Winnipeg Dream Pop Duo Basic Nature Announce Canadian Tour Dates + Release Brand New Single!

Listen To 'Love Won't Always There':

(Winnipeg, MB) - Winnipeg shoegaze/dream pop duo Basic Nature are getting ready to head out for their first Canadian Tour of 2016! The tour will start with a hometown tour kick-off on April 29th and then Basic Nature will head out east for dates in Ontario and Quebec, including a show in Toronto for Canadian Music Week on May 5 (see below for full listing of tour dates). And to launch the tour with a bang, Basic Nature are debuting their brand new single 'Love Won't Always Be There' which will be included on their first full-length album to be released later this year. Click here to listen to 'Love Won't Always Be There'.

Claire Bones and Lizzy Burt formed Basic Nature in 2014 amidst one of the coldest winters Winnipeg had to offer in decades. Their passion for songwriting, sound and craft-making brought them together to complete the warm, lush and distorted songs that make up their debut 6-song EP Circles & Lines (Sundowning Records/Dub Dutch Picnic) released in May 2015. Following the release of Circles & Lines, Basic Nature successfully toured throughout Eastern Canada in support of the EP and were selected to open for shoegaze legends Swervedriver (UK) at the West End Cultural Centre in Winnipeg. The buzz on Basic Nature continued to build throughout 2015, the EP received much critical acclaim in Canada and was selected for multiple year-end favourite lists including: Winnipeg Free Press,  BeatRoute and Mixtape Magazine. 

Basic Nature cite Slowdive's album Souvlaki as the main musical influence for their EP Circles & Lines, however, it does not drive the sound they create. In fact, their upcoming full-length album will be taking the duo in an slightly edgier direction and their brand new track 'Love Won't Always Be There' is just a taste of what's to come. 

"We are so excited to finally share this song," said Lizzy Burt. "There is a real blissful melancholy that comes with performing it, the song kind of acts as a release of pent up energy bringing relief in the best way, and we want to share that. It comes from a realization that even at our lowest points in life, we may not find what we think we are looking for. And that's okay, because we can know that deep inside ourselves we have everything we need." 

Be sure to catch Basic Nature on their upcoming Eastern Canadian Tour starting on April 29th in Winnipeg! For more information and the most up to date tour listings, please visit: basicnatureband.com

BASIC NATURE // UPCOMING EASTERN CANADIAN TOUR DATES
April 29 - Winnipeg, MB @ The Handsome Daughter (Tour Kick-Off!)
April 30 - Thunder Bay, ON @ The Apollo
May 3 - Hamilton, ON @ Homegrown Hamilton
May 4 - Gatineau, QC @ Minotaur
May 5 - Toronto, ON @ Smiling Buddah (CMW)
May 6 - Montreal, QC @ Poisson Noir
May 8 - Montreal, QC @ Le Cagibi
May 10 - Ottawa, ON @ Black Squirrel Books & Cafe
May 11 - Peterborough, ON @ The Garnet
May 12 - London, ON @ Vibrafusion Lounge
May 13 - Guelph, ON @ 42 Jane
May 14 - Windsor, ON @ Phog Lounge
May 15 - Sault St Marie, ON @ Gore Street Cafe

FOR MORE INFO: www.basicnatureband.com
Twitter: @Basic_Nature_
Instagram: @Basic_Nature_Music
Facebook: Facebook.com/basicnatureisaway

Basic Nature is: 
Lizzy Burt - lead vocalist, electric guitar  
Claire Bones - backing vocals, drums, percussion

 "Circles and Lines is six tracks of bliss...the duo of Lizzy Burt and Claire Bones deliver an impeccable set, featuring serene vocals and fuzzy, slowburn guitars. The title track is echoing and haunting." - Ride The Tempo

"The album glows in a 90’s lo-fi haze. With messy-haired nods to The Cranberries, Slowdive and Sharon Van Etten, these women know how to draw from influence and make it their own." - Make A Little Noise

Vancouver Pianist/Composer Nathan Shubert Releases New Video for Piano Day

Watch Exclusive Premiere of 'Saga Norén, Länskrim, Malmö' on Vancity Buzz

(Vancouver, BC) - March 28th, the 88th Day of the year, is Official Piano Day and Vancouver pianist/composer Nathan Shubert  is kicking off his new piano-based solo project with the release of a new live video today for his orginal composition'Saga Norén, Länskrim, Malmö'  as part of the world-wide Piano Day celebrations. Watch the 'Saga Norén, Länskrim, Malmö'  video here. 

Piano Day was created in 2015 by German musician Nils Frahm  as a way to celebrate piano music, bring it more exposure, and foster community amongst piano composers. Piano Day has quickly been adopted by piano composers all over the world, with concerts and releases taking place on all continents which is why Nathan Shubert chose today for the release of his new live video. It felt like the perfect way to launch his solo career and celebrate the beauty and growing popularity of piano music.

"I definitely think piano music is becoming a lot more popular in North America these days," said Shubert. "I've always listened to piano music, and I think it has enjoyed more success in general in Europe over the years where there's more appetite for a broader array of ideas. Recently though European artists like Nils Frahm and Ólafur Arnalds have begun touring North America, and bringing an excitement for this music with them. I'll have to admit though, I was a bit confused the first time I saw a Pitchfork review of solo piano music."

'Saga Norén, Länskrim, Malmö' will be included on Nathan Shubert's debut album, a full length of solo piano compositions, release date to be announced. The project marks a massive shift for Shubert, who has been a sought after sideman and session player in Vancouver for over a decade, bringing his harmonic inventiveness and intelligent dynamism to artists such as: No Sinner, David Newberry, Jody Glenham, and Rich Hope. Switching focus to his own work, Shubert challenged himself to write solo piano music every day for six months. This intense and immersive period resulted in works that blend a muted physicality with an exceptional ear for beauty. Expressive and accessible, Shubert wrote these pieces purely for the pleasure and beauty inherent in them, not as exercises in composerly rigor or pianistic dexterity. Free of external meanings, the pieces take on their own deeply implicit, wordless significance.

Named after the protagonist of the Swedish/Danish TV show Bron (The Bridge), Shubert's new instrumental composition 'Saga Norén, Länskrim, Malmö'  isunderstated, quietly propulsive, and uncommonly poetic. An encouraging and exciting sign of what's to come from this Vancouver-based composer. Join Nathan Shubert as he takes part in Official Piano Day with the release of his new music - watch the live video here and stream/download the composition here (via SoundCloud). For more information, please visit NathanShubert.com.

FOR MORE INFO:  www.nathanshubert.com
Twitter: @NathanShubert
Instagram: @NathanShubert
Facebook: Facebook.com/NathanShubert

MEDIA TOOLS
WATCH/POST the video for Nathan Shubert's - 'Saga Norén, Länskrim, Malmö'
STREAM/POST/DOWNLOAD Nathan Shubert - 'Saga Norén, Länskrim, Malmö' (via SoundCloud) 
CLICK HERE for high-res press photos + album art 

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