“Drink The First Light” is the new standalone single from Adam Ross, featuring fellow Scottish songwriter C Duncan. Out now on Fika Recordings, the track marks one of the poppiest and most polished moments of Ross’s solo work, driven by melody, texture, and a bright sense of momentum that feels immediate and open-hearted.
The song began life as an experimental home recording before growing into something sleeker and more abstract. Ross describes it as a departure from his usual narrative-heavy writing, allowing the production to lead the emotion. The response to the single highlights its warmth and clarity, with its hook-forward approach landing as buoyant, confident, and quietly infectious.
Lyrically inspired by seasonal shifts, “Drink The First Light” frames sunlight as a necessity, written from the perspective of an inverse vampire craving brightness and optimism. Duncan, initially brought in as a mixing engineer, added instrumentation and vocal harmonies that deepen the track’s glow. The single follows Ross’s 2024 album ‘Littoral Zone’ and serves as a joyful palette-cleanser before work begins on his next full-length release.
Montreal and Los Angeles trio American Lips return with ‘On Strike’, out now via Ancient Fashion Records. The jagged art rock full-length locks into absurdist humor, tightly wound rhythms, and splintered guitar lines that feel restless and deliberate. The record lands with immediacy, delivering sharp songs that buzz with urgency and a crooked sense of fun.
Fronted by Adrian Popovich of Tricky Woo and FRVITS, the band channels raw drive through a playful, serrated lens. Bassist and vocalist Jessica Bruzzese and drummer Sebastien Grainger of Death From Above 1979 bring muscle and precision, grounding the chaos with control. The response to the album has been lively and energized, with its dry wit and wired grooves hitting as cathartic and confidently alive.
Following ‘Kiss the Void’ and the maxi-single ‘Waste of Crime / Labor of Hate’, ‘On Strike’ arrives as a pointed manifesto for the burnout era. Songs like “Cardboard Trash”, “On Strike”, “Sleep”, and “Got It Made” skewer consumer culture, exhaustion, and hollow empire myths. Recorded at Ancient Fashion East in Montreal and Ancient Fashion West in Lucknow Ontario and Los Angeles, and mixed by Grainger, the album sounds noisy, human, and resolutely present.
Games are a great way to connect with people. However, in this ever-changing world, many of our habits have changed. Many adults now look for new light-hearted ways to spend time with friends, relatives, and colleagues. Simple social games fill that gap because they create moments that feel relaxed rather forced. Whether you’re catching up after work or joining an online session at home, these games help you switch off and meet new people without any pressure.
The rise of social gaming culture
Social and party-style games have surged again this year, with titles like Among Us, Fall Guys, Party Animals, and Goose Goose Duck drawing large UK audiences. You don’t need expert skills to join in, so these games suit adults who want quick entertainment without a steep learning curve. Mobile devices and growing online communities also make it easier to join friends at short notice. Many players choose games based on recommendations from friends or family. These shared choices strengthen relationships because you discover and enjoy experiences together.
Real-life social venues & events
You can see the same shift in real world spaces. Venues centred on social games are booming across the UK, offering playful alternatives to pubs and cinemas. Flight Club turns darts into an easy group activity, NQ64 brings retro arcades back into busy city nights, and Boom Battle Bar mixes axe throwing with beer pong to create lively sessions that feel different from a typical night out. As more venues open, creators and hosts also run regular game nights that draw people who want a welcoming space to meet others. These settings work well because they take the pressure off conversation; a shared challenge or friendly rivalry naturally gets everyone talking.
Interactive networking and team building
Workplaces and networking groups now use simple games to help people mingle in ways that feel more natural than formal introductions. You might take part in bingo at a networking event, where each square nudges you to start a short conversation or discover a fun fact about someone nearby. Teams also enjoy digital quizzes or light hearted challenges during training days because they break up dense sessions and encourage people to chat between rounds. When you bring these games into the workplace, you give colleagues an easy route to bond and understand one another, which often improves teamwork long after the event ends.
Digital safety and responsible play
As online platforms grow, the UK Government has increased its focus on digital safety. Recent regulatory updates aim to help adults navigate social gaming spaces with confidence, while tech companies continue to design features that support safer interactions. You can now find clearer tools for reporting concerns, managing privacy, and controlling communication settings. These improvements matter because they let you enjoy online play without worrying about who might contact you or how your data is handled.
Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.
Afrotronix (Caleb Rimtobaye), the Chadian‑born artist whose music fuses ancestral rites and Sara, Gourane and Arabic vocal traditions with cutting‑edge electronic production, today announces KÖD, a new album that reimagines the future of music. Reinventing popular genres, KÖD is proof that the most futuristic sound is also the oldest.
Chad’s first electronic export — Afrotronix is an Afrofuturist icon. Led by Chadian guitarist-producer Caleb Rimtobaye from Montreal, the project fuses Electronic Music, Afro Tech, Amapiano, and Afro House into what he calls “Saharan Electro” — a bold, ancestral pulse for the future. Born in Chad and raised amid the spiritual and musical practices of his people, Afrotronix transformed early civil war traumas into a mission of communal healing and unity. Self‑taught in Dj, voice and guitar, he won the Jeux de la Francophonie in 2001 and relocated to Montreal, where he developed a signature sound — “Saharan Electro Blues” — that pairs Nganja initiation chants and Sara vocal textures with deep house, dubstep and ambient electronics.
With 130+ festivals worldwide (WOMAD, Afropunk Paris, JOVA Beach Party), collaborations with Baaba Maal, Youssou N’dour, Lorenzo Jovanotti, and Stonebwoy, and 18 global awards including Best African DJ (AFRIMA 2018) and Best African Electro Artist (2019), Afrotronix is Chad’s most internationally recognized musical export.
Wearing the DOM — a helmet symbolizing reimagined ancestral wisdom — Afrotronix creates sonic mosaics from electric guitar, live percussion, and cutting-edge visuals. His upcoming album Köd imagines an inclusive world rooted in shared memory, healing, and groove: “a dance of intersecting horizons and futures to be created together.”
In a landscape of sameness, Afrotronix is a genuine discovery — music that dares to dream and dance beyond borders, time and space.
KÖD — Language and Code
KÖD is an interrogation and celebration of what must remain sacred as technology evolves. The album embeds ancestral rhythms into modern algorithms, asking which cultural codes should be stewarded by human hands even as we teach machines our cultural vocabularies. Sparse, spiritual motifs sit alongside propulsive production to create immersive, transcendent soundscapes. Raised by griots, trained by machines, Afrotronix transforms cultural erasure into pan-African electronic liberation. (Cf Le Monde – Electro Libre)
KÖD in Sara means the tam-tam, the talking drum that has carried messages across African landscapes for millennia. Through specific beats and rhythms, different tribes decode different meanings — a sophisticated system of communication that predates written language. The talking drum represents one of humanity’s earliest forms of coding: rhythm as language, sound as data, drum as transmitter.This ancient system represents one of the first examples of human coding: information transmitted through rhythm, requiring both sender and receiver to share the same interpretive key. The talking drum required both technical skill (the drummer) and cultural literacy (the listener) — a perfect parallel to today’s relationship between human creativity and digital technology. Humanity’s first algorithm was written in rhythm. KÖD honors this legacy.
A Pan‑African Collaboration
Featuring collaborators from Chad, Nigeria, Sudan, Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Congo and Canada, KÖD underscores Afrotronix’s role as a cultural facilitator and pan African creative leader. The project centers unity, cultural pride and collective healing — music as ritual and gathering for communities across continents.
Baaba Maal – Senegal – Featuring on The Miracle
Born in Podor, Northern Senegal, Baaba Maal is one of Africa’s most internationally celebrated artists. Rooted in Fulani/Pulaar musical traditions, he’s spent four decades expanding the boundaries of African music, fusing ancestral sounds with rock, electronic, reggae, and world music influences. A Grammy-nominated artist and collaborator with legends like Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Mumford & Sons, and Hans Zimmer (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack), Baaba’s soaring voice carries messages of unity, education, and social justice. Beyond music, he’s a tireless humanitarian — founding initiatives to support youth, agriculture, and cultural preservation across Africa. From his groundbreaking albums Djam Leelii and Firin’ in Fouta to recent work like Being, Baaba Maal remains a bridge between tradition and innovation, a griot for the global age.
