Mixtape Magazine Best of 2016

Fourth annual review of Canada’s best music

MIXTAPE TEAM

Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Briggins Creative Director Emma Cochrane Managing Editor and Hand Lettering Evelyn Hornbeck Contributors Jane Caulfield MatĂ­as MuĂąoz Erin MacKinnon Michael McGrath

mixtapemagazine.ca email: mixtapehalifax@gmail.com Mixtape Magazine was originally created by Jonathan Briggins, Samantha Chown, Hilary Creamer, Ryan Hemsworth, and Chelcie Soroka.

Thanks to Jackpine.co for their design support.

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MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

MIC CHECK

Letter from the editor Jonathan Briggins, Editor-in-Chief

The word best didn’t get used in the same sentence as 2016 this year, especially when talking about major music stories. We lost heroes, poets, and artists tragically forced to face their own mortality. But here we are with the “Best of 2016” issue, our fourth annual review of albums that caught our ears from coast to coast to coast.

It always feels odd putting together issues like this, a series of albums tied together because they happened to come out in the same calendar year. It’s not like all the albums and songs highlighted in this issue were written at the same time. A band like Montreal experimental duo She-Devils released an EP this year after playing shows for a long time without any recorded music. Wintersleep released The Great Detachment with dystopian first single “Amerika” influenced by the poem “America” by Walt Whitman in 1888 — not the political circus of 2016. It’s like music exists outside of time, we just happen to group it based on the release date, perhaps the most arbitrary characteristic of an album.

Existing outside of time makes music special. We can always listen to I’m Your Man and the rest of Leonard Cohen’s discography even though the artist is no longer with us.

Yes, 2016 may have sucked, but we still have our music and we always will.

MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

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Photo: Daniel Ledwell

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador

Kinley – Letters Never Sent

EDITOR’S PICK

(Independent) This year a lot of artists found their voices. Not their on-stage personas, but their off-stage, real-talk, here-is-the-shit-that-I’vedealt-with voices. On her debut album, Hey Rosetta’s Kinley Dowling shared some really dark shit. Maybe you don’t know first hand how it feels to be assaulted, and to come back from it, but Dowling bravely shares that on “Microphone”. Recounting an assault years before, she shares the night’s excitement that turned to fear and hurt. The lyrics started out as confessional writing and the honesty will knock the wind out of you. The production is dreamy, Dowling’s voice is superb, but the best part is the vindication she sings: “If you come to my show I think you should know/ I’m gonna call you out for the rest of my life.” She’s said she’ll never tour this material, but she emailed it to her assaulter, and told him it was about him. - Evelyn Hornbeck MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

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BEST OF ATLANTIC

Beauts – Waves/Wash (Independent) Beauts have only made music together for a little over a year, but they’re no strangers to the Canadian indie scene with members playing in a handful of East Coast bands including Writers’ Strike, Kuato and Rich Aucoin’s backing band. That experience, along with two members who went to recording school, allow the band to dive right in and deliver polished post-punk-infused anthems that are just begging for a sing-along. Or at least a little fist pump.

Waves/Wash is a four-song sugar rush that satisfies a jangly guitar-sized craving.

- Jonathan Briggins

Corey Isenor – A Painted Portrait (Of the Classic Ruse) (Independent) Corey Isenor the photographer explores the natural environment and its elements. Corey Isenor the folk musician does a similar thing on his latest album. His songs capture the little details, both in mind and nature, whether it be a specific thought on “Losing My Mind” or a field recording of Canada Geese on “Diamonds on the Moon”. On “From Towers to Windmills”, Isenor explores nostalgia triggered by changing landscapes around Sackville, N.B. People change, but so does the world around us. With a knack for wearing his heart on his sleeve, but still keeping some secrets, Isenor’s sixth album is his best yet. - Jonathan Briggins

