In The Spotlight

Strange Plants – “Horseshoe Smile”

Based in Halifax and consisting of Travis Flint and Matt Brannon, this Canadian duo are no strangers to the music scene. Having met 6 years ago, they’ve been in a few musical projects together, most notably the alt-country collective Hot Mondy. Realizing their musical direction was pointing elsewhere, they combined their eclectic tastes into this new retro-dipped project. Inspired by Pink Floyd, Supertramp and Tears For Fears, they released their debut “Tell Me All Your Secrets, Pt.2” in 2025.

Shining a light on a world run by phonies and narcissists, their new single shows the truth behind the surplus of fake smiles. Taken from their upcoming, self-titled album, expected on June 6th, they created a bouncy, multi-layered melody, doused in psychedelic nostalgia. From the driving percussion, 80s-dipped electric guitars and a trippy, Beatle-esque trumpet solo to Matt’s Beach Boys-influenced vocals, this vibrant tune takes the vibes of the past and moulds them into something fresh.

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Music History

Toni Childs – “I’ve Got To Go Now”

From her album “House Of Hope” (1991):

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New Music

Benson Boone – “Mystical Magical”

From his upcoming album “American Heart”, to be released on 20 June 2025:

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In The Spotlight

Karlie Bartholomew – “Haunted House”

Born in Baltimore and based in Nashville, this singer and songwriter battled her childhood shyness by immersing herself in music. She began writing songs at an early age and performed in elementary school talent shows. In high school she taught herself how to play guitar on the six-string of her musician dad. She went on to study Professional Music at Berklee College of Music. Inspired by artists like Joni Mitchell and Elliott Smith, she debuted with “Brooklyn Park” in 2021.

Exploring the ghosts of our past that always seem to be living rent-free in our heads, her new single is an exquisite example of her folk-inspired storytelling skills. Enveloping her poetic yet relatable lyrics is a soft, melancholic melody that, for the first part of the song, consists of merely a delicate acoustic guitar. Later joined by silky strings and an electric guitar, it’s the genuine vulnerability of her velvety vocals that makes this soul-stirring tune soothing and mesmerizing Americana.

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Music History

Boz Scaggs – “Breakdown Dead Ahead”

From his album “Middle Man” (1980):

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New Music

Sophie Ellis-Bextor – “Vertigo”

From her upcoming album “Perimenopop”, to be released on 12 September 2025:

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