2022 Highlights

  • Twin Fang (supported company)

Records Released

Tongues, Tanya Tagaq, 21/01

Tongues Dolby Atmos, Tanya Tagaq, 21/01

Easy Listening for Jerks, Pt. 1, The Dead South, 04/03

Easy Listening for Jerks, Pt. 2, The Dead South, 04/03

Tongues North Star Remixes, Tanya Tagaq, 22/07

Terribly Good, Skye Wallace, 28/10

Artists Signed

T. Thomason (label)

Nyssa (label & management)

Violet Archers (label)

The Spiral Eyes (label & publisher)

Blast No. 44 | January 14th, 2022

To Be Honest: Skye Wallace releases "Truth Be Told"

The feeling of shedding an outer layer of emotional armour and being completely honest with ourselves when we finally slow down. The rawness of closely cradling all the pieces of a life and trying to make sense of them all. The incessant reflection when the shield of noise is lowered. A “true self” in a futile battle with many, many former selves for some reason.

In some form or another, I think this is a process that we’ve all touched on in the last two years. I know I have, big time.

At the outset of 2020, I was writing new music. I was fresh off a European tour and a month-long Canadian tour with Matt Mays at the end of 2019. I was playing the rock music I’d always wanted to make on the stages I’d always dreamed of playing it. I was confident. I felt big things ahead. I was writing songs about being unapologetic, about taking up space in a genre in which I hadn’t always felt welcome. I was writing about joy, about rebellion, about self-assuredness, about feeling larger than life on a stage. But then came a stretch of time where stages were no longer available. Suddenly there was quiet.

Throughout 2020 and early 2021, I continued to write. Those songs of joy and confidence were now accompanied by songs of introspection, songs about myself and all my pieces, songs that tore me apart a little bit to write.

"Truth Be Told" is about all the versions of yourself you try on, all the mistakes you make, all the imperfections of finding yourself, and how impatient and downright mean you can be towards yourself along the way. For me, the song has come to represent how I grew into myself after moving around a lot my whole life, not being “from” anywhere, not always feeling a sense of belonging, and the long, long journey it took to love who I am and to be softer with myself. I wrote it with my friend Charlie Kerr of the band Hotel Mira, who is a longtime collaborator and songwriting inspiration to me.

More than anything, "Truth Be Told" is a celebration of all the uncertain, awkward, sometimes ugly parts of growth and being human.

So this is "Truth Be Told," the first song of mine coming out this year and I am beyond excited to share it. I hope you get a moment to rock out and maybe even shed that outer layer of emotional armour.

Thank you,
Skye

Blast No. 45 | January 21st, 2022

Eat Your Morals: Tanya Tagaq releases new album Tongues

Eat your morals
Eat your morals
Eat your morals
Eat your morals
Eat your morals

Eat your thoughts
Eat your thoughts
Eat your thoughts
Eat your thoughts

Your sinew
Your sinew
Your sinew
Your sinew

Your pith
Your pith
Your pith
Your pith

Peel off your skin
Peel it off
Peel it off

Your indignities
Your indignities
Your indignities

Your strengths
Your strengths
Your strengths
Your strengths
Your strengths
Your strengths
Your strengths
Your strengths
Your strengths
Your strengths

Your sheath
Your church
I am in you
Then
You are in me
You are now me

Eat your eyes
Your visions
Your goals
Your hunger
Drink your blood
Your breadth
Your mettle
I am you now
I am you now

My marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow
Marrow

Your heart
My brain
Your thoughts
My brain

Your meat
Your meat
I'm meat
You're meat
I'm meat

Blast No. 46 | March 4th, 2022

Common Ground: The Dead South release new companion EPs Easy Listening for Jerks, Parts 1 & 2

The Dead South have released Easy Listening for Jerks, Parts 1 & 2, two cover EPs that run the gamut between traditional country classics and outsider rocker anthems. Both collections of songs act as intimate roadmaps, revealing the band’s musical influences and pre-show playlists.

“Chop Suey” is a particular favourite of the group: "It's on the pre-show playlist, it's on the green room pre-show playlist. All of System of a Down is on our pre-show playlists. They're a big influence for sure. Especially for me, vocally more than anything. I've learned a lot from analyzing and listening to their vocal harmonies” (Scott Pringle).

Listen to “Chop Suey” in our originals meets covers playlist, which features Mavis Staples, Ween, Johnny Cash, The Doors, and more.

Blast No. 47 | March 11th, 2022

Song Symmetry: William Prince Pairs Up With Serena Ryder for New Single "Sing Me a Song"

Written by William Prince

The essence of "Sing Me a Song" lies in its simplicity and gentleness. Like an old recording from the days of young love’s first encounter. Or the new song of two lovers talking late into the night for the first time, fighting to stay awake for another of love’s encores. Those first revealing words making the connection real. "Sing Me a Song" is about communicating love between two individuals. The cohesiveness comes from one person being the instrument and the other being the voice. Honest and vulnerable, without rehearsal, the two lovers make music together in harmony.

While the world around us becomes faster and more electric, "Sing Me a Song" plays out like a candle on the table. Classic and warm. Luminescent but never intrusive. It invites the quiet that happens in between the words of people truly connecting. The place where intimacy grows its garden. The playfulness in "Sing Me a Song" is reminiscent of good friendship. It captures my friend Serena Ryder and I communicating through our most comfortable language: singing and playing music. Letting admiration, respect and love for another give life to humanity’s oldest story. A love song about friendship and intimacy. Two of the greatest parts of being able to call someone your own.

Listen to “Sing Me a Song” in our soft duets playlist, which features Courtney Barnett, Dolly Parton, Elton John, Sharon Van Etten and more.

Blast No. 48 | March 18th, 2022

Unsung Heroes: The Deep Dark Woods Cover Tucker Zimmerman's "Hangin' Loose"

Written by Ryan Boldt

Tucker Zimmerman, like many songwriters across the years, didn’t receive the credit that he should have. A complete individual that never followed any of the trends or fads of the day. Thankfully because of being included in some compilation records and a reissue of his self-titled album from 1972, he is starting to become appreciated. A beautiful instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Thank you Mr. Zimmerman for all of the songs. I hope you all enjoy our take of “Hangin’ Loose” from his 1977 album “Foot Tap”. It was recorded at my home in Nova Scotia, Geoff’s studio in Banff, and Clayton’s place in Saskatoon.

Listen to The Deep Dark Woods' version of "Hangin' Loose" and become better acquainted with some of the songwriter's originals in our "Introduction to Tucker Zimmerman" playlist.