Elliott Smith

balacade: Julie EP

balacade is Andrew Reynolds, a one-man act from Canada that has been producing records back in high school. He cites Sparklehorse, Neil Young and Elliott Smith as his influences and you can tell easily from the music he has produced that he leans towards indie folk genre. Julie EP contains songs that are all written, recorded and played from 2011 – 2014 on 4-track tape machines. This is why the songs have this real, bedroom songs feel to it that makes balacade songs more sincere as they already are.

Andy Shea: Braver

Braver is Andy Shea's latest short compilation. An artist that believes music is best shared and enjoyed with friends; the album is a 4-track collection that showcases simple yet endearing indie acoustic folk. Described as a fan of the "NBA and Shakespeare," Shea is a talented singer songwriter that's currently based in New England. He admits to being influenced by fellow musicians and talented songwriters, Rivers Cuomo and Elliot Smith among others.

Two Suns: Dream Familiar

Two Suns is a personal project by Jake Davidson and showcases the artists' varied musical influences. From electronic ambient sounds to acoustic favorites, the 10-track compilation pulls out the stops when it comes to providing good music. Gathering influences from different genres and musicians as varied as Nine Inch Nails, Sufjan Stevens, Pink Floyd and Bright Eyes, it's easy to expect a hodge of sound to greet you. Dream Familiar is his latest release. Celebrating diversity and defying genre labels, the album is a beautiful example of what happens when you just create music you love without bothering to think about labels.

Salvador: Rite of Passage

There's hardly anything about Salvador online but sometimes you don't really need that much information to enjoy the music. Rite of Passage is a one man band headed by Omar Khan. A young acoustic folk pop musician who likes to sing about the quiet things in life. This short record is purely DIY. Omar produced, recorded, wrote the songs and played the instruments, save on percussion which was provided by Raphael Guirguis. The album is a warm, lo-fi acoustic folk record that makes me think of Elliott Smithand a subdued Bright Eyes in certain places. It's perfect for a quiet and relaxing afternoon where all that matters is your thoughts.