October is closing in fast, and you have just had your last Friday of September 2026. How does it feel? But the good news – Fridays usually mean new music releases! Your new Canadian release radar for the end of September is filled with artists of all kinds: big, small, and unexpected.
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Sam Louis is a solo act out of Toronto and on Friday he dropped his newest single, cave in. Sam Louis is a hidden gem amongst the usual indie crowd that comes out of Ontario. He specializes in atmospheric guitar and a modern alternative production style. His new single cave in has a very unique vocal modulation to set the tone of the song.
You either love or hate modulators, I don’t care for that production style, but I can’t ignore how popular it is in the genre. What do you think about them? Some bands even dedicate themselves to keeping some kind of voice modulation on every track – it becomes their brand.
It is so easy to abuse them though, and it can make or break a track if it isn’t mixed properly. Sam Louis did an amazing job with this single, everything in this song blends seamlessly into each other to create a perfect sensual listening experience
An important album release that came out on Friday was Les Shirley’s Hail Mary. It is the Montreal based group’s third studio album, and if you are a fan of modern alternative/punk rock, you will adore this record.
Les Shirley are an all-female power trio, and Hail Mary is their best release yet. The group has been together since 2018 and already put out three full-length albums, their dedication to music is very clear, and that is what has built them a growing, dedicated fanbase. If you like artists such as Avril Lavigne, Jimmy Eat World, and The Offspring, give Hail Mary a long listen to.
Les Shirley’s music tackles issues like women’s rights, toxic relationships, queer identity, fear, anger, and lust, and turn them all into a wicked rock record. My favorite song on the album is the fifth track, Jungle Speed, it is a song very reminiscent of the early 2000’s pop-punk/alternative rock. It has great energy, clean riffs, and a catchy rhythm.
Give these two artists a listen and find something new to listen to this week!