Arts & Crafts, 55 Berkeley Street, Toronto, ON (2025)

12/03/2024

Recorded in 1992, “Star” dates back to the “big bang that started it all,” says IDAHO’s (IdahoMusic) torchbearer Jeff Martin of his collaboration with late co-founder John Berry, who left the pioneering slowcore band in 1993 and died in 2016. Previously only released as the b-side to "Skyscrape" on IDAHO's very first 7" (March 1, 1993), Star's combustion of guttural guitars, churning in distortion, laden with Martin's plaintive vocals, captures what he calls the "beautifully sorrowful corner of this odd church" that he and Berry built – 32 years later, the alien sounds of IDAHO burn as bright as ever.

Today, "Star" marks the arrival of The Devil You Know [1992-1996] vinyl anthology, along with a new Martin-directed music video for the seminal tune. The 4-album 5-disc box set preserves an era of a band posted to defy the constraints of major label expectation, laying the groundwork for a rebelliously slow and beautiful music entirely their own. Featuring long-awaited vinyl reissues of Year After Year (1992), This Way Out (1993), and Three Sheets To The Wind (1996), "Star" leads off a titular bonus album of rarities rounding out the collection.

https://Idaho.lnk.to/StarFP

"Six albums followed, but it's this languid trilogy which urgently deserves overdue embrace." - Uncut

This ONE-TIME-ONLY box set collection is LIMITED TO 500 COPIES and WILL NOT BE REPRESSED. It is AVAILABLE NOW FOR PURCHASE VIA ARTS & CRAFTS ONLINE STORE ONLY. Customers internationally are encouraged to order the box set from our shop, as it WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE IN RECORD STORES. In-person pick-up available from our Toronto Arts & Crafts Shop location (Tu-Th 11am-4pm).

IDAHO 'HOTBOX TOUR' 2025
2/19 - San Diego, CA - Whistle Stop
2/20 - Santa Ana, CA - Constellation Room
2/22 - Albany, CA - Ivy Room
2/25 - Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern
2/26 - Portland, OR - Lollipop Shoppe
2/28 - Santa Cruz, CA - Moe's Alley
3/01 - Los Angeles, CA - Gold Diggers

11/22/2024

Today, Hovvdy release Live At Julie’s, their new EP featuring alternate reimaginings of songs from their acclaimed self-titled double album, Hovvdy: https://Hovvdy.lnk.to/LiveAtJuliesFP

"Forever (Julie's Version)" takes the dynamic track and transforms it into a tender acoustic love ballad, as Martin asks in the song's emotional crescendo, "Will I always love you? Yeah! I'll fall forever."

The band, who recently wrapped a full US tour supporting beabadoobee, are hitting the road again next year on a headline run that will take place March through May, with a 2nd New York show added at Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 12th. Tickets available at: https://www.hovvdy.com/tour

11/20/2024

Today, Charlie Houston () announces her debut record, Big After I Die, out everywhere January 31 2025. The album is a 9-song exploration of the precarious and often surreal experience of learning who you are while transitioning between phases of life.

https://CharlieHouston.lnk.to/BigAfterIDieFP

Alongside the announce, she shares another single from the album, "Lewps", a riff-heavy alternative pop single that evokes the genre-shifting vibes of Tame Impala and Yves Tumor. The album's lead single about overthinking embarrassing moments to a point of insanity features Houston's signature humour and honesty.

“I often find myself reliving my most embarrassing moments months or years later for absolutely no reason,” says Houston. “I think this is a very relatable problem. I find it hard to be present, I’m always thinking about the past and things I wish I could have done differently. Such as one time while playing baseball with my ex-girlfriend and her friends I tried to run to first base and ate it before I even got there.”

11/12/2024

Today, B***y and the Bass release new single “Lucky (Song 7)” alongside the announcement of ‘The Mannequin Tour’, a 13 date run of Canadian headline performances that begins February 7 in Kingston, ON and concludes March 8 in Victoria, BC.

https://B***yAndTheBass.lnk.to/LuckySong7FP

With 2023's JUNO Award nominated LP Forever Never Cares, acting as a bridge between two eras of the Montreal soul-jazz ensemble, the band enters their next phase energized by the new voice of Philly-born vocalist Jordan Brown combined with founding member Alistair Blu and a new sonic palette lifting their singular sound. "Lucky (Song 7)” is an upbeat alt R&B track about "letting go of regret, picking yourself up, and reframing hardship with a more hopeful outlook." Like if Tame Impala's Kevin Parker produced an album for Earth, Wind, and Fire.

