motel void

ANDREW BRETHOUR – SUMMER/WINTER

Andrew Brethour is my favorite Canadian artist, originally from Ontario. His new single Summer/Winter has a wonderfully nostalgic feel. It starts off as a warm, laid-back guitar-driven song, and what often separates the good from the truly great in this kind of music is the vocal performance – which is absolutely fantastic here.

I especially love the arrival of the first chorus around the 1:20 mark. The melody is stunning, and Brethour is obviously an exceptional singer. The track runs for almost five minutes, though, and gradually evolves into something much bigger. As it progresses, it takes on a distinct shoegaze vibe, which feels like a pleasantly unexpected turn. The ending is genuinely epic, complete with shouted vocals and a touch of emo energy. Brilliant stuff.

POPPKORN SUTTON – FÜR MACHETE

Pleasant lo-fi music from Germany? That’s exactly what Poppkorn Sutton delivers. The track begins in a very lo-fi fashion before shifting, about thirty seconds in, into a cleaner yet still highly organic and inviting production style.

I’m also a big fan of the slightly emo-tinged vocals. Like the previous song, this one is longer than the genre typically allows, stretching past the five-and-a-half-minute mark. Yet it never feels overlong. Subtle variations keep things engaging throughout, while the song revolves around a beautifully nostalgic central motif that continually returns. The final minute and a half steadily builds in intensity and brings the track to a satisfying and memorable conclusion.

CANALSS – SHAVE THE WORLD

For our third pick, we’re heading to the United States, where we discovered a particularly intriguing project from St. Petersburg, Florida. Canalss describe themselves as being influenced by the likes of Leonard Cohen, SSRIs, sitting in traffic, and sleepless nights.

Shave the World is infectiously catchy, drawing from a charming lo-fi aesthetic while relying heavily on an irresistible vocal melody. It’s a fun, instantly appealing indie tune that sticks with you long after it ends!