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Men I Trust: Canada’s DIY Indie Band That Could Be Your New Favourite

March 4, 2023

Men I Trust is a Canadian indie pop band known for their dreamy and mellow sound. Their music is laid back, incorporating elements of funk, disco, and R&B to create a smooth and groovy vibe that is

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Basics For Building an At-Home Recording Studio

March 3, 2023

Artists like Kaytranada have proved that you don’t need access to a professional recording studio to create well-produced music. As technology and social media have advanced, it is now easier than eve

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Facing the Music: Legal Challenges With AI and Copyright Laws

February 25, 2023

People draw inspiration from others when forming their ideas, it’s a fact of life. Sampling in music is no exception - and artists do it for a variety of reasons. Traditionally, copyright laws and

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Tobias Jesso Jr.: GRAMMY-Winning Canadian Sells His Song Rights

February 23, 2023

Tobias Jesso Jr. You may know his name from his 2015 solo album Goon. Or maybe from his work on various popular songs, such as “When We Were Young” by Adele and “Alive” by Sia. Or even from his rece

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How Popular TV Shows and Movies Resurrect Classic Songs

February 23, 2023

HBO’s The Last of Us is arguably the hottest show out right now, receiving near universal acclaim from viewers and critics alike. This holds especially true for episode three: “Long, Long Time”.

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Ginalina: Bringing Her Taiwan Roots Into Her Latest Album

February 21, 2023

Folk singer. Songwriter. Canadian. Polyglot. All of these titles belong to Gina Lam, also known by her stage name Ginalina. In November 2022, she released her latest album titled Going Back: Remembe

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Rihanna’s Super Bowl Performance

February 21, 2023

Rihanna is an illustrious artist. She is among the best selling female artists of all time, and was one of the greatest hitmakers of the 2000s and 2010s. She has since grown to become the richest...

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How do Streaming Platforms Pay Artists - Is It Fair?

February 20, 2023

Streaming is now the driving force of the music industry, making up 84% of the industry revenue in the U.S. While streaming is much more convenient for listeners, many artists argue that it is near im

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Why Jay-Z Was Named The #1 Rapper Of All Time

February 23, 2023

Who is the greatest rapper of all time? Is it even possible to crown just one person? Well, Billboard and Vibe did exactly that. And, according to them, that person is Jay-Z. In honor of Hip-Hop’s

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Behind Kaytranada’s Unique Sound

February 18, 2023

Kaytranada (Louis Celestin) is a Haitian-Canadian record producer and DJ. He is a highly acclaimed electronic artist, having earned two Grammys and countless other awards for his work. Kaytranada has

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The Creative Act: Rick Rubin’s Knowledge Turned Into A Book

February 17, 2023

What happens when a famous music producer takes an interest in self-help books? The Creative Act is your answer. But who is Rick Rubin? Without a doubt, Rubin has an impressive track record in the

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Behind the Music: The Audio Engineer

February 14, 2023

The music industry is a place full of musicians, producers, and creators who have the magical ability to make those perfect sounds we hear everyday through our digital devices. We want to listen close

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Lava La Rue Announces Debut Album ‘STARFACE’

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Lava La Rue, former Dork cover star and acclaimed London-based artist, has announced the release of their debut album, STARFACE, set to drop on June 21st, 2024, via Dirty Hit. This announcement is accompanied by the release of a new single, “Push N Shuv,” offering a tantalizing glimpse into the much-anticipated album.

A Five-Year Journey Culminates in 'Push N Shuv'

The lead single, “Push N Shuv,” is a track that Lava La Rue wrote five years ago, pre-COVID, at the age of 21. Reflecting on the song's journey, Lava shares, “I wrote ‘Push N Shuv’ 5 years ago before COVID (the vocals you hear on the song are still my 21-year-old voice) and I knew when I wrote it in 2019 that if I made an album, that’s what I wanted it to sound like. It’s literally been years in the making and honing in on that sound and it only feels fitting that this is the song that I announce the album with.”

The single, produced by Karma Kid (known for his work with Dua Lipa, Aminé, and Shygirl), pays affectionate homage to iconic ‘80s new-wavers Tom Tom Club. It features a bubbly funk groove reminiscent of “Genius of Love,” with colorful instrumentals including flute loops, old-school synths, subtle horns, and an active bass line anchoring the track’s tumultuous romance.

Visual and Sonic Extravaganza

Accompanying the single is a vibrant music video co-directed by Lava La Rue and Claryn Chong, produced by MrMr Films. The video embraces a ‘70s/‘80s aesthetic, evoking infomercials and late-night talk shows through a retro-grainy lens. It culminates with Lava’s STARFACE alter ego donning a helmet and reaching out towards a spaceship, hinting at a continuing story with a “TO BE CONTINUED” message.

The Concept Behind STARFACE

STARFACE is a conceptual psychedelic sci-fi romance album that follows the journey of a gender-fluid musical space alien sent to Earth to study human self-destructiveness. This thematic exploration adds depth to the album, promising an immersive experience beyond conventional music storytelling.

Lava La Rue describes STARFACE as their most personal and ambitious project to date, bridging their past and future musical identities. The album is expected to resonate with fans of alternative indie and psychedelic rock, featuring collaborations with artists such as Cuco, Audrey Nuna, and tendai.

Lava La Rue's Artistic Evolution

Lava La Rue's artistic vision extends beyond music; they have directed creative projects for the Tate Modern, headed talks at the BFI, and creatively directed a live TV performance for the 2023 Brit Awards.

With STARFACE, Lava La Rue is set to embark on an epic sci-fi-inspired adventure, exploring what it means to be human through a diverse range of genres, from funk and dance to alt-rock. This debut album marks a significant milestone in their career, signaling their arrival as a major force in the music industry.