Springtime is in full swing! We just celebrated the 14th year of I Heart Hamilton, and I’m so grateful for all of the local music I’ve enjoyed over the years. This city is brimming with talent. Time for the next installment of my quarterly curated roundup, rolling through various genres and feels. Turn it up and take a walk! 🌸
Are you a musician from Hamilton and the surrounding area? Let me know what you’re up to! I’m always looking for new local music to play on my weekly radio show on 93.3 CFMU!
Alex Whorms – “Stay” [Listen]
Alex Whorms – “Younger Self” [Listen]
Two new beautiful tracks and music videos from Alex Whorms, and they are my favourite pieces of songwriting yet from the singer-songwriter and composer. Both are from her forthcoming 4th EP.
ellis – “little kid” [Listen]
Following a fantastic album last year, no place that feels like, ellis returns with one of her most vulnerable tracks yet and a beautiful addition to her discography. This spring, the band hit the road for a North American tour.
A Days Wait – “deadAlive” [Listen]
A Days Wait is a musical project with all proceeds from releases going to charity. This a perfect track for spring – it launches me into that feeling with every listen.
Lost Faculty – “Tripper” [Listen]
In just a short time as a band, Lost Faculty keep delivering. After introducing this track at many a live show, they were stoked to share the recorded version. Catch the band as part of the TiCats The Stipley Stage Battle of the Bands this summer!
The Dirty Nil – “Gallop of the Hounds” [Listen]
The Dirty Nil – “Spider Dream” [Listen]
The Nil are gearing up for a new era – the band announced their new album The Lash is out in July. Two singles lead the way so far. Also in July, you can catch them in Hamilton performing at this year’s Because Beer festival. And you know a hometown show is always a rager!
King Ludd – “Trouble” [Listen]
You know Michael Keire from one of my favourite recording studios in the city, Threshold. He introduced his first musical project with a banger of a track. It’s also an all-star lineup of collaborators from the likes of Marco Bresette, Jon Harvey, Theo Mckibbon, Adam Bentley, Luke Bentham, Linnea Siggelkow, Thom Hammerton, Dwayne Christie, Aaron “Hutch” Hutchinson, and Connor Bennett.
Goddess – “Be Happy” [Listen]
A new local band on my radar – just discovered Goddess’ album PINKNDARK, out last summer, and they followed up now with a new track to scream along to.
Spookyguava – “B-SIDE” [Listen]
Crank up the latest from indie artist Spookyguava – I have a soft spot for that pop punk nostalgia!
Lewiii – “YOU THEM and I” [Listen]
Formerly LEWI V LØNE, Lewiii returns with a few new tracks this year since his 2022 EP Out Of Options. This song speaks to rage and frustration towards the society we live in.
Superstar Crush – “Fire Escape” [Listen]
Indie pop rockers Superstar Crush are raring to go with new music. This latest track leads the way to their debut full-length album, out this summer. Catch two hometown release shows at Mills Hardware on June 27 & 28.
The Beans – “Every Time That I Try – Live at The Casbah” [Listen]
If you’ve yet to catch The Beans live, what are you waiting for? They’ll be at Mills Hardware on June 5. But you’ve got their new EP, Live at The Casbah, in the meantime. It’s also rad to have this now-lost venue immortalized in this way.
Arkells – “Come On, Teacher” [Listen]
Over 20 artists from across Canada and beyond come together on the compilation Songs From The Gang – A Celebration of Joel Plaskett. Each choosing a Joel track to cover, it’s a loving tribute to the musician, and the release surprised him on his 50th birthday. Arkells return with their iconic Hamilton concert, The Rally, on June 21.
The Redhill Valleys – “One Headlight” [Listen]
Another cover song for this mix – alt-country & roots rockers The Redhill Valleys share their rendition of a track by The Wallflowers, and share that it’s one of their favourite songs. The band is nominated twice at the Country Music Association of Ontario’s annual CMAOntario Awards (Group or Duo of the Year & Roots Artist or Group of the Year) which takes place in Hamilton at The Music Hall on June 1.
Terra Lightfoot – “Higher & Higher” [Listen]
A new soulful track from Terra Lightfoot, which was a co-write with Los Angeles-based songwriter and producer Tyler Chester. Catch Terra Lightfoot supporting Matt Andersen as part of the Royal Botanical Gardens’ Music in the Garden lineup on July 17.
Bernadette Connors – “White Magnolia” [Listen]
A perfect title for this spring mix – Bernadette Connors shares another soulful and powerful vocal performance on her latest single, written in collaboration with John-Angus MacDonald of The Trews.
Wreckless Harbour – “Don’t Burn The Dream” [Listen]
It has been a great run so far for this emerging local folk band, who showcase their lovely songwriting, harmonies, and instrumentation with each release.
