Beat Making
Staff Picks: 6 LANDR Artists We Loved in June
Thousands of artists trust LANDR Distribution to get their tracks on streaming platforms worldwide. But did you know we listen to every single submission? Here’s a taste of some incredible talent that comes from our distribution community.
Hot summer days mean it’s time to bump that new summer jam, check out some local music and discover your new favorite band.
Get fast, insightful support and promotional tips, tools and tricks and distribution to 100+ music streaming platforms when you release your tracks with LANDR. Release a track.
We love hearing out all the new music that’s coming out around the world via LANDR Distribution and it’s safe to say we found some choice picks this month.
In this edition, we’ll look at a passing torch in Candian post-punk, a brand-new Quebec-based pop duo, some heavy techno and much more.
1. Mid Cycle – Temps
With its debut album Mid Cycle, Temps is my new favorite post-punk band.
Winding through pensive guitar rock territory—the minimal, neatly packed arrangements create abstract painting-like pieces that evoke the past greatness of Talking Heads and Television to name a few.
Mid Cycle likes to veer into funky jazz territory at times on tracks like Warped and Peripheral Visions while remaining steadfast and stoic on tracks like Singularity and Automatic.
For me, it all comes together on Picture of Destruction—its weaving guitar parts that interlace nicely with frontman David Lavoie’s abstract talk-sung lyrics.
It’s no surprise given the band’s pedigree in the Canadian post-punk scene—the project was produced by former members of Faux Fur, Telstar Drugs, The Dories and others.
It’s no surprise given the band’s pedigree in the Canadian post-punk scene.
If you’re looking for modern post-punk bands to follow in the same vein as Omni or Dry Cleaning—do not sleep on Temps.
2. 2019 – Antoine93 and Lesbians on Ecstasy
Shifting gears we’ve got a brand new single from pop-icon and local party-boy Antoine93 with help from Montreal mainstays Lesbians on Ecstasy.
The song is imagined to be a tongue-in-cheek homage to both Prince’s 1999 and the pre-pandemic party scene.
It invites listeners to pick up the pieces post-pandemic and get back to having fun—suggesting that we party like it’s 2019.
Picking up on current trends in pop-punk, hyper pop and 2000s electro revival—the track features crunchy pop-punk guitar, punchy electro-trash drums and auto-tuned vocal hooks all over.
The chorus hits hardest with its main message:
I’m sick of being good, I think we should
Party like it’s 2019
It’s a perfect summer jam from some serious Montreal up-and-comers that accurately catches the sentiment of the moment.
3. Hatred – Skov Boden
Ear-splitting drums, punishing bass, rumbling kicks and huge synth lines are what I love about techno in 2022.
It’s not just me, it seems that everyone is embracing niche techno and house genres—especially with A-list artists like Drake veering more and more into electronic territory.
That’s why this intense and heavy track from Skov Boden caught my ear this month.
I was particularly drawn to its production style—the clearness of the mix and well-considered sound design.
I was particularly drawn to its production style—the clearness of the mix and well-considered sound design made me feel like it was 3:00 AM at some industrial warehouse party.
If you’re looking for obscure techno deep cuts, put this one on your tracklist.
4. Nostalgic – Flat Lake
As a bit of a palate cleanser here’s a calming ambient joint from Flat Lake.
Nostalgic use sprawling chorale-like synth that evolve and shape shift, creating a huge atmosphere.
The four-minute track oscillates around its main chord before evolving into a minimalist jam with light drums and some chilled-out reverb-drenched acoustic guitar.
Flat Lake seems to be increasingly active these days, putting ambient jams monthly—so if you’re looking for another ambient artist to add to your relaxation playlist check this out!
5. Water in the Desert – Ariane Mercure
Here’s a low-key folk-rock jam from French Canadian singer-songwriter Ariane Mercure.
Water in the Desert starts with some stripped acoustic guitar and vocals before launching into a nice full band arrangement.
The song covers interesting territory about growth and change—using water as a dramatic tool to tell her story about moving on and becoming a new person.
Get fast, insightful support and promotional tips, tools and tricks and distribution to 100+ music streaming platforms when you release your tracks with LANDR. Release a track.
Indie-folk is going through a bit of a revival these days, so here’s another track to add to the indie-rock canon.
6. How Many Times – CAMY
Here’s a fun house-inspired album from CAMY.
Featuring some funky bass, tried and true house drums and some nice synth sounds—the house track backs up bright and hooky vocals from the singer.
The dancy jam is at home on house and electro playlists, making it a great 2022 summer jam.
Alex Lavoie is a drummer, music producer, songwriter and marketing professional living in Montreal, Quebec. He works as a staff writer at LANDR by day and writes indie post-punk tunes in his band UTILS while moonlighting as drummer for folk-rock outfit The Painters. Connect with Alex Lavoie on LANDR Network!
@Alex LavoieGear guides, tips, tutorials, inspiration and more—delivered weekly.
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