Sled Island Edition Part 1
We are getting very excited about the quickly approaching Sled Island Music Festival. Cups N Cakes has been partnering with this amazing festival for many years and like always, the CnC Team will be in Calgary to take in as many shows as possible. Leading up to the festival you will see some special coverage on the site that will be highlighting a ton of the acts playing this year. That coverage begins today with a special edition of the Quick Picks that focuses on four new releases from acts playing in Calgary from June 17th-22nd. Time to start getting pumped!
Ribbon Skirt - Bite Down
Ribbon Skirt first jumped on our radar when they were known as Love Language. On this Montreal duo’s debut album under their new name, Anishinaabe musician Tashiina Buswa wrestles with themes of memory, grief and connection to her Indigenous identity and cultural practices. Her voice shines through a sonic array of guitar sounds that range from jagged post-punk to ethereal shoegaze feedback. With the help of producers Scott ‘Monty’ Munro & Marlaena Moore, they’ve created a perfect backdrop from what makes this album so special, the vocals and their significance. I was curious why they’d change their name but it’s very clear when you listen that the purposeful pivot to write songs through an indigenous lens required a name to match. Catch Ribbon Skirt this year on Friday the 20th at The Ship & Anchor or Saturday the 21st at The Legion.
The Painters - Single Cell Nostalgia
Single Cell Nostalgia is a new EP from Montreal DIY band The Painters. It’s the follow-up to their fantastic 2023 Self Titled record but sonically has more in common with the 2016 debut, Specks Of Dust, which was one of my favourite albums from that year. This new EP was recorded live off the floor which gives this band a feel that I believe is better suited to their unique brand of psychedelic-pop. Approaching everything with DIY ethos, there’s love in these tracks that you can feel. The band do it all, including their own press and they are making publications like ours take notice. Dive into these four songs of folk-pop meets psych meets slacker-rock to get yourself amped up for their two appearances at Sled this year. (Wednesday the 18th at The Legion and/or Thursday the 19th at Pin-Bar)
cootie catcher - Shy at first
I’m very intrigued to see cootie catcher this year at Sled. This year was my first time hearing this Toronto band and their earnest brand of lofi-pop is a breath of fresh air. Shy at first is fun and quirky and brings to mind great acts like The Moldy Peaches or Daniel Johnston. The comparison only goes as far as the feel of the album as cootie catcher steer further away from freak-folk stylings with the use of electronic sounds and with the strength of impressive melodies that are much more inline with a pop subgenre. Nerd speak aside, this is a fun record and you should take the time to see them play it Friday the 20th at The Ship & Anchor or Sunday the 22nd at The Palomino.
Laraw - J'ai quitté le Heartbreak Club
This is a great example of why people attend festivals with a reputation like Sled Island. I would never have found this incredible alt-pop act from Montreal. Laraw’s debut EP boasts four calm and cool tracks that move and sway with an effortless vibe. Giving the EP a special beauty is the French lyrics which may turn some Anglophones away but I can assure you that you do not need to be bilingual to feel that these songs are most definitely from the heart and likely about love and love-lost. Catch Laraw on Wednesday the 18th at Pin-Bar and/or Thursday the 19th at Sloth Records.
