The 400 Project

2016 was a great year for music and I’m hoping 2017 will be even better. Here are some of the songs and artists I’ve been listening to so far this year…

Charlotte Day Wilson

I first heard Toronto singer Charlotte Day Wilson in the fantastic BADBADNOTGOOD song “In Your Eyes”, immediately falling in love with her strong but subtle vocals. Luckily her solo tracks have the same laid-back jazz/R&B vibe with a strong emphasis on her voice. I’m looking forward to a potential full length album but for now her EP “CDW” is proving the perfect soundtrack for January in Toronto.

The xx

While I’ve never been a huge fan of The xx, I’ve been listening to their newest album “I See You” quite a bit since it came out last week. They’ve always been more or less a band just to put on as background music while I work but there are quite a few moments in this album that broke my focus (in a good way).

Hazel English

Hazel English is one of the many wins from my weekly Spotify recommendations. I first heard her single “Never Going Home” and immediately went through everything else she had on Spotify. I’m not sure what it is about this low-fi, reverb-y sound I like so much – but maybe it’s that she sounds like she could be the female counterpart of Day Wave.

Japandroids

I really enjoyed Japandroids’ last album (released all the way back in 2012) but they’ve completely disappeared from my Recently Played since then. Their new single is a great reminder to go back through the Vancouver band’s discography.

My Epic

One of the oldest and best ways to discover new artists is seeing who’s touring with other artists you like. I noticed that a band called My Epic was playing with Silent Planet and Norma Jean, opening for For Today’s farewell tour and decided to check them out. I’m really glad I did – I love the juxtaposition of the soft and high vocals with the heavy instrumentation and how the band’s lyrics show a really vulnerable side of faith and religion.

From First To Last (with Sonny Moore)

The 15 year-old emo kid in me lost it when I saw that From First To Last’s original vocalist Sonny Moore (aka Skrillex) was back in the band. And besides some pretty cringey lyrics, this song is everything you could ask for from a reunion.

Fit For A King

Solid State Records sure knows how to find metalcore bands that stand out from the crowd. Fit For A King clearly sticks to the genre’s basic formula but adds their own creative touches. Their latest album, Deathgrip has been my go-to driving mix for the last week and this track featuring Jake Luhrs from August Burns Red is one of the stand-outs: