Rococode's YOUNG ONES EP Out Today Via Marquis

"Vancouver’s Rococode genuinely captivate with their singular musical aesthetic, an infectious marriage of classical synth-pop, quasi-hip-hop beats, layered
with male-female ideological dichotomy.”
- BlackBook

Vancouver, BC – Vancouver’s Rococode inject hook-laden songs with lush synth textures and duet vocals, resulting in an infectious sound. Today, the duo of Andrew Braun and Laura Smith releases the Young OnesEP, which debuted earlier this week at Blackbook. 

Co-produced by Caleb Shreve (Phantogram, Bear Hands, Tegan and Sara) and Jon Siebels (Eve 6, Switchfoot, Dreamers), the six song set highlights a musical chemistry by fusing Braun’s exploratory tendencies with Smith’s razor-sharp pop sensibilities.

Stream / Download Young Ones EP:
Spotify | iTunes | Apple Music | Amazon

The fuzzy low end of “A Love That You Will Never Know” is dark and menacing, yet the cloudburst chorus is pure sunshine, while the swaggering title cut centers on an unforgettable wordless chorus. 

But it's standout single “Is It Real”, set with acoustic strums against euphoric, pitch-bent synths, that ties it all together with Earmilk saying, "Filled with the duo's signature lush beats, layers of ethereal synths, and detached boy/girl vocals, 'Is It Real' is the perfect example of Laura Smith and Andrew Braun's knack for stripped down electronic pop."

Enjoy / Share “Is It Real” Video:
https://youtu.be/6srTkdaM5rs

http://rococode.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Rococode
https://twitter.com/rococode
https://www.instagram.com/rococode/

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MEDIA TOOLS:
Download Rococode high-res photo HERE (Photo Credit: Lynol Lui)
Download Rococode high-res album/single art HERE

Declan O'Donovan Announces Release of New Album on June 2nd + Premieres New Video

Watch Premiere of 'Down To The Bottom' on LiveInLimbo.com

Vancouver, BC - Yukon-based singer/songwriter Declan O'Donovan is excited to announce the June 2nd release of his new album Broken Sky with the video premiere for the first single 'Down To The Bottom', exclusively at LiveInLimbo.com. O'Donovan is touring in support of the album, starting with a string of dates dates overseas that kicked off with a show in Berlin last night, and has Western Canadian dates coming up in June. See below for full tour details

Broken Sky is the follow-up to Declan O’Donovan’s self-titled debut album, released in 2012. The sophomore release was recorded with Juno Award-winning producer Jean Massicotte (Patrick Watson, Adam Cohen, Lhasa) at Studio Masterkut in Montreal and features members of Patrick Watson including: Robbie Kuster, Mishka Stein, and Joe Grass; and Brad Barr from The Barr Brothers. All music was written while Declan was living between Whitehorse, Toronto, and Montreal from 2014 to 2016.

 “Jean gave my songs a landscape to live in and explore," says O'Donovan. "He brought with him a sound and an approach that gave every note warmth and direction, and he gracefully coaxed out incredible performances from everyone involved, making the songs simultaneously grounded and unrestrained."

With a European and UK tour dates underway and Canadian dates coming up right after, it's safe to say that O'Donovan will be spending much of 2017 on the road. Following the dates in Western Canada, the next stop will be Japan in late July which will include a performance at the Fuji Rock Festival with more Canadian dates coming up in the fall. It's a busy year of touring and that suits O'Donovan just fine: "I don't really have a home, and with the exception of a piano, most of my belongings fit into a suitcase. I'm quite happy to just live on the road for a while." 

Declan O'Donovan's Broken Sky will be available on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services on Friday, June 2nd. For more information and the most up to date tour schedule, please visit: www.declanodonovan.com


