Radwan Ghazi Moumneh & Frédéric D. Oberland — Eternal Life No End
ليلة ظلماء ملعونة، كحياة طالبيها
Constellation Records
On their debut project as a duo, collaborators Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (Jerusalem In My Heart) and Frédéric D. Oberland (Oiseaux-Tempête) address the horrors of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Moumneh, a Lebanese musician based in Montreal, processes Middle Eastern music through avant-garde electronics, while France-based Oberland builds mountainous post-rock. Together, they evoke themes of loss and longing that loom throughout Eternal Life No End — a title borrowed from an Arabic phrase that translates more literally to “a dark, cursed night, like the seekers themselves” — though dreams also linger. On “The Serpent,” Moumneh’s distorted lyrics slip in and out of focus over throbbing electronics, while the clandestine sound design of “A Dream That Never Arrived” suggests dormant revolution. So when they climb cascading synthesizer chords on the finale “Walked And Walked,” there’s cleansing ascension as a clarineau meanders across the protracted repetitions. — Tom Beedham
ANGEL GIRL — LIFE OF AN ANGEL
Independent
On their debut EP, ANGEL GIRL channels their queer feminine rage into eight glorious minutes of ear-splitting punk. LIFE OF AN ANGEL is fuelled by the wrath of a Halifax band who are fed up with capitalism, the patriarchy, gender-based violence, and having to fight tooth and nail to exist and feel safe. Lead vocalist Allie Richlan is snarly and sardonic, winking at assholes before spitting in their faces. One of the most cathartic moments on the EP happens during “I DON’T,” when Richlan repeatedly screams, “fuck off.” In the arms of these angels, you will have the strength to flip over a Cybertruck.— Laura Stanley
Beverly Glenn-Copeland — Laughter In Summer
Transgressive Records
On Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s latest album, Laughter In Summer, the legendary Canadian artist delivers his most vulnerable effort yet. Instrumentally eschewing the more elaborate electronic textures and full-band sounds of his previous work, Copeland takes a more stripped-down approach, placing a heavier focus on vocal arrangements, many of which are performed alongside his wife Elizabeth. Choral singing and piano support the pair, with occasional interjections of clarinet adorning songs like album highlight “Prince Caspian’s Dream At Hotel2Tango.” At 82 years of age, Copeland offers a generous exploration of the many forms of love and intimacy that are experienced in a human lifetime. — Daniel G. Wilson
liz uninvited — i don’t have to do anything.
Self-released
The latest release from Toronto singer-songwriter liz uninvited is brooding and introspective, yet warm and inviting. Presented against a raw backdrop of acoustic guitar that flows like an emotional undercurrent, her lyrics are groundbreaking in their candour and matter-of-fact dissection of mental health. These songs feel simple, but contain hidden complexity and quiet double-edgedness:“When I sink it makes me feel safe,” she sings on “Oh (the OCD Song).” The sound is that of a small intimate concert, but instead of being surrounded by people pretending to be okay, this is about working toward actually being okay; showcasing both the power of music and the fact that self care and community care are one and the same. — Sarah Chodos
femtanyl — MAN BITES DOG
Entitii Records
If you haven’t been following femtanyl, now’s the time to start. The Toronto electronic duo’s debut full length album demands attention: a furious mix of jungle and digital hardcore, the record is engulfed by themes of extremity, spectacle and sensationalism. Across MAN BITES DOG, femtanyl navigate the internalization of a culture obsessed with shock and horror over a time-stretched collage of sounds: shredded blast beat samples that collide with a chorus of failing hard drives and bursts of PS1 soundtrack euphoria —andif that sounds over the top and overwhelming, it’s supposed to. The incessant repetition on “Body the Pistol” mirrors the song’s lyrics about cyclical violence, while on “Helltarget” that cycle unravels into pure chaos, evoking the whiplash of doomscrolling through disaster after disaster. On the title track, the album crystallizes its thesis: in a world where only the abnormal and monstrous become headlines, the self must mutate into something extreme just to register.— Michael Rancic
Bilge — HARD-CORE DEMO
High Trash Media
The word “bilge” holds plenty of water for Charlottetown’s newest hardcore wrecking crew. There’s the obvious maritime reference to the lowest part of a ship’s hull. And then there’s the band’s energetic efforts to sink outdated, worthless ideas. “Will you admit you’re so wrong?” vocalist Joanna Howlett challenges on “SO WRONG,” the imperative question of her muffled cry penetrating through the song’s muck. Talk is cheaper than ever, and when Howlett charges that “You run your mouth” on “CHANCES,” her words carry an extra sting: “You’ll give yourself power and then sit there and lie.” Bilge ram holes into the infrastructure that keeps the ruling classes afloat. The time to abandon ship is nigh. — Leslie Ken Chu
This article appeared in the 2026 Apr/May issue.