It’s time for another Release Radar playlist! Our playlist this week is all about new songs on our radar this month. Spotify has their Release Radar playlists and we have an OurBasement Release Radar playlist. Once a month we check in on what music has been released. There are over 80 songs on the playlist that have been released since our last Release Radar in mid April(and a couple that got missed). Some tracks were released with an album, and some singles are in advance of an upcoming album and sometimes there are remixes released. There is a little something for almost everyone on there.

I was excited about many tracks on the list, like the ones from Jessie Reyez, For Esme, Braids, Peter Elkas and so many more.

Lowell, Donovan Woods, Lindi Ortega and Snotty Nose Rez Kids had more tracks for us to enjoy this month as well. This months Saskatchewan artists with new tracks are Rosie and The Riveters, Nick Faye and The Deputies, Bears In Hazenmore, Close Talker, Unkle Adams and Joey Stylez. I love my Saskie artists.

I have a few more artists to draw your attention to this week.

Kira May:

Kira May builds songs that are lush, visceral, and emotional. Influences ranging from Björk to Steve Reich to Kanye West come together to create a broad and explorative palette of sounds.

Kira’s  LP Sense, that came out May 4, 2018, explores themes of high sensitivity, pleasure, over-stimulation, panic and depression, as well as documenting the ups and downs of her journey towards mental health.

It’s a fantastic album that I think you should take a listen to. Find her on Spotify or go to her Bandcamp page.

Devon Welsh:

Devon Welsh is a Montreal-based singer, songwriter, and artist. He released two critically acclaimed albums as the frontman of Majical Cloudz, an electronic duo whose intense and innovative music combined aspects of poetry, hardcore, minimalism, and folk. That project came to an end in 2016, largely because it had fulfilled its intentions. The new song, produced by Austin Tufts of Braids expands on the group’s final album Are You Alone?, but trades minimalist electronic drum machines and synths for lush orchestration over a bed of ambient sound. The video was directed by Christopher Honeywell.

“I’ll Be Your Ladder” was written in 2015. Devon says, “This song was the beginning of a set of ideas that were new to me at the time, it was a special moment personally. In some way it seems like a lot of time has passed since I wrote it. On the other hand, I appreciate the idea of making something and then putting it away for awhile, to see if it still touches you. I read one of my favourite poets John Ashbery saying that when he writes something he then puts it in a drawer for a year. I end up doing that with songs, and I suppose this one is an example of that.”

The song has few words and is built upon tense repetition: “Time cools me with laughter / as I see the ways I am changing / and I know I want to be your ladder / with love’s elation in your eyes / I’ll be your ladder while you’re changing.” Of the song, Devon says, “To me it is about feeling impermanence, loving each other and watching each other evolve as we go.”

I personally  love the idea of people loving each other and helping each other grow and evolve. I’ll Be Your Ladder is an interesting way to say that.

Ralph:

After capturing the attention of fans and media alike with the release of her self-titled EP (604 Records), Toronto pop artist Ralph heads into summer with her latest single ‘Girl Next Door’ ft. TOBi. The track comes hot off the heels of her 2018 lead ‘September Fades’ and EP favourites ‘Tease’ & ‘Cold to the Touch’ – which have helped rack up over 12 million Spotify streams.

Featuring her fashion prowess, Ralph’s video is a punchy look book of what has become known as her signature style – effortlessly cool; vintage with a modern twist. The shots were captured by Toronto photographer Pat O’Rourke while Armand Digdoyo styled Ralph & TOBi in retro-modern perfection. The track itself mirrors Ralph’s journey of rising stardom, depicting the effort to remain authentically yourself through the throes of change and staying close to those who keep you grounded.

With the release of ‘Girl Next Door’, Ralph is amping up for summer festival season with a handful of dates set across Canada. I highly suggest you check Ralph out if she plays near you.

Now go listen to these tracks and all the other wonderful tracks our Canadian artists give us on the Spotify playlist below. Enjoy!