Yukon Indie-Folk Band The August Arrival Share New Album HILLSIDES

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 'FLEETING AND FOREVER' HERE

the august arrival · Fleeting And Forever

Yukon indie-folk band The August Arrival share their third release and first full-length album, Hillsides, out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here. The August Arrival is also featuring 'Fleeting and Forever' as the 3rd single from the album, following previous singles 'Camped Out' and 'Whisper'.

Led by Yukon songwriter and vocalist Sara MacDonald, The August Arrival is a solo project supported by friends, incorporating live and recording contributions from an array of musicians who slide in and out of the lineup. Their latest single 'Fleeting and Forever' is a poignant exploration of the transient nature of love.

"'Fleeting and Forever' is, in many ways, symbolic of the entire album," says Sara. "It’s a song that explores themes of challenge, impermanence, and acceptance. Even though it was written during a difficult time, creating it was a healing process because it gave voice to the feelings that were shaping my life then — that life is fleeting, but it’s still meaningful. The song helped me find a more hopeful perspective, reminding me that there’s always some beauty somewhere, even when things aren’t great, and to embrace the constant change of this existence."
 
The August Arrival’s new album, Hillsides, will resonate deeply with fans of intimate indie folk-rock, drawing inspiration from Postdata, Blind Pilot, and Manchester Orchestra. The music’s driving melodies, poetic lyrics, and atmospheric instrumentation create an emotionally charged journey that lingers long after the final notes fade. Written during what Sara describes as a “growth phase,” Hillsides reminds us that strength and beauty emerge from life’s most difficult moments. 

Says Sara: "Challenging events, including the journey leading to my son's Autism diagnosis, an unexpected health scare, and the loss of a loved one, deeply impacted me while writing this album. These experiences made me reflect on how life constantly pushes us to grow, remain humble, and accept change. The songs on Hillsides were born from contemplating the fleeting nature of life and how, maybe, the growth and understanding we gain from challenges can leave a meaningful, lasting impact."

Hillsides is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit theaugustarrival.com.

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Tracklisting: 
The August Arrival - Hillsides
(Independent)
01. Camped Out
02. Fleeting and Forever
03. Keep Driving 
04. Let It Go
05. Last Known Bird
06. Lifting Again
07. Whisper
08. Hillsides

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Ryland Moranz Shares New Single + Video THE HELL OF THIS TOWN

2nd SINGLE FROM NEW
ALBUM BETTER/WORSE

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Alberta musician Ryland Moranz shares his single and video 'The Hell Of This Town' out now on all digital streaming platforms via Tonic Records. Listen here.

A folk/bluegrass multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter from Lethbridge, Ryland’s highly anticipated new album, Better/Worse, will be released on November 15th. Blending traditional country instrumentation with a modern edge,'The Hell Of This Town' is the 2nd single to be released from Better/Worse following lead single 'When I'm Gone'. And although the title may be misleading, Ryland actually wrote the track as a love song for his wife. 

Says Ryland: “For as far back as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a touring musician. Not only that, I wanted to be the kind of musician that slept on people’s couches and was never in any place too long. Not a great life plan, but a romantic notion. I really think that’s me in a nutshell. A terminal romantic. When I started touring full time, I found to my surprise that whenever I was on the road, I wanted to be home; and inversely, whenever I was home, I wanted to be on the road. It was a complicated reconciliation. ‘The Hell of This Town’ is my coming to terms with the present. The immediacy of longing and the entropy of the cosmos. It’s a love song to my wife. It’s a lament for the old things. A remembrance of joy. A promise to spend my days exactly where I am, no matter where that is.”   

Recorded by John Raham at Barnhouse Studios in Qualicum, BC, and produced by Ryland and Leeroy Stagger, Better/Worse, takes an earnest snapshot of a world emerging from the brink, or rather, from one brink to another. A spiritual successor to Ryland’s acclaimed 2021 offering XO, 1945, Better/Worse turns the focus from where we have been to where we may be going.

'The Hell Of This Town' is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit: rylandmoranz.com.

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Tracklisting:
Ryland Moranz- Better/Worse
(Tonic Records)
01. New Civil War
02.  Goodbye To All That
03.  When I'm Gone
04.  The Hell Of This Town
05.  Storm On The Ocean
06.  Do You Need Me
07.  I've Been Calling
08.  Nobody's Going To Heaven
09.  Never
10. You Can't Stop Love

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Toronto Musician Lisa Humber Shares New Single IT'S ME, IT'S YOU

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LYRIC VIDEO HERE

Toronto indie pop musician Lisa Humber shares her empowering new single 'It's Me, It's You' out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here.

A radiant anthem of self-discovery and empowerment, 'It's Me, It's You', is the third release in Lisa’s quadriptych of new music for 2024. The track was created in collaboration with producer/guitarist Justin Abedin, who also produced her recent singles 'Dance Within' (June 2024) and 'The Devil's Advocate' (March 2024). On 'It's Me, It's You', Lisa crafts a poignant narrative about the transformative power of self-knowledge, inviting listeners to embrace their true selves and harness their inner strength to drive positive change.

"The song reflects a period when, after enduring condescending and undermining attitudes rooted in deep-seated misogyny, I began to mirror these behaviours as a form of resistance," says Lisa. "This shift highlights the complex interplay of power and identity, showing how one might adopt venomous tactics to protect oneself and assert one’s worth. Ultimately, the song centers on my decision to prioritize myself over succumbing to misogyny. The closing lines, 'It’s Me, It’s You... It’s Me,' signify a powerful moment of self-realization and empowerment. It also underscores the necessity of breaking free from destructive patterns and valuing self-worth and healing over perpetuating the cycle."

