Rec Centre - Squash
Overall, in many ways, Squash takes everything that Rec Centre had built up to in Maxed Out (2023) and takes it to the next level with its gentle thematic focus and its creative ways of playing on this long term creative collaboration with Jay Arner. Honestly, this album can appeal to a wide audience from indie rock darlings who want gentle rock music all the way over to engineering music heads who will find lots to dig into throughout some of the more ambitious cuts of the album.
Kathleen Edwards - Billionaire
This album is a triumph of songwriting, a lyricist who found another peak more than 20 years into her career and whose voice has only gained power and beauty since her 2003 debut - less airy vibrato and more grace and control. Honesty and vivid storytelling have always been Edwards’ strengths. Here those strengths are balanced by a level of experience and wisdom that can only come with the benefit of age.
Camilla Sparksss - ICU RUN
This is certainly not your mom’s pop. It has the experimental edge that has characterized a lot of what is now known as hyperpop. With production and mixing choices evocative of acts like Arca, Skrillex, Robyn, FKA twigs, and Sega Bodega, Camilla Sparksss has delivered one of the most interesting albums to come out in Canada this year.
Pig Pen - Mental Madness
There is something special about a band of friends exploring mental health, shared anxieties and finding joy in shared catharsis. Obviously, every member of this supergroup is rather busy with their regular gigs. Romano’s outfit tours relentlessly and releases new music at a remarkable pace; Alexisonfire is an active concern again; and The Bear was picked up for a 5th season, to say nothing of the growing Matheson restaurant empire. That said, if an opportunity presents itself for Pig Pen to make another record, I really hope they do.
KERUB - APHANTASIA
"With this snapshot of what you can find in the deconstructive worlds that KERUB fleshes out, I encourage people to give APHANTASIA a shot since it is their most accessible yet ambitious release yet. This is a producer that you will see expanding their already prolific catalogue and getting more deeply involved in other people’s work”
Debby Friday - The Starr of The Queen of Life
With The Starr of The Queen of Life, Debby Friday’s has fleshed out a depth of creative maturity and personal insight that allow her to embody the starr that she ultimately is. Not only is this the best Canadian release in 2025 so far for me, but it may be a contender for such a title at an international level.
Fortunato Durutti Marinetti - Bitter Sweet, Sweet Bitter
Between the smoky upright bass, the tasteful brass flourishes, and Marinetti’s tender baroque pop soliloquies, Bitter Sweet, Sweet Bitter is an album worth not just listening to, but experiencing.
Eliza Niemi - Progress Bakery
Simone Atenea Medina Polo reviews the latest record from Toronto’s Eliza Niemi: Progress Bakery is an incredible sophomore album that shows off the breadth of what Eliza Niemi can do.