Winnipeg Synth-Pop Artist Viva Non To Release Debut Album On April 15th

Canadian Tour Dates Starting On April 13th! 
Listen To Viva Non - 'DFA':

(Winnipeg, MB) -  Winnipeg synth-pop artist Viva Non (aka James Hofer) is set to release his debut album Pure on Friday, April 15th through Sundowning Records. Viva Non will celebrate the new release with a hometown Album Release Show on April 13th at The Handsome Daughter. The show marks the start of a string of Canadian tour dates in support of the album, running through to April 26th. See below for full tour listings. 

Pure is the debut record from James Hofer as Viva Non and is filled with romantic, synth-heavy pop music. This is a modern sounding album, but it grabs its influences from 80's new wave/new romantic acts like New Order, Morrisey and OMD. Analogue synthesizers, drum programming and the dynamic voice of producer James Hofer are the simple elements that make up the entirety of the album. Hofer has his musical roots in hardcore punk (playing guitar in Burn Your World, vocals in Extract). In 2013, he started playing with synthesizers and released ethereal post-punk music under the moniker The Will To Power. Through gaining experience in production and changing musical styles, The Will To Power eventually evolved into his current project Viva Non and it's been a rewarding creative process for Hofer. 

"I'm proud of the record in its entirety," said Hofer. "I've been playing music in different bands for a long time and I've always just released demos and shorter EPs. Working on a full length is different. It has to be cohesive, but variant enough to remain interesting throughout. I accomplished my musical/aesthetic vision for this album and it feels great!" 

The lead single from Viva Non's debut album Pure is the edgy track 'DFA'. The idea for the song comes from Hofer's strong love of art that has an edge/attitude to it: "Even if it's a pop song, I very much appreciate an intentionally provocative element. This idea plays out so well in the work of certain fashion designers. A piece of clothing can be simultaneously beautiful and edgy, I love that. 'DFA' stands for 'Dark Fashion/Art'. It is essentially a love song for this concept."  Viva Non is currently finishing up the video for 'DFA' which is expected to have its premiere in early April. 

Viva Non - Pure will be available on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and all other digital retailers/streaming services on Friday, April 15th. Look for Viva Non on the road, touring in support of the album starting with an Album Release Show in Winnipeg at The Handsome Daughter on April 13th. Please visit Facebook.com/vivanonmusic for more information and the most up to date tour listings.

VIVA NON // UPCOMING CANADIAN TOUR DATES
April 13 - Winnipeg, MB - The Handsome Daughter (Album Release Show)
April 14 - Saskatoon, SK - Vangelis Tavern
April 15 - Edmonton, AB - Local Omnivore 
April 16 - Calgary, AB - The Red Room
April 21 - Toronto, ON - Smiling Buddha 
April 22 - Ajax, ON - Rotilicious
April 23 - London, ON - The Foam Doam
April 26 - Peterborough, ON - The Spill

VIVA NON - PURE TRACKLISTING
RELEASE DATE: APRIL 15, 2016 (SUNDOWNING RECORDS)
1.  Nothing
2.  DFA
3.  Youth  
4.  Arbor 
5.  Free
6.  Internally  
7.  Centre  
8.  Static 
9.  Non 

FOR MORE INFO:  Facebook.com/vivanonmusic
Twitter: @vivanonmusic
Instagram: @vivanonmusic

Reboot Lab With Ashwin Sood + Brian Farrell Returns To Calgary On April 2nd

(Calgary, AB) - Back by popular demand and just in time for Juno Awards Weekend, musician/producer Ashwin Sood and vocal coach/music mentor Brian Farrell are pleased to announce the return of Reboot Lab in Calgary on Saturday, April 2nd at The Engineered Art Theatre (205, 8 Ave SE).

Reboot Lab is a workshop designed with the ambitious musician in mind. It's for those looking to brush up on their musical skills while learning how to navigate the tricky business of music in 2016. On April 2nd, Reboot Lab will be offering two separate half day sessions in Calgary, open to all musicians. The workshops will cover topics such as: songwriting, performance, recording, studio process, practicing, PR, listening, and much more. The session is an open forum where participants are encouraged to ask any and all questions relating to the art of making music and performing. Click here for full details on the Reboot Lab sessions. 