Kestrels – Kestrels (Sonic Unyon) The name Kestrels carries a lot of weight in some music communities, and with their latest release, much more weight’s been added to the name. Guitarist and vocalist Chad Peck has crafted yet another world on Kestrels. The album is made of mostly towering and swirling shoegaze music, an unrelenting wall of sound from end to end. But the beauty in this release exists within that relentlessness: the vocal harmonies, the quiet melodic guitars, the trancing drumbeats. It’s a niche release, but beauty can be found in it no matter your tastes. - Michael McGrath

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MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

BEST OF ATLANTIC

Laps – eyelet/islet (Independent) There’s a wry sense of humour in everything that Fredericton/Montreal band Laps does. The homophone album title eyelet/islet is the first written clue. EP opener “faux real” continues in this vein, throwing another homophone into a common phrase. The music itself is playful, going in one direction before sharply turning in a totally different direction before veering down yet another path, all guided by a post-punk muse. A song like “fronds” may only be a little over two minutes in length, but it feels like it spans the same distance as an eight-minute prog-rock epic. - Jonathan Briggins

Nap Eyes – Thought Rock Fish Scale (You’ve Changed Records) A sip of beer will taste drastically different if you swirl it around your mouth before swallowing. It may be tempting to just drink it back quickly, but a little bit of restraint results in a treat for the senses. On Thought Rock Fish Scale, the band put on a clinic in control. “Stargazer” holds a steady pace throughout, resisting the urge to erupt into something grandiose. In the process, the song becomes more focused and every music note and word becomes more enunciated. It feels like a roadmap navigating the mind of an introvert — mindfully analyzing every little decision and social interaction. Take some time to soak in the music and you’ll be rewarded. - Jonathan Briggins

Wintersleep – The Great Detachment (Dine Alone Records) The release of The Great Detachment marked the return of Wintersleep. It was the indie rock band’s first album in four years, but, more importantly, it was a return to a classic Wintersleep sound. While they’ve released some great songs over the past 10 years, Hello Hum and New Inheritors each felt lost. Recorded in the same Halifax studio as their first three albums, Wintersleep sound haunted by familiar ghosts. Loel Campbell’s drums have more punch and Paul Murphy’s vocals and lyrics stir up heartbreak, fear and hope all in one. Wintersleep push hard on this album with an expansive sound and an irresistible reckless abandon. - Jonathan Briggins

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Photo: Matt Barnes

Ontario, Quebec

A Tribe Called Red – We Are the Halluci Nation

EDITOR’S PICK

(Pirates Blend) Indigenous DJ trio A Tribe Called Red returned with an immense 15-track masterpiece on We Are the Halluci Nation, taking traditional rhythms and beats of pow wow and transforming them into the powerful backbone of electronic- and dubstep-inspired anthems. This album is global; the Halluci Nation extends beyond political borders. It delves head-on into the ongoing impact of colonialism with poignant interludes by author Joseph Boyden.

With appearances by acclaimed throat singer Tanya Tagaq, as well as Yassin Bey (a.k.a. Mos Def), Lido Pimienta, and more, ATCR has created the most crucial album of the year, one that all Canadians need to hear. - Matías Muñoz

MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

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BEST OF CENTRAL

Jazz Cartier – Hotel Paranoia (Independent) Jazz Cartier scrapped early versions of his debut mixtape Marauding in Paradise before settling on the final version. He wasted no time on his next release, dropping Hotel Paranoia in January and a string of singles throughout the year.

Like a wrestler entering the ring, Toronto’s Cartier opens the album declaring “I am the prince of the city/I am the talk of the town/Nobody else fucking with me/’Cos I am not fucking around.”It’s a bold statement, but Cartier and producer Lantz back it up with their captivating “cinematic trap” music. Drake and The Weeknd put a spotlight on Toronto, but Cartier’s proving he’s not trapped in the shadows. - Jonathan Briggins

Creep Wave – Winter Sucks (Independent) Although this album came out in February, now is the perfect time for any Canadian to check out Winter Sucks. Throughout this short and catchy powerpop release, vocalist Brittany Neron rings off songs about your enemies, about the shitty 40-hour work week, about the winter wasteland of Ottawa and, most importantly, the topic of anxiety which permeates the record. Despite the winter release and subject matter subtly and not-so-subtly addressed throughout the EP, Winter Sucks is the perfect title because it sounds more like something you’d say to your friends while listening to this bouncy EP, soaking up the sun in August. Or sweating to death in August, depending on your season allegiance. - Michael McGrath

Diana – Familiar Touch (Culvert Music) Familiar Touch is a seductive dream from which we are promptly woken with a powerful blend of ‘80s-inspired electronic drum rhythms, transcendent layers of nostalgic reverb and synth, and cutting, emotionally-charged lyrics. This follow-up to Diana’s critically acclaimed 2013 debut Perpetual Surrender is fine-tuned and comfortable in its own skin. The addition of vocalist Gary Beals on “Slipping Away” smoothly complements Carmen Elle’s honest delivery, and for a brief moment, it takes the listener back in time to when Lionel Richie ruled the charts. Familiar Touch induces a wandinger “anywhere but here” sentiment. And we will go anywhere Diana takes us. - Matías Muñoz

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MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

BEST OF CENTRAL

Drake – Views (Cash Money Records) Drake’s Views is a testament to the fact that he works outside of the system.

The process of making full-length albums constrains him: he operates better when releasing standalone tracks. On Views, he took the constraint of the album format and made a concept album that brings you through the seasons.

It’s messy, but beautifully executed. We got the song of the summer with “One Dance”. We got one of the most stunning and chilling Rihanna contributions of the year on “Too Good”. Most importantly, we got another book in the cult of Drake, one that proves that even when he releases a project that’s potentially his worst, he’s still one of the best doing it. - Michael McGrath

Hooded Fang – Venus on Edge (Daps Records) The latest from Toronto’s Hooded Fang is a logical extension of 2013’s Gravez, but it’s noisier, darker, and rawer. Their latest work breaks from the lo-fi surf and garage rock shackles Hooded Fang. The percussion and rhythm drive this album on a hell-bent journey all the way to the end, steering the frenetic and dissonant staccato flurries resonating from the guitar, or thunderous waves of April Aliermo’s fuzzy bass lines down the dark highway. Along with Daniel Lee’s disaffected vocals, these elements combine into something that is purely exceptional. - Matías Muñoz

Kaytranada – 99.9% (HW&W Recordings) Louis Kevin Celestin, a.k.a. Kaytranada, is a 23-year old Haitian-born DJ that has climbed his way out of the depths of Soundcloud obscurity and into the spotlight with his debut album 99.9%. This 15-track behemoth contains a diverse onslaught of percussion, which is undeniably the defining feature of the album. His collection of irresistible drum breaks and samples span generations and genres, only to be complemented by the spectrum of synths, grooves, and collaborations. Take R&B, soul, funk, afrobeat, jazz, and hip hop, crush it in a blender and throw it all on the dancefloor. That’s 99.9%. - Matías Muñoz

MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

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BEST OF CENTRAL

Majid Jordan – Majid Jordan (OVO Sound) Releasing a debut album on Drake’s OVO Sound label puts you under the microscope more than the average Canadian R&B duo. While the 6ix god makes an appearance on “My Love”, it’s Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman who do the majority of the heavy lifting when it comes to songwriting and producing. The pop synths and samples are gleefully catchy and lift up lyrics that can be ice cold and lonely. On Majid Jordan, the duo come dangerously close to sounding too serious but hard to take seriously. But the sugar rush of production is just too good to ignore. - Jonathan Briggins

She-Devils – She-Devils (Independent) After playing music for a while without any recordings, She-Devils released their debut EP in January. The Montreal duo of Audrey Ann Boucher and Kyle Jukka sample blues and ‘50s surf-rock, while Audrey Ann Boucher drills straight to the bone with vocals as sampled tracks are completely transformed into something new. There’s something hypnotic about the recording as the songs swirl around, almost in slow motion. Opener “Come” beckons the listener into a sample-heavy vortex. A remix of “Come” closes the EP, completely different and demented compared to the original, showcasing She-Devils’ ability to refine and manipulate. - Jonathan Briggins

