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Folk Group Sussex Offers Up Gentle, Comforting Jewel With “Shine Down Every Day” From Shine Album

There are tranquil pieces of music that bring back memories of a gentler time with simple, solid musicianship and pristine laid-back vocals. Quebec-based folk duo Sussex have gone to that time-honoured well wonderfully with the precious, peaceful “Shine Down Every Day” from their latest album Shine. It’s a song vocalist and guitarist Rob Lutes says resembles a “modern day Tin Pan Alley song” inspired by a tune dating back to 1908.

Lutes, who gives workshops on American popular music at festivals in addition to groups and students, says the 1908 song “Shine On Harvest Moon” was the catalyst for “Shine Down Every Day.” The vaudeville tandem of Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth, the latter who also penned “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” had their song often covered throughout the decades. Leon Redbone covered “Shine On Harvest Moon” on his 1977 Double Time album. Both Redbone and Lutes (although at different times) learned fingerstyle guitar from Mose Scarlett in Toronto.

While playing the 1908 tune almost obsessively at his home in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Lutes reflected on his younger children “out playing there under the big willow tree when they were small.” That nostalgic feeling of what once was combined with the vaudeville song melded into “this new (but sounding kind of old) melody,” resulting in “Shine Down Every Day” written in roughly 20 minutes. “I love exploring the arc of American (and Canadian) music history, and sometimes it bleeds into my own songs,” Lutes says.

Although structurally and melodically different than the 1908 song, “Shine Down Every Day” contains “the spirit of the tune and a hint of that glorious time in American music, the early 20th century, with some naivete and simple wisdom,” according to Lutes. The single brings to mind Neck and Neck, the charming 1990 album by Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler as well as Knopfler’s short but terribly sweet side project The Notting Hillbillies. Lutes’ words paint a memory of yesteryear as pianist/vibraphonist (and Sussex member) Michael Emenau adds delicious accents. Guests on the single include pedal steel guitarist Joe Grass and upright bass player Morgan Moore, who both give it a serene, cozy, campfire-esque vibe.

I was looking through the window at a bird perched high on a warm summer day
Sitting in the maple by the garden’s edge where the kids used to play
How they used to run around singing songs, how they moved unaware
Those days are gone but that melody still lingers in the air

The single is from Sussex’s latest album Shine, the 10-track record the tandem of Lutes and Emenau (who both grew up in Rothesay, New Brunswick) wrote most of the material for. Shine is the followup to 2019’s The Ocean Wide and 2015’s Parade Day. “Shine Down Every Day” was also the basis of a music video created by videographer Derek Olive. The video features Olive’s two daughters as it looks back at life’s simple pleasures and how quickly those moments elapse, permanently etched on one’s memory.

Now with “Shine Down Every Day,” Sussex should see fans lured by a sound that is new and old at the same time, evoking images Lutes says of “when the great writers were writing with prominent melodies to capture ears….I hope this song does that too.”

Mission accomplished.

On His Stunning Debut, Toronto’s Rising Pop Star Tushar Shroff Teaches Us to “Heal”

Tushar Shroff is a genuine citizen of the world, so it’s no big surprise that he’s always had trouble feeling as if he fully fit in anywhere. It’s to all of our edification that he’s not only learned the lessons of that protracted wrestling match with alienation but captured them perfectly on his debut single, “Heal,” which implores us to take the long view and count on our true destiny to shake itself out in due time.

“‘Heal’ is a gentle reminder that after every winter, spring inevitably arrives,” says the Dubai-born Shroff, who’s now living and plying his trade in Toronto after stints in two other countries entirely. “My journey has taught me that the key is to seek clarity on what you truly want, focus on what you can control, and trust that everything else will fall into place.”

The song makes that case beautifully, setting up a scenario of aimlessness and confusion that rings true no matter how many places you have or haven’t called home:

They say things always happen for a reason
Is that why life is always open season
And things just don’t seem to go the way you’d planned

But rather than wallow in the feeling, Shroff quickly submits his own strategy for staying one step ahead of it.