This is the 2nd year of sessions for Reboot Lab. The idea for Reboot Lab was born from an interesting beginning - Brian was Ashwin’s junior high school music teacher. He saw qualities in Ashwin that could not be ignored and Brian became an integral mentor and ongoing teacher in Ashwin’s journey to becoming a respected professional and accomplished musician.

As Ashwin’s studio and production career became busy, he invited Brian out to recording sessions and live performances to first observe, and then help nurture the process. Ashwin quickly realized Brian’s approach and background as an educator and vocal coach added huge value to the process resulting in great breakthroughs with singers and performers. Brian and Ashwin made a great collaborative team that worked effectively to make an immediate and substantial difference for artists.

Thus, the idea of Reboot Lab was born.

The combined history and background of Brian and Ashwin provides a unique and big picture approach that makes Reboot Lab stand out from all other industry workshops. Look for Reboot Lab to be launching workshops nationwide in the very near future!

Don't miss out on your chance to be a part of Reboot Lab on Saturday, April 2nd in Calgary. Space is limited and early registration is now available: $125 for half day (after March 27: $150). Register now at BrianFarrell.ca. 

FOR MORE INFO:  BrianFarrell.ca
Twitter: @Reboot_Lab

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MEDIA TOOLS
CLICK HERE for select high-res photos from Reboot Lab 2015
CLICK HERE for Ashwin Sood, Brian Farrell biographies
CLICK HERE for Reboot Lab 2016 poster

ABOUT ASHWIN SOOD:
Ashwin Sood is a Musician, Producer, Songwriter, and Music Executive, who works with some of the finest bands, singers, and musicians worldwide. They include Sarah McLachlan, Stevie Nicks, Rufus Wainwright, Delerium, Sheryl Crow, Jason Mraz, and other significant artists.

ABOUT BRIAN FARRELL: 
Brian Farrell has over 30+ years in the Calgary school system as vocal/choral and musical theater teacher, who subsequently has become a private vocal coach and mentored singers who have achieved international success including Kiesza, Raghav, Paul Brandt, Lindsay Ell, Kirby Sewell and other artists with charted singles.  Brian is also the artistic director for the Calgary based vocal group, Revv52, whose practice is to push the boundaries of artistic performance leading to their Carnegie Hall showcase in March of 2016.

Rococode Premiere 'A Diamond' Ahead Of Album Release This Friday // Tour Dates Starting On April 21st

Listen to Exclusive Premiere of 'A Diamond' on Noisey

(Vancouver, BC) - Vancouver-based indie pop duo Rococode's new full-length album 'Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon' is out this Friday, February 26th, and Noisey has a sneak preview with the Exclusive Premiere of the album track 'A Diamond'. Rococode (Laura Smith and Andrew Braun) will also be hitting the road in support of the new album and are kicking off a North American Tour on April 21st in Edmonton, AB. See below for full tour schedule. More dates to be added soon, visit rococode.com for the most up to date tour schedule.

The release of 'Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon' is hot on the heels of Rococode's critically acclaimed 'Panic Attack' EP which just came out last October. It's been four years since Rococode released their debut album and now they’re making up for quieter times. Their sophomore full length album features more tracks from the band’s work with producers Caleb Shreve and Ted Gowans, recorded in Vancouver, New York and Los Angeles.  'Don’t Worry It Will Be Dark Soon' picks up where the 'Panic Attack' EP left off and delves deeper into recurring themes of growth, fear, escape and acceptance delivered via pure pop hooks in spacious arrangements.“It’s taken us longer than we would have liked to get this album ready,” explains Andrew. “But in all that time we hope to have created something that is both current and will stick around for a while — certainly a tough feat in the current climate of endless musical choices.”

Expect the buzz to just keep building for Rococode, their current single 'Hunter Gather' is at #1 on the CBC Radio 3 Top 30 and they plan to spend 2016 touring non-stop and writing songs for another record. And be sure to catch them on their North American Tour in April and May! Rococode's new album 'Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon' is out this Friday, February 26th (via Marquis Label Services) and is available on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and all other digital retailers/streaming services. For more information, please visit: rococode.com.