Un Blonde – Good Will Come To You (Egg Paper) It’s only 31 seconds long, but the track “On My Grind” feels like a thesis statement for the album: “I’ve been on my grind so long, it’s hard to know just who I am anymore.” It sets the stage for a deeply personal record where JeanSebastien Audet partakes in gospel-tinged vocals and seemingly transforms from human to music. As a listener, it feels more appropriate to sit back and quietly meditate than try to concretely define what the 21 songs mean. Then, just maybe, good will come to you. - Jonathan Briggins

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MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

Photo: Colin Medley

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories,Yukon, Nunavut

Andy Shauf – The Party

EDITOR’S PICK

(Arts&Crafts) Andy Shauf has been captivating ears for a while now and The Party is the next step in an evolution of skills that demonstrate both a growth in musicianship and as a normal human being. Delivering what’s expected — poignant lyrics mixed with well established minor chords and subtly syncopated rhythms — with an unexpected, grown-up perspective. The first track, “The Magician”, is accentuated with a string section (which is revisited throughout the album) that heightens the song’s inherent role as an introduction to the narrative.

As the album progresses, the listener is transported into a house party that is full of universal characters we know and perspective wrapped around secretly admire. All those crazy moments that happen at a party wrapped up in catchy tunes and mature lyrics that naturally tug at the heartstrings. Shauf ’s vocal tone and lyrical nuance straddles the line between song and spoken word in a way that captivates you. Jane Caulfield 14

MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

BEST OF PRAIRIES & NORTH

Friends of Foes – Faults (Independent) Saskatoon’s Friends of Foes released on of the most satisfying albums of 2016 by doing what they do best — blending sharp, driving rhythms with gentle melodies. Only this time, it feels more put together and confident. Lead singer Celeste Nicholson’s delicate voice easily dances through complex chord progressions with ease and rings above bright walls of sound. Since their debut album in 2013, the band has come together to write songs more collaboratively, leading to an album of songs that work well together. Having been on the prairie and western Canadian scene for three years now, I think it’s safe to say that this band has earned a spot a the adult table. - Jane Caulfield

The Garrys – Warm Buds (The Sound and Silence Collective) Eerie low-fi pop sounds dominate the debut album from Saskatoon sister-trio The Garrys. Laid-back, reverberating vocals, simple rhythmic guitar riffs, and dulled drum hits take you back to a long-forgotten era or a surreal world you can only get to while sleeping. The sisters channel retro influences of doo-wop, garage, rock, and surf from the 1950s and 1960s, including covers of “Come On” by Los Saicos and “Three Cool Chicks”, playfully replacing the word cats from the Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller original. With lyrics that recall childhood memories and real-life moments of apathy, as heard on “Party For One”, the Garrys create a roomy, cozy space they can grow into. - Jane Caulfield

Shotgun Jimmie – Field of Trampolines (You’ve Changed Records) In the summer of 2015, Shotgun Jimmie and Winnipeg’s Human Music went on tour and pitched tents on campgrounds across Canada. He took his new friends-turned-backing-band into the studio to make an album in the studio of an old friend, Joel Plaskett. The friendship pours over into the album with songs written for friends in the Constantines (“Constantine Believer”), Attack In Black (“Love Letter”) and Eric’s Trip (“Song for Julie, Chris, Rick + Mark”).

Even if you don’t know Shotgun Jimmie, listening to Field of Trampolines makes him seem like that pen pal you’re excited to meet IRL some day. - Jonathan Briggins

MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

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BEST OF PRAIRIES & NORTH

The Jerry Cans – Inuusiq (Aakuluk Music) Unique is an overused word often misused to describe something that’s actually not that groundbreaking. It’s fair to describe the Jerry Cans as unique. The Nunuvut band released Inuusiq, an alt-country album with accordion, violin, and throat singing on Aakuluk — a label the Jerry Cans started and the first label based in the territory. Opening track “Ukiuq” was recorded in Inuktitut and then recorded in English to close out the album on “Northern Lights”.