Stonebwoy – Ghana – Featuring on Beyond the Sky
Ghana’s most decorated dancehall/Afrobeats architect with multiple BET and VGMA awards. The voice that turned “Activate” and “Bawasaaba” into continental anthems, proving African rhythms dominate global stages. Stonebwoy fuses reggae-dancehall grit with Afrobeats fire, creating a pan-African sound that moves from Accra to Kingston to the world. He is a living bridge between Caribbean bass and African soul. The song Beyond the Sky with Afrotronix is a never seen before, experimental structure, deeply spiritual vibrations, the roots of the future african reggae.
Eman Alshareef – Soudan – Featuring on Soudani Girl
A source of many Soudanese musical masterpieces, Eman is a Soudanese voice raising to celebrate unconditional love and cultural beauty. Featuring with Afrotronix states the obvious but also ignored humanity of the people of Soudan. With powerful pieces of art celebrating love and humanity, the goal is to bring attention to the Soudan situation.
Nissa Seych – Seychelles – Featuring on Maachi Wene
Born in the Seychelles and raised on a soundtrack of Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, and Lauryn Hill, Nissa Seych has been turning heartfelt words into captivating songs since childhood. Now based in Montreal, her signature engages an eclectic fusion of Afrobeat, reggae, dancehall, R&B, and hip-hop — all rooted in her Creole heritage and Afro-Caribbean identity. Beyond the beats, Nissa’s mission is empowerment: proving women can thrive as authentic artists. With ties to Kaytranada and Mr Eazi, and years refining her craft, she’s ready to break borders — linguistic, cultural, and musical.
Djely Tapa – Mali – Featuring on Untold Stories
Born in Kayes, Mali, into an illustrious griot lineage — daughter of legendary vocalist Kandia Kouyaté and dancer Djely Bouya Diarra — Djely Tapa carries centuries of djeliya (griot artistry) in her voice and commands the future. She collaborated with major artists before launching her 2019 solo debut Barokan, produced by Afrotronix and winner of the 2020 JUNO Award for Best World Music Album. Now Multi awarded artist, her soaring, incandescent voice channels Mandingue tradition through contemporary experimentation, singing messages of feminine strength, hope, and social justice in Malinké, Bambara, Khassonké, and French. She’s shared stages with Oumou Sangaré, Tiken Jah Fakoly, cementing her role as both guardian of griot heritage and explorer of new sonic territories.
Seydina – Senegal – Featuring on Woma
Born in Thiaroye, tempered by humility, refined by music — Seydina’s voice is a prayer wrapped in gold. His songs carry messages of peace and family across mbalakh rhythms, jazz harmonies, and Afro-electro pulses. From Senegal to Montreal, his art awakens and adapts seamlessly across genres: mbalakh, rap, jazz, folk, and Afro-electro.
Artist Statement
“My work teaches digital systems the languages and rhythms of our ancestors,” says Afrotronix. “KÖD is about preserving what is sacred while using new tools to amplify our voices. It’s a call to remember where we come from as we build what’s next.” It is also proof that the most futuristic sound is also the oldest.
KÖD is built on two foundational elements: the ever-present drum, and traditional vocal techniques reimagined as organic synthesizers. Through the vocoder, I’ve created what I call “the voice of an African robot” — textures and words the world has never encountered. For the first time, a robot speaks Sara and Goulay.
The album’s opening track captures machines in the act of learning — attempting to decode linguistic patterns and melodic structures. I’ve fed these machines my life’s work: years of collecting and archiving Sahelian musical traditions, voices preserved on worn cassettes from my childhood, now digitized and made legible to algorithms. The machines are hungry, reaching, learning. Beneath the layers, their message is clear “Feed me with the African database.”
