Stream: URBNET Certified Vol. 1

Local hip-hop label URBNET has kept our heads nodding for well over a decade now, helping break the likes of D-Sisive, Classified and Eternia.  Hoping to trade in on some of the cred and good will they’ve engendered over the years, they’re launching a new compilation series, called URBNET Certified, to expose new artists in the Canadian hip-hop scene. You can stream Vol. 1 in its entirety below.

Best of 2011: Sous Pression

Every Monday at 3pm Mathieu Brûlé brings you the best in French punk and ska via Sous Pression. Listen live at chry.fm

5. Les Breastfeeders - Dans la gueule des jours (Blow the Fuse)

4. Justin(e) – Treillières Über Alles (Justin(e) Association & Guérilla Asso)

3. L’équipe – Déclarer forfait (Méga Fiable)

2. Streets of Rage – Level One  (Casual Records)

1. Maraboots – Maraboots EP (Une Vie Pour Rien)

Best of 2011: the New Wax Show

The New Wax Show airs every Tuesday from 3pm-4pm, with host Ian Gormely playing the best new sounds from the underground.

30. Jamie Woon – Mirrorwriting (Polydor)

29. !Attention! – Another Year (Square Up)

28. Shimmering Stars – Violent Hearts(Hardly Art)

27. Iceage – New Brigade (What’s Your Rupture?)

26. Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact (4AD)

25. James Blake – James Blake (Polydor)

24. Shabazz Palaces – Black Up (Sub Pop)

23. Hudson Mohawke – Satin Panthers EP (Warp)

22. Fucked Up – David Comes to Life (Matador)

21. Junior Battles – Idle Ages (Paper + Plastik)

20. Grimes/D’Eon – Darkbloom (Hippos in Tanks)

19. Huddle  – All These Fires (Independent)

18. Battles – Gloss Drop (Warp)

17. Lemuria – Pebbles (Bridge 9)

16. Heartsounds – Drifter (Epitaph)

15. Trash Talk – Awake EP (True Panther Sounds

14. Babe Rainbow – Endless Path EP (Warp)

13. The Wonder Years – Suburbia, I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing (Hopeless Records)

12. Yuck – Yuck (Fat Possum)

11. JEFF the Brotherhood – We Are the Champions (Infinity Cat)

10. Kidstreet – Fuh Yeah (Nettwerk)

9.   The Weeknd – House of Balloons (Independent)

8.   Elite Gymnastics – Ruin (Acephale)

7.   Bon Iver – Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)

6.   Cloud Nothings – Cloud Nothings (Car Park

5.   EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints (Souterrain Transmissions)

4.   SBTRKT – SBTRKT (Young Turks)

3.   M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (Naive)

2.   Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Belong (Slumberland)

1.   Rich Aucoin  – We’re All Dying to Live (Sonic)

Best of 2011: the Night Shift

The Night Shift airs every Friday night/Saturday morning from 12-2am. Hosts Luca and James bring you the latest and greatest in indie rock adventures. It’s fun.

40. National Parks Project - National Parks Project
39. Moonface - Organ Music Not Vibraphone That I’d Hoped
38. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
37. Dog Day - Deformer
36. Coeur de Pirate - Blonde 
35. Bruce Peninsula - Open Flames
34. Little Dragon - Ritual Union
33. Kidstreet - Fuh Yeah 
32. Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine
31. Washed Out - Within and Without
30. Cut Copy - Zonoscope
29. Esmerine - La Lechuza
28. Panda Bear - Tomboy
27. Grimes/D’Eon - Darkbloom
26. Fucked Up - David Comes To Life
25. Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin’ On
24. Battles - Gloss Drop
23. Jennifer Castle - Castlemusic
22. The Antlers - Burst Apart
21. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2 – Judges 
20. Russian Circles - Empros
19. Real Estate - Days
18. Chad VanGaalen - Diaper Island
17. Tyler The Creator - Goblin
16. Eccodek - Remixtasy
15. SBTRKT - SBTRKT
14. Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
13. Justice - Audio. Video. Disco
12. Ohbijou - Metal Meets
11. Hey Rosetta! - Seeds
10. The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh
09. M83 - Hurry Up, I’m Dreaming
08. Young Galaxy - Shapeshifting
07. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
06. Sandro Perri - Impossible Spaces
05. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
04. James Blake - James Blake
03. Girls - Father Son Holy Ghost
02. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
01. Braids - Native Speaker

 

Best of 2011: Voice of the Students

Every Wednesday @ 11, Andrika showcases the latest in indie rock, with a particular eye to Toronto’s always vibrant scene. If the kids are down with it, you’ll hear it here.

