TAURO, THE DUO OF CYNTHIA TAURO AND BRENDAN CANNING, SHARE NEW SINGLE, “YOU GOT SOMETHING”

LISTEN / SHARE “YOU GOT SOMETHING” HERE
BUY / STREAM “YOU GOT SOMETHING” HERE

TAURO IS THE COLLABORATION OF PIANIST SINGER SONGWRITER CYNTHIA TAURO AND BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE’S BRENDAN CANNING

Photo Credit : Kate Dockeray // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

TAURO, the collaboration between jazz pianist and singer-songwriter Cynthia Tauro and Brendan Canning (Broken Social Scene), found its genesis in the summer of 2022 during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Brendan coming from the indie rock world, and Cynthia from the Toronto jazz world, having just released her debut album. Today, they are following up their debut single “Great Minds”, with the groovy down-tempo track, “You Got Something”, out now via Arts & Crafts.

"You Got Something" is about always leading with your heart, and aligning yourself with the true people who are meant to be in your life. Cynthia’s voice carries a sense of vulnerability, as she sings about stumbling into something she never really wanted and most of all, didn’t need.

LISTEN / SHARE “YOU GOT SOMETHING” HERE
BUY / STREAM “YOU GOT SOMETHING” HERE

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MORE ABOUT TAURO
Cynthia Tauro has been active in the Toronto music scene for the better part of the last decade, playing primarily in the jazz circuit. Shortly after completing her degree in jazz performance at Carleton University, she released a debut full-length titled Moments. It was met with modest acclaim but more importantly it introduced her to some heavy hitters in the scene like Guido Basso, Robi Botos and Terry Clarke.

Fast forward a couple years and a few hundred gigs later, including a stint in the stage production of Mama Mia, Cynthia was looking for some new and untapped avenues to explore. She sparked a friendship with Brendan Canning in 2022 at Field Trip Music Festival in downtown Toronto and immediately felt a spark as the music of Lucy Dacus played in the background. The conversation quickly turned to writing songs together and it was clear a path was being laid out.

Cynthia began coming over to Brendan’s home for impromptu jams while the two tried to figure each other’s musical worlds out. In Brendan’s words, “It wasn’t until Cynthia started playing what she called ‘intervals’ that I truly started to see where we could connect on a deeper level.” Those ‘intervals’ would eventually become the song “Great Minds”.

This fruitful partnership is already scheming for the future. Multiple recording sessions with Spencer Muscio (Jessie Reyez), Kintaro Akyama (Birds of Bellwoods), Juwayon Clarke (Daniel Caesar), and Little Scream mean there’s more music on the way in the very near future.

WATCH / SHARE “GREAT MINDS” HERE
BUY / STREAM “GREAT MINDS” HERE

MORE ABOUT BRENDAN CANNING
Brendan Canning is the co-founder of multi JUNO Award winning, 2x Polaris Music Prize nominated internationally acclaimed group Broken Social Scene who have just celebrated their twenty year anniversary. He has three solo albums under his belt and has been part of numerous bands over the last three decades including hHead, Len, By Divine Right and Cookie Duster. Canning's film credits span Half Nelson, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, the Netflix series Spinning Out and more.

Quietly, he’s known as the “Butter Tart Guy” from the 90s smash hit, “Steal My Sunshine” and also the DJ who’s played every bar, warehouse, backyard, booze can and roof top since 1998. Today he splits his time between Tauro, Broken Social Scene, composing for film, and music director at the Drake Hotel in Toronto.

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SAYA GRAY RELEASES BRAND NEW SINGLE “H.B.W”, FROM UPCOMING DEBUT ALBUM

SAYA GRAY’S HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM SAYA OUT ON FEBRUARY 21, 2025 VIA DIRTY HIT

WATCH / SHARE “H.B.W” HERE
BUY / STREAM “H.B.W” HERE

PRE-SAVE SAYA HERE

“a new self-sufficient artistic voice that’s bound to push, jolt and reinvent” - Dazed

“her production is alert, hyper-detailed and surreally unpredictable, segueing among ticking electronics, syncopated indie-rock, spacey vocal chorales, distorted guitars and what might be a koto.” - The New York Times

“collaging R&B and alt-rock into interdimensional pop” - Pitchfork

Photo Credit : Jennifer Cheng // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Having already made such an indelible mark on the current music climate, it’s hard to believe that Saya Gray has never released an album. Across her three previous EPs—2022’s 19 MASTERS, 2023’s QWERTY I, and 2024’s QWERTY II—she’s introduced the world to a sound that’s as vivid as it is vulnerable, seamlessly weaving genres with a bold originality. On February 21, 2025, Gray will release SAYA, an album that seeks to draw a line in the sand between what came before and what the future holds.