Every day I find another meaning
Take some time to do internal cleaning
Trying to be ready for whatever comes my way

The coda brings stirring reassurance that while forethought is always admirable, in the end, nothing succeeds like patience:

And when you feel like nothing you’ve ever wanted is coming your way
And it gets hard to tell the difference between night and day
And it’s so hard to break down how you feel
With time it’ll heal
Time will heal

Musically speaking, “Heal” conveys that message with a gentle sophistication that would never out it as a first effort. Shroff’s resonant vocals and layered Fender Stratocasters are so effective that you almost don’t notice as the track blossoms into a more fully orchestrated balladic tour de force. The single portends good things indeed for his forthcoming EP, Gold, which will be the culmination of a years-long struggle to cement his true identity amidst numerous changes of environment—and an ongoing attempt to balance expectations both societal and personal with the yearnings of his artistic soul.

Nineteen years ago in Dubai, he discovered a neglected family guitar and quickly realized he had both a talent and a passion for music. That wasn’t entirely cause for celebration among his family, who were hoping he would devote his life to something a little more practical. So when the time came to get serious about his future, he found himself halfway across the world at Mississippi State University, studying economics. And, not surprisingly, feeling almost totally adrift—a sensation that would dog him for years thereafter.

“At every stage, I‘ve felt pressured to mold myself into something I wasn’t, just to fit in, while social media only amplified that internal battle,” he reveals.

He wrote “Heal” during his time at Mississippi State, not fully knowing he was sending himself a musical message in a bottle that would one day amount to sweet vindication. In the meantime, he relocated to Mumbai to pursue a career in investment banking, which seemed to offer a more stable and remunerative life path than hashing out his innermost thoughts on a six-string. Yet the gnawing feeling that he wasn’t taking advantage of his true gifts persisted.

“Over time, I’ve realized that I’m not alone in these struggles,” he says. “We all face this tug-of-war between our deepest desires and the limits of what seems attainable. It doesn’t mean life is falling apart or that we’re failing—it’s simply a part of the human experience.”

Now making his home in Toronto, Shroff is sharing that wisdom with us by finally releasing “Heal” to the public, sharing the prescient worldview of his undergrad days while making a more personal statement that yes, a musician is what he really is and was always meant to be. As he sees it, those twin missions—to contribute to listeners’ well-being and to pursue personal fulfillment—run in tight parallel. His stated goal going forward is to create “work that reflects my true self and resonates deeply with as many people as possible.”

Not that he’s thrown all caution to the wind, mind you: While he’s in Toronto, he completed his MBA and now is working in finance, to maximize his chances of making a legitimate living from what he really loves to do. Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? All you have to do is have faith and be willing to put in the hours.

“No matter who you are or where you find yourself, remember that tomorrow brings a fresh start, a chance to heal, and the promise of brighter days ahead,” he advises. “You’re never as lost as you feel—there’s always hope on the horizon. With time, it’ll Heal.”

How do you take care of your Cosmoshandpan?

By Mitch Rice

Caring For Your Handpan To Ensure Its Sound Quality And Appearance Stands The Test Of Time The truth is that every handpan instrument has its own personality, check with your maker for their specific instructions. But, we will provide a basic walk-through on what you can do to take care of your HandPan drum so that it lives long and does not rust.

1. Cleaning Your Handpan

In basic terms, cleaning is the essential process to take care of your handpan pan drum. This will help to prevent dirt, oil and moisture from building up over time, which are a common cause of rust.

Wipe it down

You need to clean your handpan with the help of a microfiber, soft cloth after every time you play. Our hands produce sweat and oils, which can speed up the process of rust forming. Wash your hands before playing every time, and rub – down the surface of your handpan drum with a cloth soaked in alcohol afterwards to get rid off any traces of sweat that may be present.

Using alcohol

If you want to clean it even more deeply, run some isopropyl alcohol (or rubbing alcohol) over it. Once the cloth is saturated you can go ahead and wipe down the whole surface of your handpan. Be sure to clean the rim and inside of the instrument. This will clean out all the oils and most hard to remove stains, remember if your handpan is oiled after this step re-oil it.

2. Are you looking for a Handpan that doesnt rust

Cosmos Handpan uses high-quality stainless steel in the manufacturing of its handpans, which makes them highly resistant to rust. Unlike traditional steel, stainless steel contains chromium, which forms a protective layer on the surface, preventing corrosion even in humid or coastal environments. This ensures that Cosmoshandpan instruments maintain their pristine appearance and sound quality with minimal maintenance, offering long-lasting durability for players. While no metal is completely immune to rust, stainless steel handpans are much less likely to develop rust, providing peace of mind for musicians.Visit: https://www.cosmoshandpan.com/

Keep it dry and clean

To avoid rust the best thing you can do is always keep your handpan dry and in a cool place. It is best rinsed and air-dried especially when you are storing it away from its case for long durations where moisture might be trapped inside. When you live in a humid climate or near the ocean, then take extra care because these situations speed up rust.

Oiling your handpan

Many of the handpan instruments require your regular oiling. Be sure to get permission from your maker before oiling a handpan at this point. Humid Climates: If you are a happy owner of the handpan, it is recommended to oil the tire once a month as a preventative. Find rust spots and reapply oil as needed.

Great light organic oils are grapeseed and coconut oil. They are safe to use with your hands and they do not haunt the sound, of themimprisonment for sale. Another handpan oil, such as Phoenix Oil or Isthmus Oil are specialized for the needs of the player.

3. How to remove rust from your handpan

When the handpan is already starting to rust, it should be taken care immediately, even if the tiny bit of rust usually will not affect playing and tuning.

Clean it first

Always, clean your handpan from time to time with a soft cloth and optional alcohol when before tackling the rust.

Scour lightly

If it is a small spot of rust you can scour it with a green scouring pad, dampen slightly first Be sure to scrub lightly as rubbing hard could unintentionally remove the finish of the handpan Before attempting this way, it is always advisable to refer this technique from your handpan drum maker.

Rust removal cloth

For more stubborn rust, you can try a specially design rust-removal cloth, such as the Miracle Cloth. Use the cloth to rub in a gentle circular motion over the rust spot. Note that this approach might also remove some of the oxidation layer causing the color on your handpan instrument but it will be better to get rid of the rust early, before it spreads.

Final cleaning and protection

After the rust is taken off, clean it once more and then finally put a protective layer of organic or handpan-specific oil.

Conclusion

If you follow the above steps, it will be a long time before your handpan approach to deterioration. Cleaning it at regular intervals, oiling as required and preventive measures are some of the most common general practices. No matter if you want to buy a handpan or just how to maintain the best handpan drum, take care of it so well that always there is an excellent soundiscing. Perfection in playing the handpan drum can be attained if the drum is rust-free, so never allow it to rust and play with full enjoyment.

Jazz/Blues Singer Tanya Wills Hopeful With “Someone To Love” From Forthcoming Album She

The global pandemic was costly in terms of lives, misery and missed opportunities for all ages. For some in the early chapters of their lives, it was a lost attempt at having a crush during junior high, the excitement emanating from high school dances and proms or finding romance in university. But Toronto-based blues/jazz chanteuse Tanya Wills has encapsulated that feeling of youthful optimism for finding love in such hard, challenging times with her latest single, the serene and stylish “Someone To Love” from her forthcoming solo album She.

Wills says “Someone To Love” originated while, like most of the world, she was isolated and went for a run near her home of Brighton, Ontario in the midst of the angst, turmoil and continual public restrictions. “‘Someone To Love’ is a song that began its life during the pandemic,” she says. “I thought about the impact this would have on the young people, missing out on the important social moments. We all experienced the loneliness of that time, not knowing how it would end, but for the young lovers – or those wanting to fall in love – it might have seemed particularly bleak. And so, this song is about holding on to the hope and a dream…of love.”

Like most strong jazz ballads, Wills’ light and delicate delivery works tremendously well with guitarist Bill Bridges’ sparse but inviting accompaniment. Bridges, who Wills describes as her “constant touchstone and mentor,” helps fuel the mood and atmosphere instantly. It’s a lovely, hushed and heartwarming blueprint for an enjoyable listen. Meanwhile, drummer/percussionist Kevin Coady and bassist Ron Johnston keep things gliding alongside Wills’ earnest approach. “Someone To Love” would fall in line with material by the likes of Diana Krall, Cassandra Wilson and Joni Mitchell.

The song epitomizes the dreams of a woman finding her perfect partner who offers her a night on the town and figuratively sweeps her off her feet. She isn’t sure who that man is, or when she will meet that man of her dreams. But she’s steadfast in believing he’s out there somewhere.