* indicates Canadian artist

40. Rural Alberta Advantage- Departing (Paper Bag Records)*

39. Cold Cave- Cherish the Light Years (Matador Records)

38. Yelle- Safari Disco Club (Barclay Records)

37. Timber Timbre- Creep On Creepin’ (Arts & Crafts)*

36. Library Voices- Summer of Lust (Nevado Records)*

35. We Are Enfant Terrible- Explicit Pictures (Last Gang Records)

34. CSS- La Liberacion (Cooperative Music)

33. Colin Stetson- New History Warfare Vol.2: Judges (Constellation Records) *

32. Moonface- Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I Hoped (Jajaguawar)*

31. TV on the Radio- Nine Types of Light (Interscope)

30. Cut Copy- Zonoscope (Modular)

29. Tune Yards- W H O K I L L (4AD)

28. Bruce Peninsula- Open Flames (Outside Music)

27. The Paint Movement- The Paint Movement (Nevado Records)*

26. Johan Agebjörn- Casablanca (Paper Bag Records)

25. Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee Part II (Capitol)

24. Portugal the Man- In the Mountain in the Cold (Atlantic)

23. Feist- Metals (Arts & Crafts)*

22. Imaginary cities- Temporary Resident (Hidden Pony)*

21. Austra- Feel It Break * (Paper Bag Records)*

20. Digitalism- I Love You Dude (V2 Records)

19. The Kills- Blood Pressures (Domino Records)

18. Big Black Delta- BBDLP1 (Independent)

17. Pat Jordache- Future Songs (Constellation Records)*

16. Destroyer- Kaputt (Merge Records)*

15. Sebastian- Total  (Because/Ed Banger Records)

14. Gorillaz- The Fall (Parlaphone)

13. Bon Iver- Bon Iver  (Jajaguwar)

12. SBTRKT- SBTRKT (Young Turks)

11. Rich Aucoin- We’re All Dying To Live (Public Publication EP/Over The Top LP)  (Sonic Records)*

10. Braids- Native Speaker (Flemish Eye Records/Kanine)*

9. Sandro Perri- Impossible Spaces (Constellation)*

8. M83- Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (Naive Records)

7. Kidstreet- Fuh Yeah (Nettwerk Records) *

6. Chad Vangaalen- Diaper Island (Flemish Eye Records) *

5.  St. Vincent- Strange Mercy (4AD)

4. James Blake- James Blake (Atlas Records)

3. Ohbijou- Metal Meets (Last Gang Records)*

2. Grimes- Darkbloom (Arbutus Records) *

1.  Young Galaxy- Shapeshifting (Paper Bag Records) *

Hooded Fang vs. Silver Dapple – How are We to Choose?

Toronto has always had a fantastic DIY music scene, but these days it seems like the whole thing could blow up huge at any moment. Case in point: two shows happening tomorrow (Friday, Dec 2) night.

First up are local heroes Hooded Fang. The collective dropped two records in the span of 12 months (the sunny Album and the retro groove of Tosta Mista), each sounding nothing like the other. They hit the stage at the Horseshoe Tavern with Vancouver duo Makeout Videotape and L Con, who will apparently be “remixing ballads.” $10 at the door.

Then their are local shoegaze phenoms Silver Dapple rocking the Port, on Dundas. Their independent debut English Girlfriend dropped last week and this would no doubt be a great opportunity to pick up a copy on glorious vinyl. Not to be outdone, Odonis Odonis just released their debut, Hollandaze, on a trio of local labels to some rapturous reviews. They’ve got another blast of their lo-fi noise and surf rock due early next year on Fat Cat, so I’d suggest you check them out now before they blow up. Each Other opens. $7 at the door.

Video: Rich Aucoin – “It”

View artists exemplify the communal spirit of community radio and the Canadian arts scene in general, like Rich Aucoin. The Halifax native recently released his beyond excellent full-length debut, We’re All Dying to Live, recruiting over 500 Canadian musicians and artists to participate in the project. You can read the full-story about the album’s creation here, and watch the lo-fi nostalgia of his new video for album stand-out ”It” below. You won’t regret it.

Record Review: Big K.R.I.T. – “Return of 4eva”

Outkast, UGK, 8 Ball and MGJ, Scarface, and David Banner: what do those artist have in common? Besides being from the south, they’ve all engraved their names as legends in Southern hip-hop. What do these artist have in common in BIG K.R.I.T? Just one listen to his latest mixtape, Return of 4eva and you’ll know right away that he’s not far from making that list.

With 21 tracks, Return of 4eva is a breath of fresh air in the midst of all the latest trap, and snap production. Songs like “Sookie Now” (featuring David Banner), “Time Machine” (featuring Chamillionaire), and “Country Shit” (featuring Ludacris) proves that not only can Big K.R.I.T can hold his own against these hip-hop veterans, he’s also a great producer.

All in all Return of 4eva is a great mixtape that is a definate must have. - Joshua Fountain

 

“Hometown Hero”

Record Review: Jessie J – “Who You Are”

Who You Are, the debut album from England’s Jessie J, presents a strong new female voice with a positive sound to her music.  Catchy opener “Price Tag” espouses the mantra that everyone should live with passion while flip-side “Nobody’s Perfect” captures the regret and sadness one can feel on past actions.

The fluctuations that Jessie can do with her voice are amazing, and come across best on “Big White Room.” She does ballads with grace and flow; instantly I feel in love with “Casualty of Love,” which has radio play written all over it. “Do it like Dude” is assertive, ground holding and take no prisoners. It is followed by the bluesy, poppin’ and soulful “Mama Knows Best.” Scatting too! Damn, is there anything this lady can’t do? “Calling “L.O.V.E.” a ballad doesn’t do it justice. It’s playful, light and floaty and sounds the way love feels.

An album filled with positive messages, heart and truth.  Jessie J had a hand in the writing of her songs all which are great to have under her belt. Already I can’t wait to hear what her sophomore record has in store. – Nicole Rubacha

“Price Tag”

Record Review: Ninja Funk Orchestra – “NinjaTek”

Imagine this: you’re in distress. Out of nowhere comes the Ninja Funk Orchestra. You can’t understand how this espionage knew your affliction, but their mission drew them to this moment. Their array of weapons seems few, but how they use them – vast, as if the message to be delivered has never been interpreted that way before. The prolific background of music ideals, morals and thoughts have spurred on these four young souls to become masters of their craft. Elements of Jazz, Rock, Funk, DubStep, Drum & Bass, Electronica and Experimental are all infused. One wonders how it works, but with Toronto’s NFO, fusion is just a meager term.

What makes their sound so definitive is not just from what they play, but how they deliver their way of life though the instrumentation. “Fist” brings a declaration of their presence while “(Theme from) Thunderbrawl” states their mission and that they are on the move to fulfill it. “Shadow” is about their stealth journey (like a true Ninja), “10,000 Snakes” is a mindset, speaking that they do not take their purpose lightly and “(Oh Baby, I’m So Beyond) Drifting through Space Without You” speaks truth – the more involved you become in your mastery and mission, the more lonely you become. Track by track they show their levels and how to best quantify them, not only delivering a song, but an experience.

Listening to the NinjaTek on CD is already an augmentation, but watching them perform live is like being carried to another dimension you never knew existed, coming back to Earth with this linger and enlightened sense of purpose to get back into that dimension. - Camillie Leung

Live on CHRY 105.5: