Melancholic, dreamy, enigmatic and hauntingly beautiful, Montreal’s APACALDA (also known as Cassandra Angheluta) is creating her own immersive world with a refreshed approach to indie, electronic pop which meets dream wave sounds.
Her brand new single, ‘SSR,’ is a nostalgic and acoustic inflected pop song which uses playfulness to communicate a sadness at its core. Cassandra wrote this song due to finding herself in an intimate relationship devoid of any profundity, which she was misled into.
The song’s music video portrays contrasts of emotion through the playfulness of the bright coloured field versus the spiraling darkness of the dungeon-like space. These images serve to depict the back and forth of wanting to believe something is what it is not, choosing to ignore reality to hold on to an idea that is better suited to our desires.
Introducing Toronto-based alternative rap newcomer DICHOTOMI with their brand new single titled ‘STF 17’. The soulful and infectious lo-fi rap track comes just in time to take over our summer playlists, and is the lead single for dichotomi’s upcoming debut EP that is set for release later this year. ‘STF 17’ is the anticipated follow-up to last year’s fan-favourite ‘plush’, which was a massive radio hit with the likes of CBC Music in Toronto, and Wave Of The Bay in Florida, to mention a few.
Produced by fellow Toronto musician Frizzy Astro, ‘STF 17’ is a catchy melodic rap offering, which sees dichotomi – who wrote the song when they were sick during the pandemic and couldn’t be outside – in a very hopeful mood, as they imagine better times and fantasize about being able to enjoy summertime in Toronto once again. Over lush synth keys and sparse lo-fi instrumentation, dichotomi showcases their infectious flow, clever lyricism, and carefree energy, to great effect.
Speaking about the inspiration behind ‘STF 17’, dichotomi says, “It was the first pandemic winter, and I was really sick… I couldn’t go outside because the weather, and I had no energy or motivation to make life inside more enjoyable because of the mental and physical effects of the pandemic. At a real low point, I started fantasizing about summers in Toronto and told myself that ‘everything will be better in the summer’ – as soon as I said it aloud, I felt compelled to write a song on that theme.
The track quickly took a political lean as I began to ruminate on the social, political, and economic forces that forced me into such a fragile position in the first place. ‘STF 17’ is most definitely a critique of our capitalist society, but with the added goal of offering some levity — allowing us to hope for a more equitable future. Be critical, be angry, be sad, but don’t let the state of this world keep you from turning your face to the sun every chance you get, and tirelessly seek the tiniest moments of joy”.
Highly recommended if you like the sounds of Noname, Tierra Whack or Chance The Rapper, dichotomi is for listeners that like to discover new things every time you listen to a track – they are for fans of lyricism, authenticity and exploring new sounds. Born in Florida and now living in Toronto, dichotomi burst onto the scene in 2019 with resounding music, led by good vibes and wholesome themes that are intended to inspire hope and validate their listeners.
‘STF 17’ was released yesterday across various download/streaming sites. Check out their official animated music video below…
Canadian alternative synth-pop artist, songwriter and producer NEAVV‘s debut single, ‘Want You’, is an emotional and honest song based on the end of her relationship with someone who wasn’t being completely honest at the time. ‘Want You’ is a snapshot of what she was feeling at the time and although she knew she deserved better, NEAVV was still struggling with wanting and missing that person.
Speaking on the emotive piece NEAVV says: “Loss can be pretty complex when it comes to the emotions you feel, but at the core of it all for me is sadness. I just hope listeners find a place to sit in whatever emotions come up for them and know that any loss is hard – and it’s ok to not be ok.”
Want You is the first single off NEAVV’s forthcoming album. Have a listen below…
The immediately catchy melodies introduce Alabama rapper CHRISTOPHER THE GREY‘s new single, ‘Oh My Damn!’ which gives a taste of what is to come from his forthcoming album, ‘The Departure.’ Released in May via 3rd Child Records, it features his magnetic self-assurance and swag that’s so evident that you immediately take notice once he scorches the mic.
With the success of his previous release, ‘So Hot,’ featuring Snoop Dogg, Christopher The Grey is hoping to keep the hype going and continues to drop his neo-old school style unique flow in this latest authentic piece.
‘Oh My Damn!’ is Christopher’s most honest work to date. He states,”Look, this is who I really am. Maybe you had things confused but now you know. I want people to feel it’s okay to be who they are and know it’s cool. Most of my music is based on my life and experiences, nothing over the top, just everyday life. I want people to feel that it’s okay to live everyday life, and most of the time, it’s not glamorous and extravagant. The fun is in making the memories and living. So do some things that make you say, Oh My Damn!”
Today, Los Angeles-based vocalist, producer and multi-instrumentalist CASSIE MARIN shares her new single, ‘Floating.’ Pairing sparse, bubbling synth-pop beats with Cassie’s signature saccharine vocals, ‘Floating’ is the ultimate dreamy summer pop tune. With her much-anticipated album on the horizon, this new single continues her impressive streak of irresistible electro-pop anthems.
In a statement about “Floating,” Cassie writes: “‘Floating’ is all about coping with isolation and discovering beauty in the mundane. It embraces us when we find it difficult to relate to others, or when we feel like some alien creature that has fallen from the sky. It packs this celestial sense of liberation that, when I wrote it, got me out of questioning who I was and how I was supposed to feel about it. I was reminded that there is never anything wrong with being different. I hope to take my listeners to this place, into the freedom of the sky, floating, above all doubt and fear, embracing fully the present moment and all that we are.”
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