JP Lancaster, Heaven For Real, Doug Hoyer, and The Fleeting Light of Love and Grief
JP Lancaster - Speedy Ceviche
Kamloops artist JP Lancaster is a favourite here at Cups N Cakes. We were shocked and saddened when he announced a few years ago that he was ending his musical career so you can imagine our delight when this three song EP showed up in our inbox. Drawing inspiration from hip hop, Lancaster shrugs away all his past sounds for an instrumental foray into the world of laid back electronic music. The title track is the highlight here and it ends with some guitar and a brief hint of a voice, perhaps an Easter egg for us regarding his future intent? Let’s hope so, although completely different than his past work, these three tracks remind us that Lancaster is an incredible song writer.
Heaven For Real - Hell's Logo's Pink
The Halifax/Toronto duo of Mark Grundy and J. Scott Grundy return with a mini-album of their signature experimental-power-pop vibes. Like past releases from Heaven For Real, there’s a loose, slacker-rock vibe that sometimes sounds on the verge of collapse but it’s offset by the impeccable melodies they craft. This juxtaposition is what always peeks my interest with this band and it’s why they’re such an anomalous act within the Canadian music landscape.
Doug Hoyer - “Times & Galaxy”
Doug Hoyer returns with a fun new single that was written for a video game bearing the same name. The track features shimmering synths and squealing guitar over massive beats that do a perfect job of emulating old school game soundtracks. I haven’t played a video game in over 15 years but this is a song that takes me back to my youth, spending way too much time in front of my Nintendo. So much fun!
The Fleeting Light of Love and Grief - Self-Titled
Roy Vucino has teamed up with Lydia Wener to create the project, The Fleeting Light of Love and Grief. Their debut album is an incredible instrumental endeavour. Channeling krautrock, psychedelia, jazz, and electronic music, the self-titled release is captivating and nuanced. The duo use repetition, building layers of robust sonic exploration in short vignettes that pop in and out of existence like fleeting thoughts in a contemplative state.
- Jeff MacCallum