toronto musicians – Get In Her Ears

Overcoming nasty memories with the help of an unlikely fictional character, Aunty Social‘s latest single ‘Cortex’ is a gentle, upbeat offering. The song is lifted from her upcoming debut EP, The Day My Brain Broke, which is set for release on 6th March.

The Toronto-based bedroom-pop artist chose to look to 90s game Crash Bandicoot to help work through her trauma. Aunty Social (aka Daniela Gitto) explains further: “I decided to imagine the person who caused a lot of trauma in my life as the fictional enemy of Crash Bandicoot, named Cortex. When I was a child, I was so encompassed by the game that I would imagine all my peers as characters from it. My best friend would be imagined as CoCo Bandicoot, and anyone that did me harm would be Cortex. The song is bright and uplifting, so I decided to challenge that by masking the negative subject matter with childlike innocence.”

Gitto’s dark context on ‘Cortex’ contrasts well with her buoyant beats and video game analogies, giving the track a nostalgic glow. It’s laced with her soft vocals and summery synth sounds, easing the complex feelings explored in her lyrics.

Listen to ‘Cortex’ below, and follow Aunty Social on Facebook and Spotify for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

If you’re struggling to keep your head above life’s turbulent waters, then Grizzly Coast‘s latest single ‘High Functioning’ will resonate with you. The Toronto-based indie musician has documented her personal struggle with OCD via buoyant guitar riffs and relatable lyrics.

Grizzly Coast (aka Alannah Kavanagh) has spent most of 2019 releasing singles – including the brilliant ‘Half Light Boy’ – and putting together tracks for her debut EP which is set for release in 2020. Her refreshing indie-pop sounds are often underscored by emotive contexts (break-ups, dealing with OCD), and ‘High Functioning’ showcases her resilience as a woman and a songwriter.

Speaking about her new track, Alannah explains: “’High-Functioning’ is a song about holding your life together in every place but your own head. When I wrote the lyrics, I was going through a difficult time with my OCD. During that period, nobody in my life could tell that my inner world was overwhelming because I was right on the ball in so many other capacities. One particular night, I thought to myself – “I may as well try to write instead of just sitting and stewing in these uncomfortable feelings”. By powering forward and working towards my goals in the face of struggle, I built a solid foundation to stand on where I found both the purpose and drive I needed to stay confident through it all. I was ‘High-Functioning’ in every sense of the term”.

We’re glad Alannah is able to function in the face of adversity, and we’re looking forward to hearing more of her poignant work. Watch the video for ‘High Functioning’ below and follow Grizzly Coast on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Tag: toronto musicians

Track Of The Day: Grizzly Coast – ‘High-Functioning’