DECLAN O'DONOVAN UPCOMING TOUR DATES
May 11 - Berlin, DE -  Madame Claude
May 12 - Offenbach, DE -  Hafen 2
May 13 - Cologne, DE - Lichtung
May 14 - Essen, DE - GoldBar
May 16 - Dresden, DE - Blue Note
May 17 - Hamburg, DE - Spielbudenplatz
May 18 - London, UK - Green Note
June 22 - Whitehorse, YK  - Yukon Arts Centre (Album Release Show)
June 23 - Vancouver, BC - Wise Hall
June 25 - Chilliwack, BC - Tractor Grease Café
June 26 - Salt Spring Island, BC - Tree House Café
June 28 - Duncan, BC - Duncan Showroom
June 29 - Victoria, BC - Northern Quarter
June 30 - Port Alberni, BC -  Char’s Landing
July 1 - Cumberland, BC - Studio Live
July 4 - Kamloops, BC -  Riverside Park (Evening Concert Series) 
July 5 - Salmon Arm, BC - Marine Peace Park
July 6 - Penticton, BC - Dream Café
July 7 - Atlin, BC - Atlin Arts and Music Festival
July 8 - Atlin, BC - Atlin Arts and Music Festival
July 9 - Atlin, BC - Atlin Arts and Music Festival

DECLAN O'DONOVAN - BROKEN SKY TRACK LISTING
RELEASE DATE: JUNE 2nd, 2017 (Independent)
1.  Let It Rain
2.  Down To The Bottom
3.  Broken Sky
4.  Reckless
5.  Burn It Down
6.  The Boatman
7.  Something To Run Away From
8.  Keep Me In Mind
9.  When I Wasn't Looking
10.  Out Of Mind

 

FOR MORE INFO: www.declanodonovan.com
Twitter: @declan_odonovan
Instagram: @declan_odonovan
FB: facebook.com/declanodonovanmusic

MUSIC BC LAUNCHES PHOENIX TRAINING & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Building a Robust Contemporary Music Sector in British Columbia
with Tailored Professional Development

Vancouver, BC - With support from Creative BC, FACTOR, Ryan Beedie and Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University, Music BC Industry Association is pleased to announce the launch of the PHOENIX Training & Professional Development Program as part of Music BC’s How-To Series.
 
The PHOENIX program was developed to help BC music industry professionals navigate the ever-changing music industry landscape with its evolving business models, income streams and priorities. The program is designed for time-poor, mid-career music professionals, who want to optimize their business models for growth, offering participants the opportunity to work with experienced mentors and advisors. A board of industry experts will review and select the small group of PHOENIX 2017 participants. See below for information on how to apply.

Based on a successful program operating in Australia and New Zealand, PHOENIX will incorporate two residential workshops with the first workshop taking place near Vancouver from August 13-16, 2017. Six music and business advisers, including Terry McBride from Nettwerk, will work with participants on their leadership skills and business models. A blended teaching approach incorporating face to face and self-directed learning will be used. The objective of the program is to encourage participants to consider the development of new business models and income streams and develop their business as a stable, sustainable and growing enterprise.

“PHOENIX is a progressive and very effective professional development program,” said Music BC Executive Director, Alex Grigg.  “The program challenges participants and gets them to rethink the way they work. A similar program has had great results in Australia and New Zealand. Alumni there report that it not only changes their businesses for the better, but their lives as well.” 

“I’ve been a mentor on the program in Australia and I can tell you that it really does change lives,” added Terry McBride.  “I’m looking forward to now offering this great opportunity here.”
 
"We are pleased to be a part of the PHOENIX program,” said Dr. Andrew Gemino from Beedie School of Business - SFU. “We look forward to working with Music BC on this exciting project to help advance BC’s music industry beyond our borders.”

PHOENIX will provide participants with practical business guidance. It will include a comprehensive review of the different business models found in the contemporary music sector, as well as deep analysis of each business model brought to the lab. Advisers and mentors are drawn from both the music industry and the business world, to give participants a range of perspectives on possibilities and ways forward. The work becomes more personalized for each participant as the workshops progress. Psychology sessions are incorporated to give participants tools for working more efficiently and achieving better work/life balance. Resilience, time and behavioral management are also topics that will be covered in the program.
 
The PHOENIX application form and guidelines are available from Music BC’s website: www.musicbc.org. The application deadline is: June 2nd, 2017.

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Overview: 
The PHOENIX program is based on an Australian program designed and delivered by strategy consultant Mariel Beros. It has made a substantial positive impact on the business acumen and skill levels of Australian music industry participants, while also building professionalism in the sector.

Culturally Canada, Australia and New Zealand share similar characteristics, as do their contemporary music industries. They have similar industry strengths and challenges, having an exceptional pool of talented artists but small domestic markets which can limit their reach. To succeed in this new era of constant disruptive technological and social change where music fans are moving from ownership to access, music industry professionals need to adopt a growth mindset. Strong business and interpersonal skills are now essential.

About Music BC: www.musicbc.org
Music BC is a not for profit association serving the for profit and nonprofit music industry, including artists from all genres, industry professionals, service providers, studios, promoters, venues, festivals, producers, agents, managers and educational institutions. Music BC is a member based organization that provides the industry at large with information on the state of the industry, trends, funding & educational programs and resources.

 About Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University: www.beedie.sfu.ca
Since the creation of Canada's first Executive MBA in 1968, the Beedie School of Business has championed lifelong learning, productive change and the need to be innovative as we deliver research and teaching that makes an impact. We are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and have received the EQUIS Quality award from the European Federation for Management Development (EFMD). AACSB and EFMD are globally recognized accrediting agencies for business schools. Less than 1% of business schools worldwide have earned both of these accreditations.
 
Undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. programs demonstrate a spirit of innovation, flexibility and relevance.  Supported by extensive partnerships with public, private and not-for-profit organizations, our goal is to produce broadly educated, enterprising and socially responsible managers capable of making lasting contributions to their communities.

The Beedie School of Business operates on all three SFU campuses, with:

• over 3,800 undergraduate (BBA students) in Burnaby and Surrey
• over 700 MBA and graduate students at the Segal Graduate School and at the Surrey Campus
• non-credit programs at the director, executive and management-levels
• a thriving Ph.D.program

ROCOCODE TO RELEASE YOUNG ONES EP ON JUNE 16 VIA MARQUIS

LYRIC VIDEO FOR SUBLIME SYNTH PALETTE "BRUTAL" OUT NOW

"Equal parts sophisticated, uptown, polished, pop princess and downtown, grunge prince"
- Interview Magazine

“Rococode are an absolute gem"
- Noisey

Vancouver, BC - Vancouver’s Rococode is Andrew Braun and Laura Smith, who infuse their hook-filled songs with lush synth textures and duet vocals, resulting in an infectious sound that Andrew calls, "a marriage of our contrasting personalities.” The Young Ones EP highlights this musical chemistry by fusing Braun’s exploratory tendencies with Smith’s razor-sharp pop sensibilities. Rococode will release the Young Ones EP on June 16 via Marquis Artists.

The EP’s rich synth palette and exotic aura is on full display in the lyric video for "Brutal", which juxtaposes sublimely ascending vocals with darkly buzzing synth bass and knotty rhythms. Laura’s airy tone floats over the heaviest track on the record, trying to cope with inner turmoil and stay grounded in the midst of chaotic times in the outside world. 

The band says, “In the end it’s about trying to be a good person in a tough time.”

Enjoy / Share “Brutal” Lyric Video:
https://youtu.be/6n73uckZGAI

The Young Ones EP’s six tracks were composed largely during a collaborative songwriting retreat in Los Angeles. “We wrote songs in kind of a hip-hop way, using samples as opposed to a chord progression or a riff. We were writing around a vibe or a hook or a sound,” says Smith. Co-producers Caleb Shreve (Phantogram, Bear Hands, Tegan and Sara) and Jon Siebels (Eve 6, Switchfoot, Dreamers) helped to nurture the band’s catchiest inclinations.

Following the L.A. session, the duo fleshed out the arrangements during a residency at the National Music Centre (NMC) in Calgary. They were given access to the NMC’s extensive collection of vintage synths, which Braun excitedly describes as “the most ridiculous collection of instruments ever assembled.” Back in Vancouver, they polished off Young Ones at Monarch Studios.

Standout single “Is It Real” sets acoustic strums against euphoric, pitch-bent synths, while swaggering title cut “Young Ones” centers on an unforgettable wordless chorus. The fuzzy low end of “A Love That You Will Never Know” is dark and menacing, but the cloudburst chorus is pure sunshine.

“Young Ones is about trying to maintain a youthful feeling throughout your adult life,” Smith says. “It’s about trying to keep things light in the midst of so much heaviness.” Whether on album or during ecstatic live performances, this is Rococode’s ultimate goal: to find escape in music and make their way out of the darkness. 

