Marc Riley (both of whom are executive producers of this album). A few bootleg recordings of these sessions have been available across the years but now they have been lovingly mastered and cut by Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road Studios in London. Daniel was a lifelong fan of The Beatles and the overwhelming consensus from those who knew him was that he would be so proud and excited to have his music mastered above the legendary Studio 2 at Abbey Road.
The album is available as a double vinyl (numbered to 500 copies), CD and hi-res download with the artwork being Daniel’s own work. The CD and vinyl come with an 8-page booklet featuring photos taken at Daniel’s house in Waller, TX.
This project’s objective is to celebrate Daniel’s musical legacy, rather than explore further his well-documented mental health problems. However, profits from the album will go to Daniel’s Hi, How Are You Project based in Austin.
Ian North is lucky to be alive and celebrates the two-year anniversary of coming back from the brink of death. Two years ago, in the fall of 2022, Ian suffered a double-pulmonary embolism while living deep in the forests of Muskoka, Ontario. A string of fortunate events led North to the Bracebridge hospital in time before he collapsed. North flatlined three times through two hours of emergency resuscitation, then was airlifted from Bracebridge Hospital to Orillia. At age 70, with the support of his wife Jennifer, he had to relocate to the big city, learn how to walk, sing and play guitar again. Music helped him through a lengthy rehabilitation period and sparked a new lease on life and renewed interest in recording and releasing music again. During his time in a coma, his wife Jennifer recalls “One of the things I missed most was hearing Ian’s voice. It made me realize how we can take seemingly small things for granted. I dug into his old albums and would listen to them constantly while waiting to see if Ian would make it. During that time, I made the promise that if he did make it, we were going to make sure that his unrecorded songs would eventually see the light of day.”
Relocating to Toronto for rehabilitation was a major upheaval for the songwriter and artist duo. They had to pivot in all areas of their life and adjust to a new normal. During that time, they struck up a conversation with musician and producer Chris Gartner and the new album “Everything is Incomplete” slowly became a reality. In those early days, North had trouble singing and getting his guitar playing strength back. The life-support tubing in his throat did a number on his vocal cords, but he eventually got his voice and falsetto back. Between recording sessions, North was receiving multiple therapies, a wide range of services that would not be accessible in the remote forest village where they had been living. Between recording sessions, he progressed through physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, chiropractic treatments to get his pain under control and to get the nerves in his legs working again so that he could walk without a “foot drop”, caused by lying in bed in the ICU for so long. Eventually, once he was rehabilitated and the album was near completion, North was clear to leave Toronto at the request of his wife so they could be closer to Muskoka. In January, the pair moved to Orillia, the place where North eventually came back to life.
Though it had been almost two decades since Ian was in the studio, he never stopped playing and making music in private. Releasing the new album broke the dry spell and once again, Jennifer got involved as North’s business and marketing partner. His new album “Everything is Incomplete” marked the beginning of a new “Fallen-Angel Folk-Rock” era. His new self-proclaimed brand and genre that pays respect to many of the characters that North writes about within the context of myth making , cultural meaning and narrative style in songwriting and storytelling. As North says, “we all have a dual nature, striving for perfection but falling short.” The new album was born on August 4th in Orillia and for the first time, Ian North celebrated his first vinyl recording with a release party in Toronto in September. During that two-year rehabilitation/recording period, the song “Beautiful City” took on new meaning. Taking stock of his music career, the near-death experience and relocation to a city where he had lived for many years provided a new perspective.
Ian North is often called a “songwriter’s songwriter” for juxtaposing familiar and off-beat references from music history, literature and pop culture. Many of his stories and images come from real life journeys and some from fictional ones. His lyrics are smart and his message is sharp and edgy at times, covering a wide range of topics, from lost love to politics to existential theory. With a scathing take on the world, tempered by occasional musings on life in utopia, Ian North offers unique perspectives and poetic insights on subjects surrounding the human condition. At the same time, he provides a measured glimpse into the nature of the man behind the poetry.
North London artist, musician and filmmaker Lewis Knaggs delivers his scintillating, gospel-tinged new single “City of Millions” – released on 25th July and released via Lewis’ own label Breakwater Records.
“City Of Millions” emerges as another superbly thoughtful, intimate release – exploring urban life, disconnection and the quiet yearning for belonging. The guitar and gospel influences, quickened with handclaps and soaring chord structures make a complex and bittersweet subject beautiful, Lewis capturing the love-hate relationship with a place that’s simultaneously alive and alienating. Painting raw, personal reflections on his own experiences at home in London and on a recent trip to Tokyo, Lewis shares: “The big bad brutal city – I love it and I hate it. No one really speaks to each other. People seem to live in fear and sometimes it just gets to me… So many people and yet you can still feel so alone.”
Born and raised in North London to a Californian father and Welsh mother, Lewis Knaggs’ artistry is a product of his creative environment. Cutting his teeth across Camden Town’s iconic music scene as a teenager, he quickly marked performance and storytelling as critical processes for self-discovery. Personal experience of love and growth, realism and documentation continue to elevate the sonic and visual universes surrounding him.