Anything we give AI, it can reproduce. But there are codes it will never grasp—gestures, sighs, silences laden with culture. KÖD celebrates these sacred spaces that make us irreplaceable. We create the machines, but we keep our mysteries. KÖD is a meditation on what eludes machines. Artificial intelligence can learn our languages, reproduce our melodies, even compose for us. But there is a language it will never understand: that of ancestral gestures, sighs laden with stories, ritual silences that speak the unspeakable. These are our secret codes—passed down skin to skin, gaze to gaze, from generation to generation. KÖD celebrates these human mysteries, these sacred spaces where we remain irreplaceable. We create the algorithms. But we keep our souls. We remain the guardians of the invisible, the masters of our own codes. The lords of our creations.
Fresh off a triumphant run of sold-out documentary screenings across Canada in 2025, which kicked off with an Audience Choice Award at the Calgary International Film Festival and streaming debuted on Super Channel—iconic Canadian artist Bif Naked releases the new single and music video, “Snowblinded,” from her acclaimed 2025 studio album, Champion. The release marks a powerful next chapter, channelling the raw energy and connection of her recent documentary successes directly back to her fans.
Bif says “This song is different because it serves as an anthem from my feeling of emotional discontent, snowblinded ultimately is my observation of society numbing themselves. The chorus says you’re so snow blinded!! and I repeat that because I feel people need to wake up!”
Bif will be touring Canada with her award-winning documentary show as well as at summer festivals with her rock show throughout 2026. Check bifnaked.com for full show dates and ticket information.
Bif Naked Doc Screenings: Film, Q&A with Bif, Acoustic Performance:
February 26, 2026, Isabel Bader Centre, Kingston, ON
March 1, 2026, Yates Theatre, Lethbridge, AB
March 2, 2026, Bella Concert Hall, Calgary, AB
March 4, 2026, Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre , Medicine Hat, AB
March 5, 2026, Dekker Centre, North Battleford, SK
March 7, 2026, Dow Centennial Centre (Shell Theatre), Fort Saskatchewan, AB
March 9, 2026, Broadway Theatre, Saskatoon, SK
March 10, 2026, Towne Theatre, Vernon, BC
March 13, 2026, Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, Thunder Bay, ON
Following a string of prestigious accolades, 19-year-old fiddler, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Irish Millie continues her remarkable ascent in the Canadian roots scene with the release of her latest single, “WASTED”. This landmark track serves as a centerpiece of her acclaimed EP ‘Between Then and Now’, a project that captures the space between two chapters of life and the quiet realization of how much growth happens in the in-between.
Irish Millie enters this new release on a wave of significant professional success. She is currently a seven-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee, recently earning two 2026 nods for Young Performer of the Year and Single of the Year for her song “You Were There”. These honors follow 2025 nominations for Folk Music Ontario’s Performing Artist of the Year and two additional CFMA nods for her previous boundary-pushing album, ‘GRACE’.
Written during her first year away from home while moving from Peterborough to Toronto for university, “WASTED” is a tender reflection on the gratitude that comes with growing up and finally understanding the safety of one’s foundation. The song explores the universal emotional distance created by independence and the realization that the people who raised us remain our most constant supporters.
The track finds its power in moments of everyday reflection, using familiar images like laundry and packed boxes to ground the feeling of moving on. Millie sings of the restless desire to walk away and start a new story, only to discover that the voices of those back home are the very keys that help when we feel lost. As the song builds, it captures that heavy moment of being alone and “wasted” on the side of the road, anchored by the comforting, timeless promise that love stays steady even when we feel a world away.
Musically, the single moves into a broader sonic landscape by incorporating piano, synth, and drums, allowing the emotion to build slowly alongside the fiddle. Millie recorded and co-produced the track in Toronto with her professor, Aaron Tsang, who provided a formative studio experience centered on restraint and spatial honesty. This collaboration, which features her father, Murray Shadgett, on guitar, highlights a shift away from strictly traditional boundaries toward a more cinematic and experimental storytelling approach.