Eric Brandon – “Dad” [Listen]
With a toasty, crackling fire in the background of these recordings, Eric Brandon’s new EP From Arcady is an intimate and introspective experience, including this heartfelt track.
Neil Haverty – “Man Down” [Listen]
Great to hear new music from vocalist, composer, and Bruce Peninsula frontman Neil Haverty (fun fact: Neil was my second interview ever for the blog, even before the radio show!). It’s a deeply personal track, and he shares: “This song wrestles with [the] realization that survival doesn’t always mean transformation, and that clinging to our old patterns is as human as anything else.”
Drew Smith – “Leaf By Leaf” [Listen]
“Leaf By Leaf” is the title track from Drew Smith’s new album, his first new release in at least 10 years. It was so lovely to hear this new music, as Drew was one of the local artists I first discovered when the blog first began in 2011.
Ariana Fig – “Weather App” [Listen]
With her new single, Ariana Fig tackles the topic of online dating and the “murky space between real connection and the illusions we create online.” The song was written during her first co-writing session with fellow local singer-songwriter Emma Whale at Catherine North Studios. You can catch Ariana performing next at this year’s Burlington Sound of Music Festival in June.
Juliana LaChance – “Late Bloomer” [Listen]
Juliana LaChance is a prolific visual artist and also expresses herself as a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. The North Wind is her latest release, and true to the first track’s title, Juliana shares “I feel that after 7 full-length albums, I have just begun to find my true voice.”
Shealagh Rose – “Perth” [Listen]
On her new EP, Safe In Our Silence, Shealagh Rose closes with a hopeful note with this track. She shares: “The EP takes you on a journey. While the first three tracks deal with loss, apathy, loneliness, and bitterness, the last track turns a corner.”
Father Christmas – “Someone You’d Admire” [Listen]
I do love a cover song! It’s always fun to hear an artist’s interpretation. Here, Father Christmas (Kyle Peters) takes on Fleet Foxes. And for the music video, showcases our reputation as the City of Waterfalls with this stunning winter scenery.
Gareth Inkster – “Ode (For Elliott Smith)” [Listen]
Recording every instrument myself, Gareth Inkster shares his instrumental tribute to Elliott Smith. Gareth shares his appreciation for the musician’s expansive discography: “I’ve always found that his genius is so brilliant that even the darkest of his songs dazzles. This is my own song but I suspect fans of Elliott Smith will hear much of him in it.”
Ryan Sykes – “Cry On” [Listen]
In his latest, pop singer-songwriter Ryan Sykes taps into the loss of a friendship, oftentimes even harder to endure than a romantic connection breakup. He shares: “At its core, this song is for anyone who’s ever felt forgotten or left behind. I wanted the production to mirror the stages of losing someone—not in a dramatic breakup sense, but in that quiet, aching way when a friendship fades.”
Dynasty – “Hope” [Listen]
A new project on the scene – Dynasty is a synth-pop duo that emerged from a studio session between Roman Marcone and Jenni Dreager. Each one drawing from an eclectic range of musical experience, the pair found a fresh sound as Dynasty. Jenni describes the process: “We ended up meeting for a no-pressure writing session just to see what would happen – and the songs started pouring out.”
shn shn – “New Horizon” [Listen]
Experimental electronic pop artist shn shn shares her latest album, Serpent’s Skin, which she describes as “a journey to an ethereal, alien world—both familiar and foreign—where duality, texture, and emotion collide. Creating a space that feels safe to explore identity in all its fluidity through joy, challenge, and deep presence.”
KTxKP – “Write This Down” [Listen]
The dynamic collaborative project from Ktriggs and Kristen Prince, KTxKP, dropped a new track and along with it their first music video, a collab with becausedesignmatters featuring many familiar Hamilton sights.
LTtheMonk – “Villain Era” [Listen]
It’s a new era for LTtheMonk, who introduces LT5ive along with new single “Villain Era”! You can also catch LT in an upcoming episode of The New Vibes, which is spotlighting local talent.
Smoothie Lou – “Smoothy! Smoothi! Smoothé!” feat. Scotty IV [Listen]
Hip hop artist Smoothie Lou just dropped his second album, SMOOTHIE, which features some great collabs for artists from Hamilton and beyond including Hoss Bowman, LTtheMonk, Flowzus, Boxcar Ben, and Scotty IV.
Banman – “Didn’t See Me Coming” [Listen]
Emerging local hip hop artist Banman just dropped a new EP, Ups & Downs. He shares: “These songs have taught me patience. I could’ve released them years ago, but I wasn’t ready. Now, it feels like the perfect time.”
