Wildly Euphoric | October 2023
Towanda, Ruins
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On their new album Ruins, Towanda truly come to life. Over the course of eight tracks, they dive into topics such as the patriarchy, betrayal, the looming climate catastrophe, and rebirth with poetic lyrics full of nature imagery and religious allusions. Their sound is best described as controlled chaos with instrumentation that walks the line between heavy and delicate, layered vocals, and a healthy dose of fuzz. Metal-edged DIY punk has never sounded so good or so mystical, especially with the hints of psychedelia on “Fountain of Youth”. If you’re ready to “Embrace the Chaos”, press play on Ruins today. • Em Moore
Math Club, Suddenly
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Suddenly is a tribute to all the teenage angst I’m convinced we are never meant to outgrow. Hamilton artist Wade Morrison of Math Club (and his closest friends) capture the woes of growing up and into a watered down existence, just as traumatic events recount themselves. These songs are the work of taking oneself out of the cycle of hurt people hurting people. The honesty is refreshing. • Tia Julien
Meltt, Eternal Embers
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If you need some feel-good, dreamy guitar and vocals in your life, look no further than Eternal Embers from Vancouver’s Meltt. The punchy bass is right in the pocket with the drums; every song is so easy to bop along to. This album is a good road-trip-through-the-mountains kind of music. • Alyssa Gelata
Julie Arsenault, Nothing Sweeter
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Once again, Julie Arsenault delivers a charming and eloquent sonic representation of humankind’s darkest feelings: “It keeps repeating ‘I don’t want to live anymore’ broken record skipping in my head”. “Start Again” speaks of persevering through the endless cycle of depression, commiting to face each new day despite the “split second” it takes “to break a heart”. “Start Again” is the second single from her upcoming album Nothing Sweeter, set for release November 3rd, just in time for the shorter days of the coldest season. • Tia Julien
Adina V, "Halloween House"
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’Tis the season to walk by a 12 foot tall skeleton on somebody’s front lawn and act like it’s completely normal and not absolutely unhinged. On “Halloween House,” Toronto-based singer-songwriter and poet Adina V conjures up a ghostly, folky track that’s perfect for your next skeleton-filled walk, but it also reminds us of something else that’s scary: navigating a situationship. • Laura Stanley
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Pomegranate Tiger, All Input Is Error
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Crazy riff-focused Pomegranate Tiger has done it once again with their third album. Like a kid raiding a candy store, it feels like there is so much to take in and not enough time, in a good way of course. While maintaining their usual high energy shenanigans, Pomegranate Tiger has managed to make All Input Is Error sound so much more dreamy than their past two albums. • Alyssa Gelata
Oh, Berlin, "Who's Gonna Love You Now?"
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I may be entering my cynical-old-man era, but I still do love a wildly euphoric, four-on-the-floor pop moment. You know what I’m talking about: the kind of song that’s bursting with youthful energy, brimming with passion, and longing with the hunger of young love. I find all that and more on “Who’s Gonna Love You Now?” the first single from London, ON-based OH, BERLIN. The band is essentially the solo project of singer-songwriter Ben Heffernan. “Who’s Gonna Love You Now?” may be his first release, but it already has all the hallmarks of an artist who has figured out what fuels their fire. I keep waking up with the song in my head even when I haven’t been listening to it the day before. It’s the kind of ear worm that burrows deep into your subconscious to take up a permanent home in your psyche. Even the cynical old man me is powerless against OH, BERLIN’s charms. • Jim Di Gioia
Featurette, Bossy
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Featurette, a synth-heavy trio hailing from Toronto, has decided to put out the best type of pump-up song for those in the corporate grind (or just any grind, it’s all draining). If you’re driven and looking for results, don’t worry; you’re not bossy, you’re a boss. • Alyssa Gelata
Kai Samuels, Ruby Lined & Right On Time
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Kai Samuels recorded their debut EP Ruby Lined & Right on Time in one day and the result is a chaotic, energetic, and very fun collection of songs. Slow jams, jazzy piano playing, and funk vibes dance around a nearly breathless Samuels whose cheeky lyrics rapidly pour out of them. As Samuels tells Exclaim!, "If you're not laughing you're listening to it wrong! I'm talking a lot of shit in the lyrics and I hope the implied wink makes its way to the listener.”
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