Lewis’ love for music led him to his first role at the pioneering music platform SBTV, where he developed a passion for filmmaking alongside the late and great Jamal Edwards. Moments of connection and inspiration gave Lewis the foundations to create real impact on the culture, empowering and uplifting artists alike.
Meg Smith is a glitter-soaked misfit who turns heartbreak into euphoria – one disco ballad at a time. Her self-described sound, “Disco Opera,” blends theatrical flair, indie-pop shimmer, and dance floor-ready chaos. With influences ranging from Britney Spears and Donna Summer to Queen and ELO, Meg’s songs are maximalist, emotional, and irresistibly fun – an invitation to cry and dance in something sparkly
A breakout star with a viral “nanny by day, pop star by night” persona, Meg has built a cult following for her weird, witty, and wildly emotional pop. She made waves with her fan-favorite single “Jesus Christ in a Mini Skirt” and debut project The Gospel According to Meg Smith, earning praise from Rolling Stone and BBC, a Times Square billboard, and in 2025, a Hollywood Independent Music Award for Best Pop Artist.
Originally from Los Angeles, Meg was raised by a professional dancer mom and a music-obsessed lawyer dad, growing up surrounded by ballet slippers, watercolor paints, and show tunes. After years in community theatre and competitive figure skating, she found her true calling in songwriting, where she could channel every facet of her artistic identity.
Now based in New York City, Meg’s angelic-meets-rebel aesthetic pairs perfectly with her sonic universe. Her visuals are part camp, part couture – always expressive, always unapologetically her. Behind the scenes, she’s juggled 50-hour nanny workweeks while editing videos, writing songs, and building a career with no plan B.
Her upcoming single, “Girls Just Wanna Be Famous,” continues her streak of poignant, larger-than-life storytelling – an intergenerational anthem inspired by her mom’s real-life journey from small-town dreamer to a 1970s L.A. dancer.
With recent tour support slots for Zolita, Baby Queen, and MisterWives, Meg’s live shows offer catharsis wrapped in sequins. She’s not just building a fanbase, she’s building a community. One that knows you’re not alone, and you can dance through it.
Breakout pop artist and producer elijah woods announces his debut album, Can We Talk?, releasing October 14th, and shares the album’s lead single, “Ghost On The Radio.”
Can We Talk? marks a major milestone for elijah. Over the past five years, he has built a career as a fully independent artist, amassing over 1 billion global streams, earning a devoted fanbase of more than 5 million followers, and touring the world entirely on his own terms. The forthcoming album captures the intimacy, vulnerability, and emotional depth that define his music, while leaning fully into the clever, infectious pop sensibilities that have fueled his rise.
The rollout kicks off with “Ghost On The Radio,” a catchy, upbeat pop track layered with lyrical depth. Beneath its glossy production and earworm hooks lies a bittersweet story of unresolved emotion and memory’s persistence.
“‘Ghost On The Radio’ is about memorializing a past relationship that still haunts you,” elijah shares. “No matter where you go, their voice finds a way to follow, like a song you didn’t ask to hear but can’t turn off.”
GRAMMY® nominated multi-platinum global artist BIA’s winning streak continues just in time for the peak of summer with the release of her new single, “One Thing.” The new, AzizTheShake & Hidde-produced track marks her second single of the year, following the May release of WNBA anthem “We On Go.”
“One Thing,” a tropical jam for the summer where BIA’s dependable pen and euphonic delivery take centerstage, makes for one of the Massachusetts-bred rapper’s most confident performances to date.
When asked about inspiration for the record, BIA mentioned “This song is my ode to Lauryn Hill. Thank you for raising the frequency for all the women & generations to come.”
Ascendant young R&B star UMI – has revealed details of her highly anticipated Epic Records debut, people stories, out August 22nd. Inspired by the stories of fans and loved ones, the project explores the depth of the human experience and the surprising inner connectedness of our life stories. She sings about ego, healing, identity, and connection—all filtered through her signature tranquil songwriting and seamless ability to weave across genres like soul, R&B, folk, and pop.
Grammy ®-winning global multi-platinum singer songwriter TYLA has reemerged with her first new project since her historic debut album. The new bundle of songs, WWP, features the new singles “BLISS” and “IS IT,” and more brand-new music. The four-track project features production from P. Prince and Sammy Soso along with a guest appearance by WizKid on “DYNAMITE.”
WWP has arrived, and you can stream it here.
pop sensation JESSIA returns with her new single, “Therapy & Yoga.” Following the buzz of her first-ever North American headline tour in late 2024, “Therapy & Yoga” showcases a confident new chapter in JESSIA’s evolution as an artist.
Radiating self-love, independence, and unapologetic energy, “Therapy & Yoga” pairs JESSIA’s signature emotional honesty with an undeniably catchy pop sound. It’s an anthem that celebrates choosing yourself and leaving behind what no longer serves you. With this track, JESSIA drives home a clear message: sometimes the best revenge is thriving.
“‘Therapy & Yoga’ is a BOP. It’s for all the glow-up girlies who decided to choose themselves this summer,” JESSIA shares. “It’s about self-love, moving on, and forgetting about that one guy who asked for gas money anytime you went anywhere. This is the song to get you out of bed and strutting down the street.”
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