From the Inbox: All Are Welcome – 13 Tracks for the Long Weekend (08/03/20)
Happy Long Weekend my fellow Canadians!
Fortunately for you I’ve been grinding away to bring you another collection of From the Inbox, showcasing some of my favourite new singles from the week.
This week features a diverse pool of artists, including LGTBQ+ pop icon VINCENT, Afro-electro pair Raz & Alfa, Scottish synth/queer-pop act Walt Disco, and plenty, plenty more.
As always, don’t forget to follow us across social media. You can find Dusty Organ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify to stay up to date on new releases. Also, you can find these tracks and more on From the Inbox Spotify playlist or with our Monthly Spotify playlist.
Let us know your favourite and more importantly, if there’s something you love, remember to share it around!
IAMTHELIVING – Between the Groove
During a pandemic, coming together isn’t quite the same or as easy. Nevertheless, musicians are still pumping out tunes that are meant to help bring people together and dance away the night. UK-based R&B artist IAMTHELIVING has teamed up with Vancouver-based/Botswana-born rapper Teon Gibbs for the unstoppable dance track “Between the Groove”. It’s got Kaytranada, Anderson. Paak, and Chin Injeti written all over it so don’t be afraid to turn this one up.
Raz & Alfa – Secrets & Lies
UK dance-duo Raz & Alfa are a name you’ll want to keep on your radar. On their new single “Secrets & Lies”, the pair have some fun with an irresistible Afro-disco style, doubling as both an absolute dance banger and a political statement about the racial injustice occurring around the world, namely the U.S. and UK. It’s accompanying music video plays with some hypnotic 3D effects and pops of colour to help draw the attention to the message beneath the groove.
Sam Tudor – Everybody’s Keeping Their Word
B.C.-based singer/songwriter Sam Tudor grew up at a research station in Interior B.C. with his brothers, providing a serene and natural sense of wonder as a youth. For his new video for “Everybody’s Keeping Their Word”, Tudor returned to the wilderness just before COVID to shoot, hoping to match the serenity and safe haven of the research station to his melancholic and lush sound. His docile singing style and subtly virtuosic arrangements on “Everybody..” are comparable to Paul Simon and Andy Shauf, leaving hints of jazz, folk, and minimalist electronic as a trail of musical bread crumbs.
Walt Disco – Hey Boy (You’re One of Us)
Goth-synth/art-pop group Walt Disco have a commanding sound. It’s easy to draw out inspiration from the likes of David Bowie, Queen, and New Order, mixing together rock-opera level theatrics with new wave highlights on their new single “Hey Boy”. The Glasgow six-piece wrote the song as a hypothetical conversation about encouraging a young man to be free and open with his feminine side.
Le Ren – The Day I Lose My Mind
Montreal country/folk artist Lauren Spear, also known as Le Ren, released her heartbreaking EP Morning & Melancholia on Friday. Keeping in line with the sadness of classic country and storytelling, the new record was written about losing a loved one and accepting the world anew after Spear lost her ex-boyfriend in a tragic car accident. “The Day I Lose My Mind” is a sorrowful and beautifully human song about keeping memories of a deceased lover close to the heart.
Don’t forget to tell someone you love them today.
Bear Kittay – Summer Babies
World traveller and Cali-based indie rock musician Bear Kittay has officially made his debut with the bubbly mid-summer anthem “Summer Babies”. It’s sugar, sweet, and uplifting, making for a must-have to any sunny summery playlist – plain and simple.
Erez Zobary – Summer
You may recognize her name from one of my previous posts with her single “Blue (For Now)” but Toronto-based R&B/soul singer Erez Zobary has released another beautiful tune, “Summer”. Anthemic and soulful, Zobary’s new single is all about enjoying the warmth and excitement of summer before it’s gone. Zobary once again steals the show with her larger-than-life vocal presence and sultry groove.
Kasbo – Play Pretend
Swedish electronic producer Kasbo recently announced his sophomore album The Making of A Paracosm will be out October 23rd. Helping to build some anticipation, Kasbo has debuted its lead single “Play Pretend” featuring the airy vocals of fellow Swede Ourchives. Inspired by UK underground house, the song’s foundation is captivating and draws you in with its steady pulse before snapping into a bewitching chorus of glitchy beats and textures that reimagines the traditional club sound into something more cinematic.
Dylan Menzie – Lost in Dreams
PEI-based singer/songwriter Dylan Menzie teamed up with the Daydream Orchestra at the Charolettetown Centre of the Arts to produce a stunning rendition of his new single “Lost in Dreams”, the title track off his most recent album back in May. The six and a half minute track is about following your passion, and comes to life in magical ways with a string section, vocal harmonies, and a dramatic piano arrangement.
Cedric Noel – Nighttime (Skin)
Montreal-based indie artist Cedric Noel took some time recently to reflect on his status as a Black member of the indie music scene in Ottawa and Montreal. On his new single “Nighttime”, he lets himself be proud of the skin he’s in: “I feel like I’ve thought a lot about the exterior perception of myself in relation to how I look, but haven’t placed as much value on my internal perception. I wanted the song to be an acknowledgement of my own shortcomings when it came to accepting myself, and a celebration of that acknowledgement, even if it did come from a pretty rough place”.
With the energy and hooks of early-’00s shoegaze and alt-rock, “Nighttime” builds with each verse, unleashing a cathartic, hazy finish to tie it all together.
VINCINT – Hard 2 Forget
Los Angeles pop artist VINCINT has shared one of the catchiest pop choruses of the year. On his new single “Hard 2 Forget”, the LGBTQ+ artist channels his 2000 electro-pop idols for a UK-garage-infused heartbreak anthem that makes the hook so hard to forget (I had to).
Travis Barker x Run the Jewels – Forever
For the second time this year, the great Travis Barker has teamed up with iconic hip-hop duo Run the Jewels for the politically-charged track “Forever”. Barker’s fascination with hip-hop beats trades his quick speed for more punching production – either way, this is one collaboration that can do no wrong.
Juicy J – GAH DAMN HIGH
Sometimes I forge that Juicy J is 45. As one of founding members of Three 6 Mafia, he’s been putting out music for over thirty years. On his new single “GAH DAMN HIGH”, he has some fun during quarantine, leaning more into radio-ready hip-hop as he raps about having nothing better to do than smoke weed. Featuring his buddy Wiz Khalifa, “GAH DAMN HIGH” has Juicy J flexing his comedic muslces in the new music video.
