Regardless of the fact that something about my pronunciation has had me accused of calling it "slut island" on multiple occasions, Sled Island (yes, Sled — it's Calgary, c'mon) is undeniably one of the most eclectic and exciting music festivals happening in the country. And sure, maybe also among the sexiest?
With Kyoto punk rockers Otoboke Beaver taking up the gauntlet of the event's innovative guest curation program, some of the most interesting emerging acts in the world will descend upon multiple venues across the city this June 18 to 22. Find five must-see acts your future year-end lists will thank you for being put onto early below, as well as Sled Island tickets here.
Babe Corner
Since making their Exclaim! New Faves debut on the back of their 2020 debut EP, the Vancouver quartet have a full-length album — 2023's Crybaby — under their belts, as well as a steady stream of singles that refuse to let up on the instant-classic effect of their timelessly dreamy sound. Every track feels like something you could have heard on the radio decades ago, or an apparition in real-time.
Yaya Bey
The fact that R&B seems severely underrepresented on the mainstream festival circuit is clearly something Sled Island organizers have noticed, too. Enter: Yaya Bey, one of the most compelling up-and-coming American musicians in the genre of the past few years. Look no further than the dancehall-inflected recent single "merlot & grigio" to see the scope of how the singer-songwriter is pushing the silky-smooth envelope.
Kimmortal
Counting Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez amongst their fans, the Filipinx-Canadian MC never shies away from interrogating the social structures that impinge upon everyday existence, spitting incisive bars and radical honesty. With one well-timed one-two punch of a beat-switch and turn of phrase or another, Kimmortal's powerful presence and colourful style are sure to both surprise and uplift.
Mary Lattimore
"More cowbell" has been done to death at this point, but there's still space in the culture for more harp — and no one does it quite like Mary Lattimore. Lacing whimsical improvisations with electronic effects, her compositions feel like a self-contained universe where every moment is treated with such splendour and awe.
TOPS
The Montreal quartet has turned out multiple impressive solo offshoots from Marci and Jane Penny in recent years, but there's a distinctly TOPS-ian through-line across those projects. The retro-groovin' dream pop sound is the centre that, in this case, truly manages to hold, with all of the band members' discographies — together and apart — bearing the sparkling sheen of finesse that's often imitated but never duplicated.