Somehow her heart knows the answer — when destiny and chance meet one moonlight night
Before her a wondrous sight — her someone to love.
‘Til then her dreams are her own, but she’s not alone —
She hopes he’s watching the stars above…
Her someone to love.

Wills, who is extremely busy fronting the Tanya Wills Quartet featuring Bridges, Coady and Johnston, also performs as part of the Wintergarten Orchestra who regularly play in and around the Greater Toronto Area, a Cabaret-ish show featuring material from the 1920’s and 1930’s. It’s a far cry from one of her previous occupations as an Ontario Provincial Police officer for a decade. But judging by “Someone To Love” musical creations and not police investigations seemed more in line with her destiny.

The performer, who released the singles “Rewind” in 2023 and “Ça s’est arrangé” in April, 2024, now looks to grow her blossoming fan base even more with her new single “Someone To Love.” The performer’s music, to steal a word from the latest single, is simply wondrous.

New Revelatory Documentary ‘Atomic Reaction’ Affirms Canada’s Place in Nuclear History

The record-breaking success of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer shined a fresh light on the changes the development of the A-bomb wrought on America and Japan. But there was another country that was left out of that portrayal. The eye-opening feature-length documentary Atomic Reaction, which is about to receive a new series of high-profile showings, reveals the pivotal role Canada played in making nuclear warfare a reality—and the consequences of that involvement that persist to this day.

With gripping detail and accuracy, the film explains that two essential components of the atomic bomb—a reliable source of high-grade uranium pitchblende ore and a refinery to process the highly radioactive material—were obtainable only in Canada. That was thanks to one Gilbert LaBine, who in 1930 had discovered a rare radium deposit on the shore of Great Bear Lake, near the Arctic Circle in the Northwest Territories, and had then gone on to build his own state-of-the-art radium refinery in Port Hope, Ontario.

The documentary follows the centrality of these developments to the now-famous Manhattan Project, with workers at the refinery toiling away while an international team of scientists and physicists conducted its clandestine experiments with nuclear fission in Los Alamos, New Mexico. We also learn about the tragic effect the Canadian portion of the initiative had on the indigenous men who worked to support LaBine’s uranium mine, many of whom ended up dying of cancer-related diseases in the 1960s. The sobering coda? Today, Port Hope is the site of the largest soil-remediation cleanup in Canadian history, with a budget currently pegged at 2.6 billion dollars.

The movie lays out these momentous and sometimes horrific events with a full flair for drama and a journalistic commitment to the truth. Audiences will have a chance to see for themselves when Atomic Reaction plays the Durham Region International Film Festival (DRIFF) October 24-26, followed one day later by an airing on the CBC Documentary Channel and on CBC GEM starting January 10, 2025. A bit farther down the line, the film will be screened Sunday, November 24, at the Regent Theatre in Picton, Ontario. That showing will be presented by RBC Wealth Management, with all proceeds going to the PECM Hospital Foundation. Executive producers Bernie Finkelstein and David Hatch and director Michèle Hozer will all be on hand for a Q&A following the viewing of their film.

Those three creative principals come to Atomic Reaction bearing a wealth of entertainment-media credentials. Finkelstein is a music-industry legend whose self-founded indie label True North Records has logged 500 releases (40 of them gold and platinum) and netted 40 JUNO Awards, its roster boasting A-list names like Bruce Cockburn, Randy Bachman, Rough Trade, Murray McLauchlan, Lenny Breau and Lighthouse. As an artist manager, he’s handled the likes of Cockburn, Dan Hill, The Paupers, Barney Bentall, and Blackie & The Rodeo Kings. Related ventures have included The True North Publishing Group, which guarded the rights to a library of works by pop songwriters and composers for films and TV. Finkelstein has served as chairman of the Ontario Film Development Corporation and sat on the board of that organization and numerous others, including the Canadian Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA, which he co-founded and is now known as CIMA), the Canadian Association Of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and the Toronto Arts Awards. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame and the Order of Canada, and has received both the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal and the JUNOs’ Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award, the highest honour given to a non-musician by the Canadian music industry. His work on Atomic Reaction adds to a film résumé that includes the 2012 Cockburn documentary Pacing The Cage, which debuted on Vision TV.