“‘Lucky (Song 7)’ is about positive reinforcement and self-affirmation,” shares the band. “The song is about letting go of regret, picking yourself up, and reframing hardship with a more hopeful outlook. It acts as words of advice towards self-help and offers a bit of witful humour for bad days: “Just another lucky day”. The track is ultimately about allowing love and positivity to overcome the cloudiness of doubt, stress, and avoidance.” Love is always on your mind and / Lucky days are hard to find.

The new song also arrives with a music video directed by Guillaume Landry.

Photo: Jean-Phillipe Sansfaçon

11/08/2024

Today, Hovvdy announce Live at Julie’s, a new EP featuring alternate reimaginings of songs from their acclaimed self-titled double album, Hovvdy, due November 22nd.

https://Hovvdy.lnk.to/LiveAtJuliesFP

To mark the occasion the band has shared “Bubba (Julie’s Version)”, a stripped back version of album highlight that Billboard called “a collection of hushed moments, winding down into an understated finale,” upon its initial release.”

Of the release, the Texas duo say “Sonically this is the most vulnerable we’ve ever been. When we make records, we’re always trying to craft this hyper-layered, expansive world; and as much as we love that approach, it’s easy to get lost in it. With Live at Julie’s we wanted to peel everything back— just sit down and play the songs together.”

The band, who recently wrapped a full US tour supporting Beabadoobee, announced a 2025 headline run last month that will take place March through May.

11/07/2024

Today, rising indie pop vocalist NIA NADURATA () returns with “Practice”, a witty yet emotional breakup anthem exploring the painful realization that the person you love has become a watered-down version of yourself.

https://NIANADURATA.lnk.to/PracticeFP

NIA also shares news of her debut EP, Still Living With My Parents, out January 3. The EP celebrates the chaos of youth, while tenderly acknowledging the profound challenges of finding your place in a world that seems to be moving forward without you.

Photo: Kate Dockeray

10/22/2024

Today, Hovvdy announce a 2025 North America headline tour in support of their acclaimed self-titled double album, Hovvdy, out now. Hot on the heels of wrapping a full US tour with beabadoobee, Hovvdy are also sharing “Jean (Julie’s Version)”, an alternate reimagining of album highlight “Jean”.

https://Hovvdy.lnk.to/JeanJuliesVersionFP

Pre-sales begin tomorrow October 23rd with general on-sale starting on Friday October 25th at 10 am local time via the band’s website hovvdy.com/tour.

“We got together with Bennett Littlejohn to reimagine ‘Jean’. This arrangement is stripped back and offers more insight to how the song was written, with an acoustic guitar and a single voice,” Will Taylor explains.

10/16/2024

Today, Katie Tupper releases "Outside The Gate," a devastatingly beautiful new single about facing the reality of how you show up for someone you love. The track follows "Need Nothing", the #1 CBC Music charting single released in February and the 2023 JUNO Award-nominated sophomore EP Where To Find Me.

https://KatieTupper.lnk.to/OutsideTheGateFP

Since March, the rising soul singer has been enchanting audiences on TikTok and Instagram with covers of her favourite songs accompanied only by her bandmate and collaborator Benjamin Millman () on keys. These covers ranging from to have amassed over 10 million views and earned nods from superstars like and .

The song was written and produced by Tupper and Millman. Reflecting on the track, Tupper says, "I think more people need to feel allowed to admit that we will never be perfect in our relationships even when they are everything we've wanted." And admit she does, with each poignant repetition of "I think I'm broken," hitting deeper every time, giving a raw and beautiful testament to love’s imperfections.

Photo: Kaela Leone

10/09/2024

Today, B***y and the Bass release the Deluxe Version of Forever Never Cares, indulging further into the bands’ expansive creative journey and genre exploration. With alternate versions, demos, and unreleased tracks, the deluxe album showcases their evolving sound.

https://B***yAndTheBass.lnk.to/ForeverNeverCaresDeluxeFP

“Forever Never Cares was forged in a deep desire to grow as a band and to have our music represent our values and influences on a deeper level than ever before,” says Chris Vincent. Alistair Blu adds that the Deluxe Version “touches on all the various musical paths, genres, and styles we were experimenting with during the three years after Eddie. It showcases some of the missing musical pieces that originally inspired the construction of Forever Never Cares…The Deluxe Version gives space for the larger collection of music that we created as a collective over these past few years and breathes light into some of the farthest avenues of our creative output.”

The band will be touring through the Northeast next month and visiting cities they haven’t been able to since the pandemic.

10/02/2024

Mustafa () will present ‘Dunya’ live at Roy Thomson Hall on November 7.
Link in bio to sign up for the pre-sale. General on-sale Friday 10am EST.

