Henry Carlyle: The Ground

For nearly six minutes, Henry Carlyle’s debut solo single, “The Ground,” entwines moody lo-fi sensibilities with reflective lyrics and unexpected sonic punctuation. The track is driven by compelling, mature guitar work and thoughtful percussion. Carlyle, the guitarist for the dance-friendly indie rock band the Orielles, traverses wintry moodiness here—and does so with beauty and nuance. Singer Julia Bardo provides backing vocals, sometimes manifesting as Nico-like …

MUNYA: Tonight, Tonight (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)

Singer-songwriter and producer MUNYA (aka Josie Boivin) has released two lovely tracks from her upcoming debut album, Voyage to Mars, and now the French-Canadian songstress delivers an unexpected but sublime cover of the 1995 Smashing Pumpkins song, “Tonight, Tonight.” The original—with its soaring 30-piece string section—lends itself to MUNYA’s folk-tinged synth-pop, but the two renditions are vastly different. The dreamy element in this cover makes sense, …

Christine and the Queens: Freedom (George Michael Cover)

Christine and the Queens (aka singer-songwriter and producer Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier) released the two-track EP Joseph recently, which comprises covers of Michel Fugain’s 1972 song “Fais comme l’oiseau” and George Michael’s 1990 hit “Freedom.” The latter (an iconic ode to the  liberation that comes from self-exploration) has been reimagined into a downtempo tune, abandoning the original’s jangly and funky bass line, but remaining mostly faithful …