With a career spanning over two decades as a stage manager, Lisa witnessed a transformative shift in the live events industry in March 2020. Out of this tumultuous time emerged a collection of songs that seamlessly blend indie pop, introspective lyrics, and adult alternative elements. Lisa’s debut EP, The Space Between, released in 2022, received high praise from industry professionals and marked the beginning of her collaboration with Justin Abedin, bringing an authenticity to her music, translating personal experiences into a resonant sound. Lisa's fourth single in her quadriptych of new music will be released later this year. 

‘It's Me, It's You’ is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit lisahumber.com.

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PRAISE FOR 'DANCE WITHIN'

 “Lisa has a unique ability to blend meaningful lyrics with catchy melodies, creating an unforgettable listening experience." - Pop Hits

"With her spellbinding vocals spread across an enigmatic soundscape throughout, she continues to cement herself as one of the more emotive names on the rise today." - LOCK Magazine

"Honing her warm and inviting songwriting to provoke some beautifully moving moments, ‘Dance Within’ sees her build upon her dynamic foundations with true flair here." - The Indie Grid

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BC Jazz-Pop Musician Kate Trajan Shares New Album ANCIENT FIRES

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'ANCIENT FIRES' HERE

BC jazz-pop musician Kate Trajan shares her debut full-length album Ancient Fires out now on all digital streaming platforms via Pastiche Records. Listen to the full album here.

Kate is also featuring the title track 'Ancient Fires' as the 3rd single, following previous singles 'No One To Dream About' and 'Amazon's Dilemma. On 'Ancient Fires', she delivers an emotional tribute to the bittersweet experience of parting with her first love. This heartfelt folk-tinged pop ballad showcases her lush vocals and poignant songwriting, drawing listeners into a deeply personal narrative.

"This song was inspired by the experience of saying goodbye to my first love and moving away from my hometown of Nanaimo," says Kate. "It materialized in bits and pieces through the years, like a puzzle. I was only given a few pieces at a time. It became layered with experience from other goodbyes in my life, and the heartbreak, hope and fear that came with stepping into the unknown of what would come next."

Currently living on Salt Spring Island, BC, Kate is classically trained in piano and voice, and her songwriting draws on two decades of experience performing with jazz, folk, and indie groups across Canada and in the UK and the Netherlands. Kate released her debut EP Yesterday Left Without Her Suitcase, featuring four original songs, in 2022. Ancient Fires, Kate’s first full-length album of original music, was recorded at Eastcote Studios in London, UK.

Says Kate: "Of course, you don’t need to go all the way to London to find a great recording studio. The reason I did was because I was working with London-based producer Sarah Gillespie to create this album. I met Sarah when I lived in the UK back in 2008 and we sat next to each other on a flight from London to Vancouver. I started following her music career online, and saw during COVID that she had begun the Create Now Academy, mentoring female artists to develop careers in the music industry. I felt like that was just what I needed to get in gear and get my original music out into the world, so I signed up and started working with her to get this album made." 

Ancient Fires is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit katetrajan.com.

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KATE TRAJAN - ANCIENT FIRES
(Pastiche Records)
01. No One To Dream About
02.  Amazon's Dilemma
03.  Ancient Fires
04.  This Is The Life
05.  Winding My Way
06.  Am I A Fool
07.  Come
08.  Ode To The Moon
09.  A Universe Apart

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Yellowknife Musician Carmen Braden Shares New Single + Video AN INVITE

2nd SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM
 A HARD LIGHT OUT ON DEC 5th

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ward-winning singer-songwriter and contemporary composer Carmen Braden shares her new single and video ‘An Invite’ out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here.

‘An Invite’ is the second single from the Yellowknife artist’s new album, A Hard Light, which is set for release on December 5th. The eclectic ambient pop track feels like an immersive experience, taking the listener on a journey from the first note. The song recalls a moment in Carmen's past, giving it a ghost-like quality, as if participating in a sense memory of someone else's life.

"This tune comes from a memory of a night when I was a young woman away from home," says Carmen. "There was an encounter that brought me sharply to a moment of choices—choices about what I was ready to do with my body and with whom. I remember coming out of that moment feeling so strong, knowing that I had made deep, clear choices for myself. The music emerged from a marimba loop and improvisation by my producer, Mark Adam, which reminded me of that time in my life. The call-and-response moments with Nova Scotia singer Cas Palmer weave into the long melodies of this story-song, featuring expansive rolling grooves and drum-and-bass vibes, all of which have grown into a darkness and intensity that truly match the memory."

A multi-talented artist recognized as an “acoustic ambassador of the Canadian Subarctic” (Musicworks Magazine), Carmen has played intimate theatres and main stage folk festivals, smoothly transitioning between genres of songwriting and composing. Her contemporary classical compositions are nationally recognized, with commissions and performances by world-class ensembles and performers, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, James Ehnes, and the Canadian Chamber Choir.

She has released three studio albums: Seed Songs (2021), Songs of the Invisible Summer Stars (2019), and Ravens (2017). Carmen has earned national recognition by winning the Western Canadian Music Award for Classical Composer of the Year in both 2020 and 2019. Additional nominations include Classical Album of the Year (2020) at the East Coast Music Awards, Classical Artist of the Year (2019 WCMAs), and Classical Composition of the Year (2017 WCMAs). Carmen's fourth studio album, A Hard Light, produced by her long-time collaborator Mark Adam (Music In the Woods, Nova Scotia), will be released on December 5th.

'An Invite ' is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit carmenbraden.com.

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WATCH/POST the 'An Invite' video HERE (via YouTube)
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CLICK HERE for biography, high-res press photos + single art