“Dunya” is a triumphant articulation of Mustafa’s vision, which he once described as “inner-city folk music.” The Toronto Star ()

“Lilting guitar meets the Sudanese oud; straightforward piano melodies meet polyrhythmic Arabic chanting. The result is a bedrock upon which Mustafa can tell his own particular kind of folk tales” CBC Music ()

09/27/2024

Today, Mustafa releases his debut album ‘Dunya’.

https://Mustafa.lnk.to/Dunya_CANFP

The album marks his first full-length project following his 2021 project When Smoke Rises, which was acclaimed by the likes of the New York Times, NPR, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and more. The album marks the intersection of Mustafa’s art and activism, the latter of which has most notably seen him produce two installments of his Artists For Aid concert series, which have taken place in New Jersey and London this year and featured the likes of 070 Shake, Blood Orange, Clairo, Daniel Caesar, Earl Sweatshirt, Faye Webster, FKA twigs, King Krule, Nicolas Jaar, Nick Hakim, Omar Apollo, Ramy Youssef, Stormzy, Yasiin Bey and more across the two events, in addition to Mustafa himself. The album’s release coincides with a stunning live performance of “Name of God” that finds Mustafa performing alongside Micah Preite (guitar) and Kibrom Birhane (masenqo) available to watch now.

Despite only being released today, Dunya arrives alongside significant critical acclaim -- praised by the likes of The Toronto Star, calling it, “a a triumphant articulation of Mustafa’s vision, which he once described as “inner-city folk music”, in addition to the CBC, Exclaim!, Billboard Canada, the Associated Press, and Rolling Stone, to name a few.

Dunya’s release also coincides with the final installment of a series of live conversations that Mustafa has been hosting around Europe and North America with special guests. After speaking with Daniel Caesar in Toronto, Ramy Youssef in Los Angeles, Anok Yai in Paris, and Dua Lipa in London, Mustafa will host an intimate, sold-out event this evening in New York City where he will discuss the themes of Dunya in conversation with Angelina Jolie.

09/24/2024

"City Trials" is a dedication and a repetitive reminder that you can change, says Ombiigizi. 'You’re not what you have done/You're not what you’ve become,' they sing, over a deliberate rhythm that builds to harmonic cacophony. Through the lens of its impact on the Indigenous community, the Anishinaabe duo confront the widespread issue of addiction, and the drug companies responsible for its wildfire spread.

“We recorded ‘City Trials’ after seeing what the opioid epidemic did to the Indigenous community, looking back after tens of years. I fantasized about holding the pharmaceutical companies accountable and the city would put them on trial for their crimes against the planet,” says Daniel Monkman. With layered guitars and the tension of its melodies in the balance – working again with producer Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene – OMBIIGIZI finds resolve in the struggle, and envisions a world where powerful corporate forces are held responsible for their damage to humanity.

Following the recent singles "Laminate The Sky," "Connecting," and "Ziibi," OMBIIGIZI is set to embark on the starkly honest yet richly uplifting new work entitled SHAME, out November 1 via Arts & Crafts.

https://OMBIIGIZI.lnk.to/ShameFP

09/20/2024

Today, Charlie Houston releases “Slut For Excel", the second single from her forthcoming debut album.

https://CharlieHouston.lnk.to/SlutForExcelFP

Houston will be performing the song on the road this fall supporting global rock sensations The Beaches on tour in the United States.

Evoking the playful pop-funk production of the Talking Heads classic "Once In A Lifetime", Houston analyzes her life to date against the achievements of her family in this groovy indie pop single. "I have three older siblings. two are lawyers, and one is a consultant. And I am a struggling musician. I always catch myself comparing my life and choices to that of my brother and sisters. I think comparison is a universal struggle. Maybe life would be easier if I was just a slt for excel," reflects Houston.

The single arrives with an official video courtesy of The Reggies, the director duo behind videos for bbno$ and Dillon Francis.

08/30/2024

Today, Dan Mangan is releasing the Being Elsewhere Mix CD, a follow up collection to his JUNO Award nominated, Polaris Music Prize Shortlisted album Being Somewhere, bringing together everything you know and love about Dan - from reimagined versions of fan-favourites on the album, covers of songs by Bob Dylan, Damien Jurado, and the Lumineers, and new songs like "Four Chords".

https://danmangan.lnk.to/BeingElsewhereFP

“Four Chords” is about “getting over yourself and just surrendering to the sweetness found in love,” says Mangan. “There was a moment at my wedding, late in the dance party - Tyler from Said The Whale was crushing a rendition of ‘You Make My Dreams Come True’ by Hall & Oates, backed by Yukon Blonde. My wife and I were standing on a speaker stack. Everyone was dancing like the world was ending and it just felt like a perfect moment. All of our friends and family, lost in the thick of the weight of everything. Like a photograph in my mind. Laden with gratitude and nostalgia.”

08/27/2024

Ahead of the release of his debut album Dunya on September 27th, Mustafa shares the final album single "Old Life" alongside a Tanima Mehrotra-directed music video. Speaking about the Simon Hessman (James Blake, Jamie xx, Sampha) and Dahi (Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Drake)-produced song, Mustafa shares that "'Old Life' is about reminiscence, and separation, and romance being a life sentence even in tragedy."

https://Mustafa.lnk.to/Dunya_CANFP

The first thing that strikes you about Mustafa’s music has always been his writing: a simple, piercing tone that can make any story feel as raw and earnest as the words to a love song. On this latest project, Mustafa expands the boundaries of his expert autobiographical storytelling. With a hushed delivery that can silence his surroundings, Mustafa evolved swiftly from a child prodigy reciting poems throughout his native Toronto to a behind-the-scenes songwriting force for artists like the Weeknd, Camila Cabello, and Justin Bieber.

08/23/2024

Today, Haley Blais is following up the release of her 2024 Polaris Music Nominated sophomore album Wisecrack with two live-off-the-floor covers; “Sweet Surrender”, the beautiful rendition of Sarah McLachlan's timeless classic about letting go of control and accepting vulnerability in a relationship, and Sarah Harmer’s “Basement Apartment”.

https://HaleyBlais.lnk.to/SweetSurrenderFP

Haley reflects, "Sarah McLachlan was a huge musical inspiration to me growing up; Sarah Harmer was integral to the journey of Wisecrack. I wanted to pay homage to the two artists that shaped me as the artist I am today."

Catch Haley on the road starting next week both here and across the pond. Tickets on sale now.

08/31 - Into the Great Wide Open, Vlieland
09/01 - Bruis Festival, Maastricht
09/03 - EKKO, Utrecht
09/04 - Le Pop up du Label, Paris
09/05 - Stereo, Glasgow
09/08 - Night and Day, Manchester
09/09 - Omeara, London
09/11 - Grand Social, Dublin
09/28 - Ontario Highlands Festival, Palmer Rapids ON
09/30 - The Ninth Ward, Buffalo NY
10/03 - Songbyrd, Washington DC
10/04 - Brooklyn Made, NY

08/20/2024

"In my shame there is truth" Ombiigizi sings on "Laminate The Sky," the pulse of 'SHAME,' the sophomore album and follow-up to the Anishinaabe-Canadian band's Polaris and Juno nominated 'Sewn Back Together.' Delving into the ancestry of its core members Daniel Monkman () and Adam Sturgeon () with OMBIIGIZI's particularly sonic aspect – Indigenous futurism with a heavy dose of 90s Alt, Psych Rock, and Shoegaze – "Laminate The Sky" portrays “a visual representation of the world we are in,” Monkman says. With the first cheaply plasticized treaty cards ("that no stores would accept") as poetic reference, OMBIIGIZI's vaporous melodies and uncharacteristically stripped back guitars and rhythm set SHAME alight with a perfect mix of terrestrial and spiritual elements.

"'Laminate The Sky' to us symbolizes freedom in a lot of ways," the band says. "The idea comes from these things that Indigenous people are given at birth called a status card. Back in the day, they'd give you this crappy cardboard paper with a cheap laminated seal that everyone off the reservation thought was fake. Nowadays, we have high-tech ones that I scan at the border to go work in the United States, but even ten years ago my pass to get off the reservation would be rejected in the city. It was a rude awakening in my formative years, being self-conscious of my place.”

SHAME is out everywhere November 1. Pre-Order now: https://OMBIIGIZI.lnk.to/ShameFP

08/16/2024

Today, Montreal indie collective B***y and the Bass share “No Self Control (The Breakglass Version)”, the third and final piece from their live off-the-floor video series, recorded at Breakglass Studio.

https://B***yAndTheBass.lnk.to/NoSelfControlFP

The lush and explorative jazz track steps even further into the realm of improvisation and pushes the boundaries of the band's musical influences. Now as a 10-piece arrangement, featuring trading solos between trumpet and saxophone, along with Alistair Blu's dream-like lyrics, the track is a deep, meditative soundscape.

“The song originated as an instrumental piece written and arranged by Chris Vincent,” the band says. “The lush chords and constantly changing harmonies inspired the abstract, dream-like lyrics Alistair Blu eventually added for the track. The original version, from our album Forever Never Cares, concludes the LP with a deep, meditative solo by LA-based saxophonist/producer Terrace Martin.

“The ‘Breakglass Version’ steps even further into the realm of improvisation and pushes the boundaries of our jazz influences. This version was recorded live off the floor with a 10-piece arrangement of the band and features trading solos by Scott Bevins (aka No Cosmos) on trumpet and Chris Edmondson (aka Ivy Boxall) on alto saxophone.”

Arts & Crafts