Today, she offers a further glimpse of what’s to come with the release of a brand new track “H.B.W” - a spellbinding blend of pop and the avant-garde. Following the release of the country music-tinged “SHELL (OF A MAN)” last month, “H.B.W” finds Gray in a fever-dream state, her vocals flowing with quiet grace underpinned by a deep, trembling bassline. Confronting feelings of grief and the loss of control, her confessional lyrics lay bare her vulnerability and strength in the face of uncertainty, combined with her meticulous approach to music production, it’s clear that Saya Gray is an artist that unquestionably occupies her own, very distinct lane. Not wanting to give too much away about “H.B.W” (an acronym of the chorus lyric ‘Heartbreak Wake’) and the personal themes it contains, Gray simply states; "H.B.W is the pain of nightmares". 

WATCH / SHARE “H.B.W” HERE
BUY / STREAM “H.B.W” HERE

Gray began work on SAYA following the dissolution of a troubled romantic entanglement; she booked a flight to Japan in Autumn of 2023, and like a feel-good movie protagonist, detangled herself from the outstanding psychic ties by journeying solo on a cross-country road trip. Moved by the vastness of albums by the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, as well as her Canadian folk forebear, Joni Mitchell, Gray kept an acoustic guitar in the passenger’s seat, just in case inspiration would strike. In recording SAYA, Gray sanded and fine tuned the rough edges of records past into more cohesive works of melodic folk songcraft. 

Born out of the large periods of 2023 she spent in studious isolation and her healthy fear of the ever encroaching digital world, the 10 tracks perfectly demonstrate her stunningly detailed compositions. 

MORE ABOUT SAYA GRAY
She first introduced herself to the world as a solo artist in 2022 with 19 MASTERS. Recorded in large part through her iPhone’s Voice Notes app, her dissonant electro-rock sketches aptly met the moment of global post-pandemic disarray. It was dubbed one of the best albums of the year by TIME and her work has generally received accolades from The New York Times, Pitchfork, NPR, and more. She also began unveiling her own kaleidoscopic inventions to such major festivals as the Montreal Jazz Fest, Pitchfork Music’s Paris festival, and Primavera Sound in Spain.

Gray was born in Toronto, Canada, to a Japanese mother and Scottish-Canadian father. She first got her start playing in a house band at a Jamaican Pentecostal church; by 16, she was recruited for gigs at open mics, nightclubs and jazz festivals alongside adults. Soon, Gray began entertaining bigger offers to tour internationally as a bass player for Grammy-winning neo-soul singer Daniel Caesar and musical director alt royalty Willow Smith.

SAYA Artwork // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

SAYA TRACKLIST
01 ..THUS IS WHY ( I DON'T SPRING 4 LOVE)
02 SHELL ( OF A MAN )
03 LINE BACK 22
04 PUDDLE ( OF ME )
05 HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP UP A LIE?
06 CATS CRADLE!
07 10 WAYS ( TO LOSE A CROWN )
08 H.B.W
09 EXHAUST THE TOPIC
10 LIE DOWN..

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LEIF VOLLEBEKK SHARES NEW VERSION OF SINGLE, “PEACE OF MIND (MORNING)”

Photo Credit: Kiddihjalmur // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Today, Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Leif Vollebekk reveals an acoustic version of “Peace of Mind” off his critically acclaimed new record Revelation. “Peace of Mind (Morning),” is a captivating acoustic take. “‘Peace of Mind (Morning)’ felt like it wanted its own space, separate from the album version,” says Vollebekk. He adds: “there’s something about a mountain that always makes you feel at ease. It can inspire the stillness you need to find yourself. In the I Ching, Keeping Still (symbolized by a mountain) is the way to peace of mind. Considering the title, it’s rather ironic that I’ve spent more time recording this song than any other. I’ve recorded 4 or 5 different versions of this song.”