Hatch is the founder of WhistleStop Productions Inc., which since its founding in 1989 has produced 60 original network television series and numerous one-off, multicamera, live event productions for broadcast. With a focus on cutting-edge sports, magazine and documentary programming, the company has generated 23 original series for Netflix, Discovery Velocity, the Smithsonian Channel and others. Its documentary arm has dug deep into subjects ranging from professional auto racing to Canadian warships’ hunt for terrorists in the Persian Gulf to a 70-year-old man’s dream to set the world land-speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats. In addition to his work with WhistleStop Productions, Hatch’s extensive programming résumé has included over 500 hours of original, broadcast network programming for Bell Media and ESPN Inc. and 180 hours of television for Blue Ant Media. A lifelong music devotee (and a guitarist in his own right), he’s shepherded documentaries on superstars like Rush and Lyle Lovett, and his six-hour blues docuseries, Cities in Blue (created for HIFI HD and Smithsonian), was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award.

As a filmmaker and editor, Hozer has been making a significant contribution to the Canadian cultural landscape since 1987. Her documentary Shake Hands with The Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire won the 2007 Emmy for Best Documentary and the Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Her co-directorial debut with Peter Raymont, Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould, earned a coveted spot on the Academy Award shortlist and a Gemini Award for Best Biography. In 2012, Hozer and her team received the Allan King Award for Excellence in Documentary by The Director’s Guild of Canada (DGC) for their work on West Wind: The Vision of Tom Thomson. Other awards on her mantel include the Canadian Screen Awards’ Donald Brittain Award for her self-directed, -edited and -produced documentary Sugar Coated, and the Picture This Film Festival’s Dodie Spittal Award for her short The Barber of Augusta. More recently, she’s acted as both writer and editor on The Reckoning: Hollywood’s Worst Kept Secret and as an editor on the Frontline special In the Age of AI.

Atomic Reaction is already proving a more-than-worthy addition to this highly accomplished trio’s collective pedigree: The doc received an Honorable Mention at the 2024 International Uranium Film Festival, an event dedicated to nuclear issues that’s been presented since 2011 in Rio de Janeiro. With the film about to go before several entirely new sets of eyes, its own half-life seems to be nowhere near the horizon.

Pop Singer/Songwriter Peter Foldy Has a Remedy for the Alienation Blues in “Toxic World (Remastered)”

Has it ever struck you that this planet we all share might be getting … well, meaner? Colder? Less conducive to a rewarding, peaceful time for everybody who has to live here? Peter Foldy has certainly noticed. And on the lead track from his new EP entitled “Toxic World (Remastered),” the iconic Canadian singer-songwriter declares his dismay over the situation in no uncertain terms.

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” he sings, over a deceptively skipping rhythm and a rolling acoustic-guitar figure that make for a perfectly ironic counterpoint to the grave subject matter. “People talking hate, they don’t know right from wrong.”

When he reaches the song’s totally cathartic chorus, his observations have attained the level of a full-on lament:

Baby can’t you see, we’re living in a toxic world?
People running scared, forgetting that love is the word

Yet just as you’re starting to worry we might be verging on terrain here that’s simplistic or naïve, the next verse shrinks and personalizes Foldy’s weltschmerz into a plea to his significant other that they need to draw closer to each other, because a toxic world is nothing to face alone.

Do you remember back when we were young?
I was the shoulder you were leaning on
We made some love, we shed some tears
And now I seem to need you more than ever
If we stay united, we’ll help each other carry on

Now that’s a great protest song: the kind that understands the only real defense against a rapidly fracturing society is the eternal power of two.

A previous version of “Toxic World” was first released in 2019, but Foldy admits that it kind of “fell through the cracks once Covid hit in 2020. I wanted to give the song another chance.” Hence its re-emergence as one of the standout numbers on his new EP, Peter Foldy – Collection, a six-song compilation of some of his personal favorite recordings of the last few years plus two brand-new tracks. To hear him tell it, the need for such a remedial lesson in his recent history was abundantly clear: “In the last five years, I’ve refined my musical style to encompass a more contemporary sound.”