ROCOCODE // NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
April 8 - Vancouver, BC - Fox Cabaret
April 21 - Edmonton, AB - Brixx
April 22 - Saskatoon, SK - Amigos
April 23 - Winnipeg, MB - Pyramid Cabaret
April 26 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock
April 27 - Chicago, IL - Schubas
April 28 - Columbus, OH - Spacebar
April 29 - Windsor, ON - Phog Lounge
May 1 - Wakefield, QC - Kaffe 1870
May 4 - Ottawa, ON - House of TARG
May 7 - Toronto, ON - The Drake Hotel (CMW)
May 9 - Philadelphia, PA - Milkboy
May 10 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
May 12 - Cleveland, OH - Red Space
May 14 - Des Moines IA - Vaudeville Mews
May 15 - Kansas City, KC - The Riot Room
May 19 - Englewood, CO - Moe’s Original BBQ
 

ROCOCODE 'DON'T WORRY IT WILL BE DARK SOON' TRACK LISTING
RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 26, 2016 (Marquis Label Services)
1.  A Diamond
2.  Panic Attack
3.  Baddest Sun    
4.  Until You're Mine
5.  Cuttime
6.  Hunter Gather
7.  Dead and Gone
8.  Crystalline
9.  Don't Worry
10. Doom and Bloom

FOR MORE INFO: www.rococode.com
Twitter: @ROCOCODE
Instagram: @ROCOCODE
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Rococode

Ivory Hours Embark on Epic Cross-Canada Tour Starting on March 3rd! // 'Dreamer' at Radio on Feb 29th!

Listen To Ivory Hours - 'Dreamer'

(Toronto, ON) - 2015 was an amazing year for London-based alt-pop trio Ivory Hours! After releasing their debut full-length album 'Morning Light' in June, the band went on to win 102.1 The Edge’s ‘Next Big Thing’ contest and shortly after, they announced their grand prize win of Canada’s Walk of Fame Emerging Artist Mentorship Program. And now, with the release of their latest single 'Dreamer' (at radio on February 29th), Ivory Hours will be embarking on an epic 2 month Cross-Canada Tour starting on March 3rd in Sudbury. See below for full tour schedule. 

Ivory Hours was formed by Luke Roes (Vocals/Guitar) in 2012 and features Chris Levesque (Bass) and Thomas Perquin (Drums). The band released 2 EPs - 'Two Keys' in 2013 and 'Mary' in 2014 - before their first full-length album 'Morning Light' was launched on June 9, 2015. 'Morning Light' is a collection of infectious pop tunes co-produced by Dan Brodbeck (The Cranberries, Dolores O'Riordan) and mastered by Joao Carvalho (Lights, Stars). The first single ‘Warpaint’ created a buzz at Canadian radio and online with the help of a clever stop-motion video that now has over 65,000 views on YouTube. In early December 2015, Ivory Hours premiered the MuchFACT funded video for their second single ‘Dreamer’. 

This upcoming Canadian tour marks the first time that Ivory Hours has toured the country coast to coast, and singer Luke Roes is looking forward to taking the band's catchy, melodic tunes nationwide. This upcoming Canadian tour marks the first time that Ivory Hours has toured the country coast to coast, and singer Luke Roes is looking forward to taking the band's catchy, melodic tunes nationwide. "We've been looking forward to this cross-country run for a long time. We can't wait to hit the road!"

Look for Ivory Hours to continue their upward spiral in 2016! The band already has a new album and acoustic release in the works and have just announced that they will be showcasing at Canadian Music Week in May. Be sure to catch Ivory Hours on their Cross-Canada Tour this spring, starting in Sudbury on March 3rd. Visit ivoryhours.com for the most up-to-date tour listings. 

