Category: Features

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.RU :: Underground tweenoise masters in the post-USSR


By Kristel Jax

In mid 2010, I started billing myself as a DJ who played Solntsetsvety. Solntsetsvety – or Солнцецветы, a Russian word that translates to Sun Flowers (abbreviated СЦ in Cyrillic) – is an artist network which has been spawning lo-fi tracks and albums ranging from harsh noise and pure experimental to transcendental kraut jams and lo-fi reggaes since the late ’90s. Solntsetsvety is based – sort of – in cities Minsk, Belarus and Moscow, Russia, and sort of on their website, lesom.ru. The groups belonging to Solntsetsvety were hard to penetrate, even armed with digital translation and English articles on David MacFadyen’s Far From Moscow blog. Solntsetsvety was magic – and a mystery too intense to shrug off. Continue reading “.RU :: Underground tweenoise masters in the post-USSR”

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Memoryhouse – The Slideshow Effect

by Adrienne Yeung

Forget the map. A pair of headphones and Memoryhouse’s debut LP, The Slideshow Effect, are all you need to find a little oasis of sepia-toned zen anytime, anyplace. (It also helps if you have the muscle tone to not drop your backpack on a stranger’s foot like I did when I was chilling/dozing to this during my commute.) The duo behind this ambient, invigorating pop consist of Guelph natives Evan Abeele and Denise Nouvion, who took the time to play Q&A with Stylus. Continue reading “Memoryhouse – The Slideshow Effect”
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The Hidden Words explore the Bahá’í faith in song


By Sheldon Birnie

The Hidden Words is a Montréal-based acoustic folk-pop project celebrating the scriptural tradition of the Bahá’í faith. Initiated by Alden Penner (ex-Unicorns, Clues), the project has grown to include Penner’s old friend and collaborator Jamie Thompson (ex-Unicorns, ex-Islands), as well as Marie-Claire Saindon, Neah Bahji Kelly, James Farr, and Ben Howden. Continue reading “The Hidden Words explore the Bahá’í faith in song”

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Greg Rekus – Hardcore Troubadour

by Sheldon Birnie

When Greg Rekus’ long-running, hard-touring punk band High Five Drive went on indefinite hiatus recently, Greg wasn’t willing to hang up his stompin’ boots. Instead, the singer/guitar-player set about writing songs he could deliver himself, and then set about conquering North America. With the release of his debut full-length The Dude Abides, Rekus has been on the road more or less non-stop since. Stylus caught up with Greg just before he flies over to tour Europe. Continue reading “Greg Rekus – Hardcore Troubadour”

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Hillbilly Highway – Gospel according to the Reverend Rambler

by Sheldon Birnie

The Reverend Rambler might not be an ordained man of God, but his passionate rhythm and blues inspired tunes will have you feeling the spirit something fierce. Whether he’s fronting blues-rockers the Red River Ramblers, folk troupe the Mass of Reparation or performing as a one-man-band, the Reverend — aka Matt Colpitts, of Winnipeg — delivers. Anyone who’s seen his live show can testify to that. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Gospel according to the Reverend Rambler”

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Royal Canoe

By Nicholas Van Doeselaar

Pulling their name from a news headline, Royal Canoe has been a Winnipeg synth-pop band of choice for over a year now. What used to be a recording project for Matt Peters (Waking Eyes), the band has been filled out with members of the Liptonians and Tele and together they embrace the old, wooden, and royal sound their name gives off, yet still adventuring headfirst into electro territory as a means of complimenting their sick hooks. Matt Peters and Bucky Driedger were kind enough to sit down and answer a few questions about where the band has been and their upcoming Extended Play.