To that end, “Toxic World (Remastered)” and “Friend-Zone” bask in the co-production skills of thoroughly modern hitmaker Miklos Malek, who has in the past made magic with the likes of Ariana Grande and Jennifer Lopez. Other stellar entries like “Jump Like This” and “The Only Thing That Matters” (Foldy’s most recent single release) help flesh out a program of catchy pop that has immediate and obvious appeal across the formats of Hot AC, CHR and AC.

The EP is merely the latest triumph for the Budapest-born, Syndey-raised Foldy, who became a chart sensation shortly after immigrating to Toronto in the early ’70s. His debut single, “Bondi Junction,” climbed all the way to #1 in Canada, and it netted him not one but two JUNO Award nominations. Subsequent hits like “Roxanne” and “Julie-Ann” solidified his place in the music world, leading to signings with major labels in Canada and the U.S.

A relocation to Los Angeles to capitalize on that momentum instead ended up taking Foldy down a wholly unexpected parallel career path: As a screenwriter and ultimately a film director, he got to work with some of the top names in Hollywood, including Paul Rudd, Beverly D’Angelo and Eugene Levy. He also gained recognition for his work as an accomplished photographer, with a series of well-received exhibits of his visually arresting images.

Through it all, though, Foldy’s passion for music remained steadfast, and he’s recently been enjoying a recording Renaissance that’s been bolstered by the support of his legion of fans on social media. His updated style has been a big hit with today’s audiences, making him a favorite across streaming platforms worldwide. Peter Foldy – Collection both celebrates that evolution and offers an enticing hint of what might be yet to come.

So maybe that’s the real key to surviving a “toxic world”: perpetual adaptability and a refusal to put all one’s eggs in one basket. Throw in the love and support of a cherished partner like the one Foldy is singing to, and life in the 21st century doesn’t seem so daunting after all. In fact, when it’s coming out of your favorite set of speakers, it sounds positively great.

Trip-Hop + Electro Artist Nathalie King Branches Out by Looking Inward in New Single “You”

It’s an age-old story: Your parents mess you up, only for you to mess yourself up further by carrying the negative lessons they taught you into your adult relationships. And then you write a bunch of songs about it all.

Well, you do if you’re Nathalie King, the Toronto-based songstress who’s entered the homestretch of her own healing process on her liberating new single, “You.” With a stark, unvarnished beauty, the song captures perfectly the cascade of sometimes conflicting emotions that accompanies childhood trauma and its ensuing adult self-sabotage. Yet the recorded result isn’t cathartic just for King herself, but also for anyone who’s in need of a little auditory TLC.

Take this heart
Don’t wanna have it anymore
You taught me
How to build a wall
Can’t hurt no more
And I’m losing, losing myself
And I’m missing, missing ourselves
There’s a beast
under my skin
It’s raging, raging
If you look close
You’ll see it’s only hurting, only hurting
Hold me close

“You’ is about the innermost, softest and most vulnerable part of you, lying underneath the many thick layers we put on to protect ourselves in this world,” King explains. “It shows a deeper understanding of why people wear masks: Because they have been hurt by someone—maybe society itself—and so they shut away the gentle, beautiful, compassionate, soft part of them to protect themselves.”

And yes, she’s speaking of herself first and foremost. Just not exclusively.

“We all have done that in some capacity. The lyrics talk about closing my heart off because it has been hurt by someone in a relationship, the same way I was hurt by my parents as a child. But deep down, there is a wish to be loved underneath ‘the beast,’ which is a symbol of angry emotions coming out sometimes.”
The final piece in the puzzle, she says, is realizing that we’re in control of our own destiny: that we ourselves are “the programmer that can rewire our bad habits and trauma and create a better life for ourselves.

It’s hard to deny that message when its vessel is as compelling as “You,” a stately ballad with a piano part that drops like gently falling rain and an almost subliminal drum track (which is really the pedal of the piano) that gives plenty of breathing room to King’s nuanced and delicate vocal. The composition and arrangement coalesce to fully exploit the French Vietnamese/German-born King’s talents as a sultry, jazzy singer while nodding toward her fascination with electropop and trip-hop.

That fascination comes into full flower on her new EP, PTSD, a six-song statement of intent that, although recorded in Toronto, has a distinct UK-electronica flavor thanks to the influence of Bristol-born producer Joseph Snook. He’s proven an ideal companion on King’s musical/emotional journey, providing a smoothly flowing undercurrent to songs like “More” and Astra” that’s by turns soothing and unsettling as the subject matter requires.

“I decided it was time to write about my childhood trauma, as its struggles have accompanied me my whole life,” King says. “I felt ashamed to talk about it in public, or even to write songs about it. But as I have been healing in therapy and making steps toward a more healthy, mindful lifestyle, I felt it was time to make an entire EP about the past events, the past and present struggles and the light at the end of the tunnel. I am in a better place now, but the learning path is long and ongoing.”

Her professional path has certainly had more than its share of successes so far. With one full-length album, 2013’s Odyssey, and a bunch of follow-up singles like “Break Away” and “Ghost Rider” to her credit, she’s swiftly become both a fan favorite and a trusted resource for professional music supervisors, who have placed her songs in commercials and TV programs like ABC’s The Fosters, the European documentary Soul of the Ocean, Love Island Germany and Law & Order Toronto.

She’s on top of her visual presentation as well, having applied her honors B.A. in film and animation to producing and hand-animating her own music video for “Suckr for Love” in 2019. The video was screened at film festivals across the world, including the Berlin Music Video Awards and the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival. The clip won Best Music Video at the Experimental, Dance & Music Film contest in Toronto, and was named a finalist in several other festivals.

As a live act, she’s become a reliable and cherished presence on the Toronto jazz and original-music scenes, all while maintaining a high profile in her native Germany with appearances at CMW, Indieweek and the Berlin Music Video Awards. In 2016, she placed as a semi-finalist at both Indieweek and the International Songwriting Competition.

She’s also plenty active outside the musical sphere, doing voice work for Canadian commercials and NBC TV, as well as a trailer writer/singer for 2 sync libraries – Universal Production mMusic UK and Molecular Sound in the UK.

For the immediate future, though, her main focus is on PTSD—both the condition and the record that now bears its name.

“I’d like to encourage the listener to experience the entire EP PTSD,” she says, “to fully understand the healing journey and to take an important message from it: That you are enough, and that every one of you brings something to the world that is unique.”

In other words, the phase she’s entering may be a milestone for her, but it’s really all about “You.”

Photo Gallery: Idles with English Teacher at Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum

Idles

All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.

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Americana Roots Artist Sarah Burton Bares Her Soul With “Worth Sticking Around For”

Ottawa-born, Austin-based roots singer-songwriter Sarah Burton addresses the often-awkward question some women who have yet to tie the knot are often asked with the earnest, mesmerizing single “Worth Sticking Around For” off her forthcoming album Swoonville USA. It’s a track whose first half is great thanks to Burton’s lyrics describing the conundrum of not settling for second best but hoping her other half realizes just what they have in her. Meanwhile, the song’s second half is a delectable swampy roots-based instrumental romp that could go on and on.

“There comes a point in a woman’s life when family and strangers alike keep asking, ‘How come you’ve never been married?'” Burton says of the song’s inspiration, adding the inquiry about marital status “generally starts after 30” and may never stop. “There are a lot of reasons why a woman might not be married. Maybe she’s just independent and wants to keep her autonomy, maybe she doesn’t want to — or maybe nobody’s asked.”

Burton says dating after 30 often means “a lot of people are already on the second round,” namely having freshly signed divorce papers and are wary or hesitant “to sign another contract” and dive headlong into another marriage. “If you find yourself in this position, and you still want the ring and the white dress, you may have to ask yourself ‘is this worth sticking around for?'”

“Worth Sticking Around For,” written by Burton and produced and mixed by Jane Aurora, has all the trademarks of Americana greatness with a style that brings to mind Sheryl Crow, Margo Price and even Kathleen Edwards circa her Failer debut masterpiece. Not mincing words and accompanied by some exquisite work from Matt Kelly on guitar, keys and pedal steel, the song soars along effortlessly as Burton plainly states what she needs.

I’m getting tired
And I’m growing old
And my body’s got a mind of her own or so I’m told
Tired of being tough
When is enough enough
Well I’m just waiting on you to get your shit together my love
Oh baby just get it together

When the song comes to a close, the band jumps into a raucous jam that hints at a fadeout that never arrives – the faux ending results in a brilliant second half featuring Kelly, Burton, bassist Erik Nielsen and drummer/percussionist Leon Power finding one of the better grooves you’ll hear and riding it for all it’s worth. In short, it’s enough to make you swoon and, well, it’s worth sticking around for.

Burton, who was based in Toronto for roughly a decade, moved to Terlingua, Texas in 2016, and Austin, Texas in 2019. She has been a road warrior throughout her critically acclaimed career, performing around North America and averaging between 150 and 200 shows a year. She’s shared the stage with everyone from Jim Lauderdale and Susan Gibson to Big Sugar’s Gordie Johnson and roots legend Mary Gauthier. Burton has also played numerous festivals including Canadian Music Week, North By Northeast, MerleFest and Montana’s Red Ants Pants festival. Burton has five albums to her credit, including 2019’s Give Me What I Want and 2023’s 64 Magic Queens.

Now with the new single, Sarah Burton will have fans and newcomers flocking to her music. It’s worth sticking around for.

Vitalia Continues Her Disco Era With “Maybe”

As an artist who thrives under stage lights and in front of a microphone, Ukrainian-born, Montreal-based singer-songwriter Vitalia pursues music as something that is equal parts artistic expression and therapeutic healing. Beginning her musical journey at just 6 years old, Vitalia has since experimented with a variety of genres including disco, pop and alt rock. To define is to limit, and Vitalia has proven her artistry is just that – limitless.

Now, the singer is adamant in moving towards a grungier route with her musicality. Along with the release of her newest disco-infused single “Maybe,” Vitalia admits she is yearning for something grittier.

“Though I’ve released a few singles already, the sound I’m going for with my upcoming singles in comparison to ‘Maybe’, is going to be more vulnerable and rawer,” Vitalia says. “I wanted to change into a rock era because any grungy song has been the perfect thing for me to listen to when I wanted to release some anger or sadness of my own. Doesn’t it help you knowing you’re not the only one going through a hard time?”

After traveling to Los Angeles at 16, Vitalia was inspired to pursue music after she saw her friends pursuing their own artistic ambitions and turning them into careers. Once she returned home, Vitalia knew she wanted to stay connected to her friends – and songwriting. The “My Way” singer began to hone in on her craft until she released her debut songs towards the end of 2022.

“Writing is such a vulnerable process in itself that I think that’s why I had put off showing my art to the world for so long,” she says. “I needed to build up the courage and the confidence to believe that the music I write will reach the right people who will need to hear it. I find that listening to music that speaks to you becomes a safe space for you to be vulnerable and subconsciously lift some weight off your shoulders.”

Her latest single “Maybe” tells a flirtatious story of two individuals dancing with one another. During the dance, one of them realizes that the time and energy they’ve invested in the relationship hasn’t been worth it – especially since the other person is still not over their ex.

“I’ve always loved disco and my song ‘Maybe’is a modern disco dance song which I wanted to make people dance their worries away to…The song is a reflection of the ‘what ifs’ and of what could have happened differently.”

Although heavily inspired by artists like ABBA and Dua Lipa, Vitalia is now moving toward more alternative influences with her new artistic era – think groups like Paramore, The Neighborhood and Måneskin.

Her upcoming single “what a shame,” slated for an August 16 release, digs into the rougher, grittier side of Vitalia. An indie pop rock anthem, “what a shame” is about reconnecting with an old flame and realizing the fire might no longer burn the same as it once did.

Regarding the upcoming single, Vitalia says, “Overall, these lyrics tell a story of revisiting a past relationship, recognizing the unchanged flaws, and ultimately choosing self-respect and distance over repeating old mistakes. It’s a poignant reflection on the pain of seeing someone stuck in their ways and the strength it takes to move on.”

“I knew I wanted ‘Maybe’ to be a more “Dua Lipa synthy disco pop” vibe and what a shame to be a classic alt pop tune with guitars taking a bit more space in it, transforming into the next genre I’ll be focusing more on in my upcoming releases,” Vitalia says.

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That Eric Alper
6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week, a 16-time JUNO Award winner overseeing PR campaigns, and have also been truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

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