A central part of the band’s identity is telling the stories of life the Canadian North while preserving the language. Really, there’s nothing quite like this. Jonathan Briggins

John K Samson – Winter Wheat (ANTI-) It’s easy to draw comparisons between John K. Samson and Neil Young as both are singer-songwriters from Winnipeg. In a track-by-track guide to Winter Wheat with CBC Music, Samson said what’s clear from listening to the album — many songs are influenced by Neil Young’s 1974 album On the Beach.

Samson is a time traveller, going back 42 years to respond to Young. Listening to Winter Wheat is like reading a series of thoughtful essays from Samson reflecting on the art and literature that inspires and motivates. - Jonathan Briggins

Tanya Tagaq – Retribution (Six Shooter Records) In an interview with Thump after the release of Retribution, Tanya Tagaq said “It is no longer the Indian problem. It’s Canada’s problem. The typical Canadian is smart enough and knowledgeable enough and empathetic enough to be able to change this country.” If you’re Canadian and listening to this album, you’re allowed to feel emotional as Tagaq uses songs with throat singing, drums, and expansive sound textures to share the plight of the earth below our feet, missing and murdered indigenous women and rape. It’s a heavy album from an artist who’s a catalyst for change and she’s not going away anytime soon. Jonathan Briggins

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MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

Photo: Brian Van Wyk

Alberta, British Columbia

Aidan Knight – Each Other

EDITOR’S PICK

(Outside Music) Aidan Knight’s quiet intensity emerges like a whisper amidst the meticulously arranged instrumentals on his album Each Other.

Throughout the album’s pointed vignettes and candid lyricism, Knight asks his audience to do one thing: lean in. Knight hasn’t released a full-length album in nearly four years, but the result is a thematically cohesive record with both acoustic and full band accompaniment. The album delivers from the first title track to the album’s somber farewell tune “Black Dream”. There’s a maturity to the composition of Each Other that’s not as obvious on Knight’s other records. He demonstrates an ability to describe the most minute interactions with eloquence, whether it be with an orchestra of talented friends or his own voice echoed against the sound of his guitar. - Erin MacKinnon

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MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

BEST OF WEST

Jay Arner – Jay Arner II (Mint Records) Jay Arner doesn’t do much hiding on Jay Arner II, the follow up to his selftitled debut. He’s so open that he hands out the digits to his phone number on “Personal Line”.While he explores his thoughts through catchy guitar licks and wavy synths, there’s a self-awareness that puts his problems into context. On “Earth to Jay”, Arner harmonizes with a line reminding himself he’s not the first to person to have his ego hurt. The following track “World of Suffering” continues to shrink the problems of Jay Arner in comparison to global issues.

It’s a sophisticated humour embedded in Arner’s DNA. - Jonathan Briggins

Supermoon – Playland (Mint Records) Supermoon returns with an antithesis to their debut album Comet Lovejoy and it’s indulgently moody. Playland is a melancholic inner monologue delivered by the soft voice of singer Adrienne Labelle and highlighted by the energetic accompaniment of Alie Lynch, Selina Crammond and Katie Gravestock. Despite its cheery namesake, Playland drops the sunny pop tones of Supermoon’s previous album and explores darker basslines and haunting vocals.

Playland confronts themes such as unhappy relationships, consumerism, gender inequality and the comfort of being alone. The subject matter is more serious, but the sound can’t be described as such. Supermoon refuses to be placed into a box and that’s why we love them. - Erin MacKinnon

Adrian Teacher & The Subs – Terminal City (You’ve Changed Records) Change is inevitable. Album title Terminal City shares a name with a nowdefunct Vancouver alt-weekly, a fate that’s befallen similar rags across the country. Communities morph and sometimes it means the mom and pop shops and the people who frequent those sorts of dives, like on “Charmless Babes”, are the ones who feel the blow. On “Forget America”, Teacher shares the blame, declaring “this city/is sick/but I’m not/sick of it/it’s your fault/it’s my fault.” This album carries on in the spirit of Teacher’s previous band Apollo Ghosts, delivering quick and catchy takes on life, all delivered with a smile. Jonathan Briggins

MIXTAPE BEST OF 2016

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