Currently studying Music Industry and Technology at the University of Toronto, Millie continues to balance a rigorous academic schedule with a bustling international performance career. She has performed for crowds of over 10,000 and has earned praise from Celtic music royalty Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, who celebrated her “fresh, lively” approach to the genre.
Upcoming Performance Dates:
January 23, 2026: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre — Peterborough, ON
February 6, 2026: Brewer’s Pantry — Bowmanville, ON
February 13, 2026: Hibernate Fundraiser, Port Hope United Church — Port Hope, ON
March 13, 2026: The Spire — Kingston, ON
April 9-12, 2026: Canadian Folk Music Awards — Calgary, AB
From a university assignment to a celebrated single, “WASTED” captures the exact moment a young artist recognizes the strength of the hands that held her up, showing that we only truly understand where we’re going once we acknowledge where we came from.
Dr. Ben, the folk-blues recording artist whose music channels three decades of experience as a travelling physician across rural Canada, releases his explosive new single “Cure Your Blues” today across all major streaming platforms. The track marks a bold evolution in the artist’s sound, combining intricate fingerpicking guitar work with soulful blues licks and brutally honest lyrics that capture the raw emotion of heartbreak with surgical precision.
“Cure Your Blues” was born from a place of pure creative fire. Dr. Ben, whose real name is Ben Chan, crafted this searing breakup song to capture what he describes as “Alanis Morissette-level fury with medical irony and a gluttony for punishment.” The single showcases the Toronto-based singer-songwriter and lead guitarist at his most visceral, weaving together blues rock intensity with the poignant storytelling that has earned him recognition across the independent music landscape. As the lyrics cut deep: “You use me like a Band-Aid just to help you heal that wound inside / And when you’re feeling better you just peel me off and toss me aside.”
Working alongside producer Douglas Romanow, Dr. Ben brought this vision to life with meticulous attention to sonic detail. The recording sessions captured the essence of classic blues-rock while maintaining the intimate quality that defines his artistry. Lead guitar work drives the track’s emotional core, with Dr. Ben’s blues licks serving as a second voice to the narrative of a love turned toxic. “Baby you just wanna use me to cure your blues,” he declares in the chorus, a hook that marries clinical detachment with emotional devastation.
Dr. Ben’s unique background as a physician who has served 97 small communities across Canada infuses his music with uncommon depth. He writes songs of heartache, hope, and healing, drawing from decades of helping people navigate mental health challenges, addictions, and chronic illness. His performances extend beyond bars across Ontario to hospitals and nursing homes, where he brings his music directly to patients during his downtime. This dedication to serving communities through both medicine and music creates an authenticity that resonates through every note.
Since releasing his first single in 2024, Dr. Ben has captured the attention of the music industry with two awards for his music videos and five semi-finalist or finalist nominations in major songwriting contests. These accolades reflect the power of his songwriting and his ability to connect universal emotions, from devastating loss to resilient hope, with audiences hungry for genuine artistry. His dual careers as a university professor of healthcare management and global health advocate further demonstrate the breadth of his commitment to making a difference.
“Cure Your Blues” represents a dream realized. “It’s never too late in life to pursue your dreams,” Dr. Ben reflects, speaking to artists and dreamers everywhere who balance passion with responsibility. The pandemic provided time to reconnect with his musical roots, and that reconnection has blossomed into a body of work that honors both his artistic vision and his dedication to storytelling. This single stands as testament to the power of persistence and the timeless appeal of blues-rock done right.
The single is available now on all major streaming platforms, ready to deliver its cathartic punch to listeners seeking music with both grit and heart.
There are some voices in the Canadian musical canon that paint entire cinematic landscapes. Marc Jordan is one of those rare, essential artists. Today, he is thrilled to announce the release of Rhythm of My Heart: The Authorized Biography of Marc Jordan, a deep-dive exploration of a career that has shaped the sound of popular music for over fifty years. Written by Don Breithaupt and available now, this book offers an unprecedented look at the Brooklyn-born, Toronto-raised legend whose songs have sold over 35 million units and defined the uncompromising quality that is the hallmark of a true visionary. It’s now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Indigo.
