Mac DeMarco - Brother 8.0/10

Mac DeMarco is an experimental indie rock performer originally from British Columbia, Canada and now based in New York City. This track is taken from his album Salad Days which was released by Captured Tracks Records in April 2014. The song is the second single off DeMarco's solid new album, and can be counted as one of the better moments on the record. His smooth, so-laid-back-he-must-be-lying-on-the-ground vocals are buttery goodness and suggest he's puffing on a Viceroy between verses where he tells a pal to chill out and just relax. The slinky guitars and retro 60's style get you feeling all nice and mellow when suddenly you're jarred back to harsh reality by the alien cries and dissonant guitar effects which unfold in the final minute of the track. Mac has the reputation for being an indie rock slacker and is now a poster boy for smokers and civil liberties campaigners, but on Brother he sounds world-weary and wise beyond his years. DeMarco claimed the style of the album reflected that "I was on tour for a year and a half and I'm tired", and you can picture him strumming the chords of Brother while slumped in an old armchair. This is an introspective track to put on when you want to take a breather and unwind after a hard day.

Ought - Habit 8.7/10

Ought is an indie art rock band from Montreal, Canada. This track is taken from their forthcoming debut album More Than Any Other Day which will be released April 29, 2014 on Constellation records. The song appears to take the Talking Heads as its main muse, with a vocal style which recalls David Byrne in the era of Remain in Light. That comparison should be taken as purely complimentary, since Ought take this track to spiritual heights which seem remarkable for a debut single. The rising cries of "I feel it, I habit" and "Cause I need to know I'm not alone" as strings and crashing cymbals build towards the song's conclusion come across as powerful and meaningful without any suggestion that the raw emotions feel forced or phony. This is one of the best singles of 2014 so far, and I can't wait to hear the full debut album.

Women - Eyesore 8.9/10

Women is an art rock band from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This track is taken from their album Public Strain which was released by the label Jagjaguwar in 2010. As the final track on Public Strain, the last two minutes of Eyesore act as the outro to the album as a whole, and does so to spectacular effect with a guitar riff that will get stuck in your head for weeks. Heavy reverb effects on the vocals and guitars hark back to 1960's psychedelic bands, while the lyrics are almost unintelligibly buried in the mix. Like many songs by Women, Eyesore begins with a familiar rhythm that abruptly shifts halfway through into a new vocal melody and guitar chord pattern that lead to a satisfying conclusion. Guitarist Chris Reimer died in February 2012, and the band has been on hiatus since then although no official breakup has been announced by their label Jagjaguwar.

Doldrums - Egypt 8.6/10

Doldrums is the stage name of Airick Woodhead, an experimental electronic artist from Toronto, Canada, who moved to Montreal to become part of the city's art pop scene. This track is taken from his album called Lesser Evil which was released by Arbutus Records in February 2013. Egypt sounds like an extra track left over from the recording sessions for Bjork's album Post, and that is most certainly intended as a glowing compliment. Most of the album Lesser Evil was recorded on a laptop that he borrowed from his friend Claire Boucher, better known these days as Grimes, and the influence of Grimes, tour mates Purity Ring and the broader Montreal scene are apparent. Lush electronic washes, kick drums and myriad types of percussion compete for attention with sliced and diced samples, while the track's rhythm frequently moves off in unexpected directions deviating from its main beat pattern. This is arguably the strongest piece of work yet produced by Doldrums, and is a good introduction to the album Lesser Evil which is one of 2013's best experimental albums thus far.

Trust - Bulbform 8.5/10

Trust is Robert Alfons and Maya Postepski, a dark electronic synthpop duo from Toronto, Canada. This track is taken from their album TRST which was released by Arts and Crafts Records in 2012. Trust is a side-project of the band Austra, and their approach is similar to that of the parent group, though with a greater emphasis on danceable rhythms and Robert Alfons' voice. The lyrics offer little to enlighten why this song is called 'bulbform', with the repeated refrains of 'it won't last the season in bulbform', and 'seems to me its suffocation'. The spooky tone doesn't detract from the tune's overall danceability; this is dark house music for goths that could persuade people to rise from the dead and dance wildly long after midnight.

Born Gold - Wrinklecarver 8.3/10

Born Gold is the stage name of Cecil Frena, an indie electro pop artist originally from Edmonton, Canada. This track is taken from his debut album Bodysongs released by Crash Cymbals Records in 2011(freely available on Bandcamp). Sometimes I'm astonished when a song that seems destined to be heard around the world remains almost completely unknown, and that is certainly the case with Wrinklecarver. If this had been played a few times on major radio stations Frena would be a household name by now. His former project Gobble Gobble included Claire Boucher (Grimes) and Corin Roddick and Megan James (Purity Ring), who have moved on to increasing stardom in the past year. This is a thumping, high-energy electro pop song that is just off-kilter enough to feel a bit weird, though it's the kind of strangeness that you don't need to think too hard about while dancing to it. Frena's vocals are kept front and centre throughout the hurricane of techno beats and synth washes, and he sings with intensity about... I'm not really sure what, lines like 'I don't want to feel my skin unlace its skates' sound like Canadian nonsense rhymes. Why is the track called 'Wrinklecarver'? I haven't the foggiest, but such things really don't matter once you press play and start bobbing your head to it.

The Lovely Feathers - Photocorners 8.6/10

The Lovely Feathers are an indie guitar pop band from Montreal, Canada. This track is taken from their album Hind Hind Legs released by Equator Records in 2006. The track is a fine example of the unusual song structures they employ on the album Hind Hind Legs. The tempo and timing of the melody often shifts abruptly; it begins slowly and then goes through sequences of rapidly speeding up the pace and then slowing down again. The style is more akin to jazz bands and jam bands, but they make it seem like a perfectly natural technique to use in an indie pop song. The lyrics offer snapshots of lost love and longing, though the group choruses of 'We'd laugh if we were younger' sound positively joyous. I consider this to be an overlooked gem of a track, and the full album Hind Hind Legs is also worthy of another listen to appreciate the unique tempo shifts the band makes use of.

Beta Frontiers - Hondo 8.4/10

Beta Frontiers are a lo-fi electro outfit from Toronto, Canada. This track is from the self-titled EP released in 2012 on local Toronto label Daps. Eighties-style disco synths and old-school keyboard effects chug along, gradually adding more steam until reaching critical danceability in the final minute (it takes effort not to move parts of your body after 2:28). The vocals by Becky Ninkovic are understated and sincere, and pair well with the retro-futurist groove Beta Frontiers are aiming for. This is a perfect soundtrack to an evening of Atari and 8-bit Nintendo games.