IVORY HOURS // SPRING 2016 CANADIAN TOUR DATES
MARCH 3 - SUDBURY, ON // THE TOWNEHOUSE
MARCH 4 - SAULT STE MARIE, ON // LOPLOPS
MARCH 5 - THUNDER BAY, ON // THE FOUNDRY
MARCH 6 - KENORA, ON // 901 WESTSIDE
MARCH 11 - CALGARY, AB // THE PALOMINO
MARCH 12 - KELOWNA, BC // FERNANDOS
MARCH 18 - VANCOUVER, BC // THE MEDIA CLUB
MARCH 19 - KAMLOOPS, BC // THE DIRTY JERSEY
MARCH 22 - ROSSLAND, BC // THE FLYING STEAMSHOVEL
MARCH 24 - EDMONTON, AB // MERCURY ROOM
MARCH 25 - SASKATOON, SK // VANGELIS TAVERN
MARCH 26 - WINNIPEG, MB // LE GARAGE
MARCH 31 - KINGSTON, ON // THE BROOKLYN
APRIL 1 - OTTAWA, ON // LIVE ON ELGIN
APRIL 2 - MONTREAL, QC // REGGIE'S BAR
APRIL 5 - CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI // BABA'S
APRIL 6 - MONCTON, NB // PLAN B
APRIL 7 - HALIFAX, NS // THE CARLETON
APRIL 8 - FREDRICTON, NB // THE CAPITAL
APRIL 9 - ST. JOHN, NB // PEPPER'S PUB
APRIL 22 - TORONTO, ON // MOD CLUB
APRIL 28 - GUELPH, ON // EBAR
APRIL 29 - PETERBOROUGH, ON // THE RED DOG
APRIL 30 - HAMILTON, ON // HOMEGROWN
MAY 5 - TORONTO, ON // HORSESHOE TAVERN (CMW)
MAY 14 - SARNIA, ON // PADDY O'FLAHERTY'S
 

FOR MORE INFO: www.ivoryhours.com
Twitter: @IvoryHours
Instagram: @IvoryHours
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IvoryHours

Rococode To Release New Full-Length Album on February 26th // Video Premiere on Exclaim!

WATCH 'PANIC ATTACK' VIDEO PREMIERE ON EXCLAIM!

(Vancouver, BC) - After just releasing their 'Panic Attack' EP in October 2015, Vancouver-based indie pop duo Rococode (Laura Smith and Andrew Braun) are already back with a follow-up and will release their second full-length album 'Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon' on February 26th. 'Panic Attack', the title track from Rococode's previous EP, also makes an appearance on the new full-length album and the uber sexy video for 'Panic Attack' is featured on Exclaim today as an exclusive premiere. Watch the 'Panic Attack' video here. 

The songs for 'Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon' were recorded at the same time as the 'Panic Attack' EP in an fairly unconventional way - in a cabin, off the grid, in the isolated coastal forest of British Columbia. Rococode shared their cabin/studio space with producers Caleb Shreve (Phantogram, Bear Hands) from New York and Ted Gowans (Tegan and Sara, Fences) from Los Angeles and the foursome set to work on music that shared none of the characteristics of their rustic surroundings. Together they arranged an army of synthesizers, guitar pedals and drum machines into tight, crisp Alternative gems that sparkle, shuffle and shake at every turn. The title of the album also sparked inspiration when recording the new songs; the phrase comes from between song banter at a Radiohead show Andrew attended as a teenager.

"The daylight was kind of busting the vibe for most of the show and Thom Yorke kept saying, "Don't worry it will be dark soon. Everything is gonna be fine. It will be dark soon," Andrew explains.  "It kind of rattled around in my brain for 10 years and then we wrote the tracks, thinking about the comfort that the nighttime affords. It feels like a time where there is room to breathe and be ourselves. Throughout the writing of this record we were dealing with some difficult personal battles. The writing and recording was very cathartic and very much helped us grow through some turbulent times to arrive at a more comfortable destination." 

The first single from 'Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon' is the infectious and highly danceable electro track 'Hunter Gather'. The song was serviced to Alternative and College Radio in Canada this week alongside College and Non-Comm/Triple A Radio in the US. Listen to 'Hunter Gather' here.

Rococode will be touring across Canada and the US this spring in support of 'Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon'. Tour dates will be announced soon, please visit rococode.com for the most up-to-date tour listings. Look for 'Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon' on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and all other digital retailers/streaming services on Friday, February 26th. 

ROCOCODE 'DON'T WORRY IT WILL BE DARK SOON' TRACK LISTING
RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 26, 2016 (Marquis Label Services)
1.  Diamond
2.  Panic Attack
3.  Baddest Sun    
4.  Until You're Mine
5.  Cuttime
6.  Hunter Gather
7.  Dead and Gone
8.  Crystalline
9.  Don't Worry
10. Doom and Bloom

FOR MORE INFO: www.rococode.com
Twitter: @ROCOCODE
Instagram: @ROCOCODE
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Rococode