To chronicle such a sophisticated journey, Jordan enlisted a fellow traveler who understands the DNA of a great melody. Don Breithaupt is an Emmy-winning composer and the creative force behind the Juno-nominated project Monkey House. In his own words, Breithaupt found it a profound honour to put into print the story of a born storyteller and a famous wordsmith. The author, an alumnus of Berklee College of Music, previously penned the definitive volume on Steely Dan’s Aja, and states that he took pains to keep myself out of the story to ensure Jordan’s unbending commitment to originality remains the focal point of this narrative.
The scope of the biography is nothing short of a guided tour through the high-water marks of pop culture. Readers are given exclusive access to Jordan’s cauldron of popular music over the last half-century, featuring a Foreword by Marc Jordan himself and an array of exclusive photos documenting his life from 1951 to the present. The book features secondary interviews with an army of famous collaborators, including industry titans like David Foster and Rob Dickins, providing a who’s-who perspective on the high-stakes L.A. and Toronto music scenes.
Among the many milestones celebrated in the book, Rhythm of My Heart highlights Jordan’s meteoric rise following his 1978 signing to Warner Brothers, which was the biggest deal any Canadian had ever had in America at the time. The narrative details the creation of his global #1 hit, “Rhythm of My Heart,” and his scribe relationship with Rod Stewart, who has recorded five of Jordan’s compositions. The book also illuminates Jordan’s inspiring journey of overcoming profound dyslexia through creativity, transforming a childhood challenge into a savant-like ability to visualize music in three dimensions.
Beyond the solo hits like “Marina Del Rey” and “Survival,” the biography explores Jordan’s profound impact as a songwriter for iconic stars across multiple genres, including Diana Ross, Chicago, Cher, Bonnie Raitt, Bette Midler, The Manhattan Transfer and more than a half-dozen for Rod Stewart. It tracks his artistic evolution from the slick, slippery West Coast sound of the late seventies to his recent, critically acclaimed orchestral and jazz albums like Both Sides. This creative resurgence has solidified his legacy as a recent inductee into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Rhythm of My Heart: The Authorized Biography of Marc Jordan is a celebration of redemption through art and the unwavering dedication to the craft of songwriting. Whether you are a devotee of the Yacht Rock era or a lover of intimate, jazzy solo works, this book is the definitive account of a songwriter’s songwriter.
Bristol-based group Around About Dusk blend New Orleans jazz, European folk, roots, and blues into a sound shaped by rich harmonies, macabre humor, and folkloric storytelling. Their music has been featured on BBC Radio 6 Music, with performances spanning festivals such as Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival, Bristol Folk Festival, and Secret Garden Party, alongside extensive European touring. Fresh On the Net’s Tom Robinson described their sound as “idiosyncratic” and “playful,” noting the effortless delivery at its core.
Their track “The Swarm” is a folkloric witch-tale set to a Latin groove, combining dark folk harmonies with cumbia rhythms, horns, and dance-floor energy. Inspired by myths of witches and Baba Yaga, as well as the poetry of Robbie Burns’ “Address to the Deil,” the song centers on a powerful, misunderstood female figure. The result is a narrative-driven piece that balances shadow and celebration through rhythm, melody, and story.
Seán Feeny has released his new single “Western Roads”, out now, continuing his rise as a folk-pop songwriter rooted in personal history. Inspired by the journey of his great-grandfather John McGrath to Butte, Montana, the song was produced by Donegal musician Orri McBrearty and follows Feeny’s debut single “1969”, which earned support from Hot Press, RTÉ Entertainment, Irish News, Belfast Telegraph, and RTÉ Radio 1. The track reflects Feeny’s ongoing focus on family stories shaped by emigration and return.
“I was always fascinated that my great-grandfather went to Butte, Montana,” Feeny says, adding, “But what I appreciate even more is that he came back.” He notes that the song honors both his family and the wider Irish diaspora who emigrated while keeping ties to home. The accompanying video, directed by Donegal filmmaker Charlie Joe Doherty, was filmed on the Fintown Railway and evokes an earlier era of travel and departure. Feeny says the setting “really paints the picture and helps tell the story.”