Young Ones EP Track List
1 - Young Ones
2 - Why Do I
3 - Is It Real
4 - Brutal
5 - A Love That You Will Never Know
6 - Can’t Get Enough

http://rococode.com
https://www.facebook.com/Rococode
https://twitter.com/rococode
https://www.instagram.com/rococode

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The Silence Factory Hit The Road For a Cross-Canada Tour in April + May!

Tour Includes Showcase @ CMW on April 19th

Toronto, ON - Riding 'High' on the success of their latest single, Windsor rock group The Silence Factory will be packing up the van and hitting the road for a tour across Canada starting on April 1st with a show opening for Ascot Royals and The Sheepdogs. The tour will take the band from coast to coast in April and May and includes a showcase at Canadian Music Week in Toronto on April 19th. See below for the full tour schedule. 

The Silence Factory released their current single 'High' back in January and after 11 weeks on the Canadian active rock chart, they've achieved considerable success at rock radio reaching a peak chart position of #37 this past week. ‘High’ was produced by Juno Award winning and Grammy nominated producer Gavin Brown (3 Days Grace, Billy Talent). The band just finished recording another track with Brown which will be released in early May. 

The Silence Factory formed in 2015 (as Nathan McNevin and The Silence Factory) and they've been playing shows across Canada ever since. The Silence Factory's debut CD, Collection of Thoughts, was released in February 2016 launching their first commercial radio single 'Land'. In June 2016, the band took first place in 97.7 HTZ FM's Rocksearch competition which has launched the careers of many notable acts including Finger Eleven, The Trews, and The Glorious Sons.

The band spent a great deal of time on the road in 2016, playing over 50 shows all across the country and they plan to spend 2017 the same way, continuing to build fans one show at a time. Upon completion of their upcoming cross-Canada Tour, The Silence Factory will play select shows throughout the summer, including opening for Fuel, The Trews, and Our Lady Peace and have plans to record their first full-length studio album this fall. 

'High' is currently available on most digital/streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music/iTunes, and will be released on vinyl as a 7" single this summer. For more info and the most up-to-date tour listings, please visit: thesilencefactory.com

THE SILENCE FACTORY >> CANADIAN TOUR DATES
April 1 - Grimbsy, ON - The Forty Public House (opening for Sheepdogs, Ascot Royals) 
April 6 - Quebec City, PQ - Bar Le Temps Partiel
April 7 - Miramichi, NB - O'Donoghue's Irish Pub
April 8 - Moncton, NB - Plan B Lounge
April 12 – Charlottetown, PEI – Hot Shots Lounge
April 13 - Charlottetown, PEI - Baba's Lounge
April 14 - Halifax, NS - Gus' Pub
April 15 - Sydney, NS - The Governor's Pub and Eatery
April 19 -  Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace (CMW) 
April 21 - Windsor, ON - The Dominion House
May 4 - Sault Sainte Marie, ON - Loplops
May 5 - Thunder Bay, ON - The Foundry Pub
May 6 - Winnipeg, MB - The Garrick Hotel
May 12 - Edmonton, AB - The Needle Vinyl Tavern (early show) 
May 12 - Edmonton, AB - The Forge on Whyte (evening show) 
May 13 - Calgary, AB - Blind Beggar Pub
May 19 - Vancouver, BC - The Roxy Cabaret
May 20 - Kelowna, BC - Fernando's Pub
May 21 -  Nelson, BC - The Royal on Baker
May 25 - Calgary, AB - Distortion
May 26 - Lethbridge, AB - The Slice Bar & Grill
 May 27 - Regina, SK - The Exchange 

The Silence Factory is: Nathan McNevin (guitar/lead vocals), Nathan Schiller  (lead guitar/vocals), and Nick Predhomme (drums)

Website: www.thesilencefactory.com
Twitter: @SilenceFactry
Instagram: @The_Silence_Factory
FB: Facebook.com/TheSilenceFactory

MEDIA TOOLS
WATCH/POST The Silence Factory's - 'High' video HERE (via YouTube)
STREAM/POST The Silence Factory's - 'High' HERE (via SoundCloud)
CLICK HERE for high-res press photos (Photo Credit: Maximus Photography)