There's probably something poetic in how the shortest month of the year inevitably follows the longest (sure, there are others on the calendar that have 31 numbers in the boxes, but are any that are truly as much of a slough as January?). The world spins madly on, but at least some kind of turnover will be happening in under 30 days.
Bright sides to glimpse also come in the form of emerging Canadian artists and the thrill of discovery. Enter: February's batch of New Faves, featuring dawns-after-dark from Vancouver indie sleaze to retro Saskatchewan rockabilly and beyond.
Keep reading to meet Exclaim!'s latest New Faves, and head over to our Spotify playlist to hear them alongside more recent homegrown treasures.
Ribbon Skirt
Montreal, QC
For fans of: Truth Club, They Are Gutting a Body of Water
In Anishinaabe culture, the gift is the journey itself. Tashiina Buswa-led group Ribbon Skirt (f.k.a. Love Language) is a powerful bestowal upon us all, making good on the promise of 2024 single "Cellophane" with latest release "Another Planet" — a whirring, terse reckoning that snarls with the pressure points of trying to accept, or even love, a world that doesn't accept you. Expect even more legacy-bearing offerings interwoven with post-punk and shoegaze elements on the band's upcoming debut album Bite Down, which was co-produced by New Faves alum Marlaena Moore and Scott "Monty" Munro of Preoccupations.
Megan LaPierre
Kai Samuels
Toronto, ON
For fans of: Jonah Yano, Tom Misch
The title of their new EP Humble Asterisk Just in Case may indicate something to be appended, but there's nothing missing from Kai Samuels's brand of jazz-inflected soul-folk. The Exclaim! Class of 2023 grad once aptly referred to their music as "ADHD R&B," its gleaming keyboard motifs and fingerpicked grooves roving off in variations on the a thematic direction as their velvety vocals string stream-of-consciousness reflections on interpersonal dynamics ("Pen and paper scribble all my failures / Reading back, this list is hella long," they note on "Calamity") together into soul food.
Megan LaPierre
Jake Vaadeland
Cut Knife, SK
For fans of: Buck Owens, Béla Fleck
Veering between high-flying Appalachian bluegrass and Sun Records rockabilly sensibility, the retro-bespoke Jake Vaadeland is both master of his domain and just a lad at nearly 22 years old. Evidently a workaholic from his continuous round-trips over the Atlantic, Vaadeland's pastoral pastiche is always spirited enough to outplay the dreaded "homage" label — and his gang, the Sturgeon River Boys, puts on a poised and physical live show. With a new album on the Prairie horizon, keep this lot in your saddlebag; you'll thank yourself come Stampede time.
Matthew Teklemariam
VVOMB
Montreal, QC
For fans of: Counterparts, Dreamwell
There are few bands whose music is so powerful you can feel it deep in your bones, and Montreal-based VVOMB is one such group. This intensity is on full display on their debut EP HISS, which finds the band kicking out five incredibly cathartic tracks that combine elements of hardcore punk, metal and screamo to create a dynamic post-hardcore sound. The viscerally visual lyrics are brought to life with a mix of earth-shaking gutturals, melodic singing and furious screams. Take a cue from VVOMB: embrace the divine madness and howl along with the abyss to find the strength to heal.
Em Moore
Weak Knees
Vancouver, BC
For fans of: PUP, the Strokes
For two years, Vancouver's Weak Knees have been breathing new life into indie sleaze — and their latest release, "Giving Up (On Me)," is no exception. The band blends the bite of punk, the brightness of power pop and the expansive fuzz of indie rock together to create a sound full of driving riffs, explosive drums and deep basslines. Embodying their lyrical frustration through infectious vocal melodies that alternately soar and snarl, Weak Knees prove there's still fresh marrow to be squeezed out of the nostalgic genre.
Em Moore
Listen to tracks from these and other New Faves on our Spotify playlist: