Julia Willinger of XL Recordings is a New York-based music writer.
Believe it or not, but the epicenter of hot music as of late is neither in our Bushwick backyard nor perching in the hills of Echo Park. Of course there are a plethora of bands we can see every night in the ‘burg or Silver Lake, but everything worth obsessing over recently is found in…CANADA. There, I said it. A proud American raised in New Jersey, I am crushing on all things coming out of Canada. Take a fledgling Arcade Fire or Drizzy Drake, mix it with some government funding, and voilà! Parliament and music cultures have collided to create some of today’s best tunes.
Although there are so many to name, the focus must be put on The Weeknd, Grimes, and Purity Ring. From the get-go, The Weeknd has had support from the OVO crew (aka Drake’s team, which The Weeknd's Abel Tesfaye is a part of). Tesfaye, a Toronto native, released the mixtape House of Balloons in 2011 that literally shook the Internet alive, leaving everyone wondering, who is The Weeknd? With more to come in 2012, the upcoming year will hopefully reveal more about this secretive and amazing artist.
Fresh out of French-speaking Canada, Montreal’s Grimes (aka Claire Boucher) just announced her signing to 4AD, home to Cocteau Twins, Ariel Pink, Gang Gang Dance, and many more. Grimes attention started after she released her video for “Vanessa”, which debuted the adorable singer surrounded by other females dancing and singing in a tribal-like fashion. There was something about it so beautiful and pop––yet unsettling and harrowing at the same time––that music bloggers fell in love immediately! She is a one-woman act, belting out a youthful voice mixed with Mariah Carey falsetto, all while sampling and mixing her music live. Every show, she changes her hair color and outfit, but her combat boots and humble persona remain the same. Grimes is sort of like a fairy on mushrooms. Her new album, Visions, will be released on February 21st.
Last but not least comes Edmonton’s male/female duo Purity Ring. In 2011, the band released "Ungirthed”, a song that mixed dance beats and hip-hop samples in a way the music blog zone hadn't heard before. Having followed up with two more songs since, the group keeps the hits coming and leaves us salivating for more. Their live show can easily be compared to Fever Ray's, with a stage that's mainly black with the exception of minimal props giving off light. Corin Roddick, half the band (with fellow member Megan James), plays his equipment and instruments with intensity, stirring up nervous excitement. Megan sings ambient tunes and sways as if hypnotized by the production, while occasionally banging a gargantuan gong. No word yet on what is coming next, but only greatness in sight.![]()
Clockwise from top: Grimes, Drake, The Weeknd, and Purity Ring
Believe it or not, but the epicenter of hot music as of late is neither in our Bushwick backyard nor perching in the hills of Echo Park. Of course there are a plethora of bands we can see every night in the ‘burg or Silver Lake, but everything worth obsessing over recently is found in…CANADA. There, I said it. A proud American raised in New Jersey, I am crushing on all things coming out of Canada. Take a fledgling Arcade Fire or Drizzy Drake, mix it with some government funding, and voilà! Parliament and music cultures have collided to create some of today’s best tunes.
Although there are so many to name, the focus must be put on The Weeknd, Grimes, and Purity Ring. From the get-go, The Weeknd has had support from the OVO crew (aka Drake’s team, which The Weeknd's Abel Tesfaye is a part of). Tesfaye, a Toronto native, released the mixtape House of Balloons in 2011 that literally shook the Internet alive, leaving everyone wondering, who is The Weeknd? With more to come in 2012, the upcoming year will hopefully reveal more about this secretive and amazing artist.
Fresh out of French-speaking Canada, Montreal’s Grimes (aka Claire Boucher) just announced her signing to 4AD, home to Cocteau Twins, Ariel Pink, Gang Gang Dance, and many more. Grimes attention started after she released her video for “Vanessa”, which debuted the adorable singer surrounded by other females dancing and singing in a tribal-like fashion. There was something about it so beautiful and pop––yet unsettling and harrowing at the same time––that music bloggers fell in love immediately! She is a one-woman act, belting out a youthful voice mixed with Mariah Carey falsetto, all while sampling and mixing her music live. Every show, she changes her hair color and outfit, but her combat boots and humble persona remain the same. Grimes is sort of like a fairy on mushrooms. Her new album, Visions, will be released on February 21st.
Last but not least comes Edmonton’s male/female duo Purity Ring. In 2011, the band released "Ungirthed”, a song that mixed dance beats and hip-hop samples in a way the music blog zone hadn't heard before. Having followed up with two more songs since, the group keeps the hits coming and leaves us salivating for more. Their live show can easily be compared to Fever Ray's, with a stage that's mainly black with the exception of minimal props giving off light. Corin Roddick, half the band (with fellow member Megan James), plays his equipment and instruments with intensity, stirring up nervous excitement. Megan sings ambient tunes and sways as if hypnotized by the production, while occasionally banging a gargantuan gong. No word yet on what is coming next, but only greatness in sight.
Clockwise from top: Grimes, Drake, The Weeknd, and Purity Ring