Heïka, the rising star of the indie-pop genre, has sent a ray of sunshine into the Canadian province of Quebec's music landscape. The mesmerising soprano Andrée-Anne Bélisle and the evocative pianist Jo-Annie Bourdeau are at the centre of this project. Their unexpected encounter at the University of Montréal as jazz enthusiasts developed into a symphony of shared musical aspirations once they got to know one...

Alright, this one settled in differently. Not with a bang, but like noticing the colour drain slowly from a favourite rug. Michellar's "LOVE EARTH" wraps its stark message in this comfortable cloak of indie rock softness, a bit of alt-country dust on its boots. The female vocal leads, clear and steady, piloting through a landscape that feels increasingly precarious. https://open.spotify.com/track/1nBGREag5AUevozyCepKWv?si=32662ddcf35c497d The subject matter – environmental crisis,...