Welcome back to Locally Sourced, our playlist for exclusively the best Ontario (and occasionally more of Canada) has to offer. This post has been delayed due to overwhelming workload outside of the internet (sorry) so these songs range from December until now. So hopefully you get all caught up on things you may have missed during the holidays as well! There’s truly some magic in here, so don’t skip a track.
Are you a musician in Ontario? Want to be included in #7? Email us.
Follow the playlist:
Heavy Hearts – Vexed
After an excruciating wait, Heavy Hearts has finally returned with new single “Vexed” to kick off the new year. As someone who’s had the upcoming album for a long time now, this is the hardest song on the record. It takes a turn into a more alternative stream, but this is a great sendoff to the last EP. You can catch them live on idobi radio this morning at 11am EST!
Allie X – Devil I Know
Has Allie X ever released a bad song? Honestly willing to bet my life that she’s incapable of creating something less than stunning. “Devil I Know” follows up her last single “Regulars”, which together are setting the bar even higher for her next album. With every single, her powers grow stronger until eventually she becomes the go-to Canadian reference artist (sorry, Drake).
Jackie – Unspun
If you’ve been here before, you may remember Jackie from their last single “Lifetime In A Touch” in LS #4. Their new EP, New At Drugs, is out now and “Unspun” is a perfect single to lead us into the whole collection of tracks. It’s got the energy of a high speed car chase and the pure confidence of your mom asking to speak to the manager (I still don’t know how they do that). It’ll definitely convince you to give the EP a full listen.
Contour – Sidelines
I will never miss early 2000s emo as long as I’ve got Contour. The only thing I still need are obnoxiously long song titles and then I’ll be back in my glory days. There’s also the added benefit that the lyrics are far less melodramatic than the songs of my middle school years, which makes them a lot easier to listen to as a grown adult. Just desperately waiting for some Toronto shows to get announced.
Matt Fasullo – Fort York
I saw Matt live in the fall and it was just as incredible as listening on Spotify. He released “Fort York” a month ago and that chorus just… seeps into every quiet moment in my life. I hear it all the time. He’s SO good at that, because I remember that being what “Surface Tension” did to me as well. It absorbs into your brain tissue and becomes a part of your every memory.
Side note: there’s a point at 2:50 where he plays… the exact piano notes from the title screen music in Ocarina of Time and honestly, that doesn’t mean anything and it’s not important but I just feel like I need to talk about it so here it is.
NOBRO – Marianna
You know how there’s always a ton of bands that use a woman’s name or the word “girl” in the band name and then it’s just a bunch of dudes? Can’t explain how refreshing it was to see a band called NOBRO literally be…. no bros. What’s the equivalent of power pop for rock? That’s what this is. Makes me want to kick down a door. And the combination of key changes and gang vocals? I think this song was made just for me.
nodisco. – Moonlight in my Bedroom
nodisco. is definitely one of my artists to watch for 2020. I just can’t really imagine a world in which this doesn’t blow up this year? The production is so clean, it almost feels like ASMR at moments. He only has two songs on Spotify right now and it’s just… not even close to enough. I’m dying for at least an EP’s worth of music. Until then, this one is staying on repeat.
First Ghost – Dissonant Love
I discovered First Ghost’s song “Waiting” a couple years late. But I discovered it just in time to catch the release of their two latest singles. “Dissonant Love” is the perfect mix of the emo/alternative scene and a more commercial pop rock sound. Almost like a gateway band, able to reel you over to either side from your previous music tastes. The video gave me a moment of sheer panic when I thought I’d stayed awake too long and my eyes were glitching, and then I realized that the video was *actually* doing that. In case you’re also having one of those days… it’s not you, it’s them.
sour happy – hush
SOUR! HAPPY! There’s so much I could paraphrase about this track, but why do that when you can watch Cory explain it all himself? “Hush” is good natured fun. It’s cool to see what these band members create when they don’t have to worry about getting label approval on their every move. Videos can be quirkier, songs can try out different sounds without being a risk to a larger company, everything is exactly what they want it to be.
