Kevin Francis Gray makes beautiful marble & fiberglass sculptures. It’s rare you come across any contemporary marble sculptures, but these these make a strong case for their resurgence.

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Jagjaguwar have chosen 26 October as the official release date for Small Black’s debut full length New Chain.  Simultaniously, the label have released a sample of what is to come from the group: “Photojournalist,” track four off of the album.  With “Photojournalist,” Small Black give us more of their gauzy beach-house synth-pop, while also making sure Josh Kolenik’s vocals hit a little heavier, making the melody highly contagious.

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DOWNLOAD: Small Black – Photojournalist

IDM (or Intelligent Dance Music) often gets a bad rap for being masturbatory and unnecessarily obscure. However, a few special acts can transcend the norm and create true feeling through electronics. Such is the case with Vancouver’s Teen Daze. Check out some of our favorite songs below including a cover of fellow Vancouverite’s Japandroids.

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DOWNLOAD: Teen Daze – Wet Hair (Japandroids Cover)

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DOWNLOAD: Fol Chen – The Holograms (Teen Daze Remix) [via: kaaate]

BONUS: The conceptual gem “Driving Home from the Beach (The Feeling of)” embodies its title perfectly.

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DOWNLOAD: Teen Daze – Driving Home from the Beach (The Feeling of)

It’s always a difficult and polarizing task to attempt to pick a favorite song amongst a plethora of good music. However, if someone were to walk up to me right now and ask me to do such a task, I would immediately mention Clive Tanaka y su orquestra‘s “Neu Chicago”.

It has a little bit of the lo-fi sound characteristic of indie-rock, the driving beat of dance music, steel drums bringing the tropical summer, the essence of chillwave, and the lovey dovey guy-girl vocals of pop music. When this song isn’t playing in the apartment or the car it’s playing in my head. Enjoy.

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DOWNLOAD: Clive Tanaka y su orquestra – Neu Chicago

BONUS: Also very good.

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DOWNLOAD: Clive Tanaka y su orquesta – I Want You (So Bad)

After highlighting Bishop Morocco last week, it’s about time we pay some attention to another homegrown Toronto talent, Young Empires. Their sound is a complicated blend of classic indie rock, tropical/tribal rhythms, and electronic/dance music that sounds like a more modern and relevant Friendly Fires. We’ve been listening to them for weeks now and their songs simply haven’t lost any of their original excitement/sheen.

It’s really very good. Highly recommended.

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DOWNLOAD: Young Empires – Glory of the Night

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DOWNLOAD: Young Empires – White Doves

In our ongoing search for great products for everyday, we came across Murdock London’s Matt Mudd Grooming Clay on an apt suggestion. The UK-based heritage barber shop has a handful of shops around the city including one inside Liberty. Check it out for an experience foreign to our generation – a glass of scotch over some well-paced conversation, a haircut and a wet shave.

Their Grooming Clay is one of the best pomade-like styling aids on the market. It gives a subtle finish and manages to look natural the next day for the man on the go. It’s available among a multitude of their products in the Murdock London Online Shop.

Also, check out their Gentlemen’s Blog.

Toronto’s own Bishop Morocco seem to be flying under the radar this summer, in spite of the quality of their self-titled debut LP released 1 June under Hand Drawn Dracula Records .   This post-punk electro-pop ensemble is comprised of seemingly polar opposites Jake Fairley (aka Fairmont) and Jim Sayce (the Deadly Snakes & Tangiers ).  Hand Drawn Dracula says the project “references Americana as much as Brit-pop,” and also notes the band’s influences ranging from Roy Orbison and Angelo Badalamenti to the Smiths and New Order.  In our opinion, Bishop Morocco sound like what would have happened if Ian Curtis were still alive and Canadian.  Either way, these guys are onto something.

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DOWNLOAD: Bishop Morocco- Our Time

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DOWNLOAD: Bishop Morocco- White City

There’s been several super cool looking iPad cases since the device’s dimensions were revealed, but few compete with the functional design of the Apple iPad Case. It’s slim, light and most importantly lets your iPad sit in multiple, useful positions.

We came across the competition. Hard Graft has come out with an equally functional piece with a little more character. The case functions as a stand is composed of felt and leather in Hard Graft’s traditionally tasteful and minimalist approach to casing.

It’s available in Hard Graft’s Online Shop.

More pictures ahead.

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After enjoying a great show from The Twelves, we get to enjoy the latest fire from fellow Brazilians Mixhell. Always determining their sound on a song by song basis, Mixhell have taken Jamacia’s “Short and Entertaining” and put their original touch on another amazing remix.

Beyond the vocals, which are kept intact for the most part, this song is completely different from the original. We liked the (Xavier De Rosnay produced) original, but this one injects so much energy and feeling into the song it makes a strong case for a better overall production.

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DOWNLOAD: Jamaica – Short and Entertaining (Mixhell Remix)

Beat Connection is an electro-pop duo from Seattle who are making waves everywhere with an eight-track EP that is aces from end to end.  The EP, titled Surf Noir, is described by the band as “challenging surf-y-psychedelic-balearic-disco-dance-electro-pop infused with a healthy dose of rock and house music.”  Take a listen to our favorite three tracks below while you download the Surf Noir EP for free HERE at the band’s official site.  You will not be disappointed.

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DOWNLOAD: Beat Connection- Sunburn

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DOWNLOAD: Beat Connection- Silver Screen (via)

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DOWNLOAD: Beat Connection- Same Damn Time (via)