“Peace of Mind (Morning)” arrives alongside an official visualizer directed by Andy Mann, offering fans a sensory journey that pairs perfectly with the song's immersive tones. Vollebekk is currently performing across the United States on a nationwide tour supporting Revelation. The tour continues with stops in major cities, bringing his intimate yet electrifying live experience to fans coast-to-coast. In the new year, the tour will progress to Canada, with stops in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and more.

WATCH / SHARE “PEACE OF MIND (MORNING)” HERE
BUY / STREAM “PEACE OF MIND (MORNING)” HERE

Revelation has been raved by critics and fans alike since its release on September 27th. Bedroom Disco calls it “by far the best work by this talented singer-songwriter to date,” a sentiment echoed by Musikreview in Germany. In England, Americana UK offered a 9/10 and shared that “[Vollebekk] has delivered a superb piece of work. ‘Revelation’ is an apt a title as any for an album that deserves a place on those end-of-year lists so beloved by, well, everyone.” Le Devoir gave it ★★★★, while Exclaim! shares an 8/10, stating, “The image shimmers, a mirage in crystal clear water that sparkles before it disappears in a crash of waves. It's in these images that Vollebekk's subconscious is both amplified and reconstructed. Rolling Stone wants everyone to discover “Rock and Roll” and included it in their “Songs You Need To Know” feature, while Atwood Magazine cherishes another favorite; “A dreamy reverie basking in the glow of intimate connection, Leif Vollebekk’s “Peace of Mind (Evening)” is sweet bliss channeled into soul-stirring sound.” – In addition, Leif's music was synced in last night's episode of Shrinking on Apple TV+, bringing his signature sound to viewers worldwide.

An artist’s artist with many colleagues as admirers, Vollebekk – who self-produced and played piano, guitar, bass, B3 organ, harmonica, accordion and Moog synthesizer on Revelation – compiled an impressive supporting cast that speaks to the caliber of musicianship and feel of the recordings, including legendary drummer Jim Keltner, notable steel guitarist Cindy Cashdollar (Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Rod Stewart), and revered bassist Shahzad Ismaily. His other album collaborators included artists Angie McMahon and Anaïs Mitchell on background vocals. The album was mixed by Tchad Blake (Tom Waits, Arctic Monkeys, Tracy Chapman) and mastered by Greg Calbi.

WATCH / SHARE “ROCK AND ROLL” HERE

MORE ABOUT LEIF VOLLEBEKK
Leif Vollebekk is an acclaimed singer-songwriter originally from Ottawa who now resides in Montreal, Canada. The artist has sold-out headlining tours across North America, Europe and Australia. His first Secret City Records release, Twin Solitude, was a breakthrough album, landing a spot on the Polaris Music Prize 2017 shortlist, a JUNO Award nomination and gathering over 60 million streams. His follow-up, New Ways, confirmed his undeniable talent and surpassed Twin Solitude in streaming. “[His] songs […] are pensive and restless, blossoming with stream-of-consciousness verses that bear the marks of long nights spent alone on the road.” (The New York Times). Previous media supporters include The New York Times, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Pitchfork, Uncut, NPR Music, The Fader, BBC, The Sunday Times Culture, The Line of Best Fit, Paste, Brooklyn Vegan, WXPN, KCRW, Exclaim! and many more. Music from Leif has been heard in TV shows such as Netflix’s Feel Good and Lovesick, HBO’s The New Pope, The Bold Type, Wisdom of the Crowd and more.

PRAISE FOR REVELATION

★★★★ ½  - Liverpool Sound and Vision

★★★★ ½  - Americana UK

★★★★ - Le Devoir

★★★★ - Exclaim!

★★★★ - Plattentests-de

BUY / STREAM REVELATION HERE

BUY REVELATION PHYSICAL ALBUM HERE

TOUR DATES
November 23 – Boulder, CO | Fox Theatre
November 24 – Denver, CO | The Bluebird Theater
February 13 - Vancouver, BC | The Pearl
February 14 – Vancouver, BC | The Pearl
February 15 – Victoria, BC | McPherson Playhouse
February 18 - Calgary, AB | Palace Theatre
February 19 – Edmonton, AB | Midway
February 20 – Saskatoon, SK | Broadway Theatre
February 21 – Regina, SK | The Exchange
February 22 – Winnipeg, MB | Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain
February 27 – Ottawa, ON | The Bronson Centre
February 28 – Montreal, QC | M Telus
March 1 – Toronto, ON | Massey Hall

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