Album Reviews: Jane Weaver, Genesis Owusu, Bülow

 Genesis Owusu — Smiling with No Teeth (Koforidua, Ghana/Canberra, Australia) For a visceral and often very danceable listen, Genesis Owusu offers you abrasive music with an inescapable catchiness. So many layered productions and a strong sense of how to guide a song forward keeps this album constantly exciting. "On the

City Fidelia releases a scathing confrontation of police brutality

 As the Black Lives Matter movement has gained momentum after the brutal murder of George Floyd, it is important to recognize the violence and dehumanization Black people have experienced for generations. While it is critical to raise awareness about police brutality, it is also important to celebrate the achievements Black

Album Reviews: Madlib, Altin Gün, Besnard Lakes

 Madlib — Sound Ancestors (Oxnard, California) After a heavy 2020 supply of records, and the recent passing of frequent collaborator MF Doom, Madlib would've been forgiven for taking a year off. The producer wastes no time however in creating a lush sonic tapestry, rich with tracks that fuse everything from

A year in music — the best albums of 2020

 10. U.S. Girls — Heavy Light (Toronto/Chicago) To evolve the ideas she crafted on In a Poem Unlimited, Meg Remy has found a lot more groove than grow in her new record. This doesn't shake out the same level of pressing art-pop she got before but it merges narrative, abstract, and

Ottawa’s BLAKDENIM talk unique sound and working with hip-hop icon DMC

 If you're active in the city’s club or festival scene, you've surely heard of BLAKDENIM. The Ottawa-based ensemble has been rocking audiences for almost a decade now and stands out with their eclectic mix of rock, jazz, soul and hip-hop. They’re probably the only band in the city that has

Head to the NAC for a Hit of Hip Hop

 Photos by Kim Villagante Looking for something to do this weekend?  Head to the NAC for a hit of hip hop and theatre. At first glance to anyone not familiar with it, hip hop music might just seem like some pretty bad ass music peppered with expletives and derogatory terms. That

Warrior Heart – Q&A with Cody Coyote

 Feature image by James Park Photography “Mamawi” is an Ojibwe word that means “all together”. It’s also the name of the new album by Indigenous artist Cody Coyote, a release he hopes inspires love, understanding and some reconciliation for Canada’s Indigenous issues. There’s a reason why CBC called him a

Album Review: Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

 Not many knock it out of the park in the first release but, arguably, The Pharcyde hit it out of the stadium with Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. That ball is still flyin' somewhere out over the Pacific circling back towards L.A.! It wasn’t just a mic drop. No, it was

Festival Recap: Music & Beyond

 Ottawa Life’s Festival City Series is back! We'll provide a unique look at some of your favourite events. We’ll go beyond the music with artist interviews, volunteer profiles, concert reviews and spotlights on the tastes, sights and sounds of the festival season.  Your city! Your festivals and events! Like a good sunscreen,

JUNO Spotlight: A Tribe Called Red

 Nominated For: Video of the Year (R.E.D.) Jack Richardson Producer of the Year (Sila, R.E.D.) Electronic Album of the Year (We Are the Halluci Nation) When art meets activism something amazing is bound to happen. When that includes an exultant dance party set to pulse pounding dubstep, house, and hip

JUNO Spotlight: Allan Slaight JUNO Master Class of 2017

 Winners of: 2017 | Allan Slaight JUNO Master Class   The legacy Allan Slaight has left on the Canadian music industry in his now 85 years is immeasurable. The once magician now media mogul has been called a rock and roll pioneer for his work on multiple platforms to promote the

Up Close and Personal with Colin James

 Canadian Music Hall of Famer and blues legend Colin James Munn may not have been born with a guitar in his hand but, considering his trajectory in childhood, it wouldn’t have been too surprising if he had been. He was a Regina, Saskatchewan kid bottle fed on the blues that

January 15th to 17th

 Here at Ottawa Life we are always looking out for great things to do on a weekend! Check out some of the events that are happening right here in our city this weekend. TD Place Stadium, Ottawa 67’s vs. Niagara IceDogs - Jan.15th (7:00pm) This Friday, come support your local OHL

The YMCA’s Still Got It

 A shot from the YMCA-YWCA's annual cliffhanger event. Photo by John Enaje. The Capital’s YMCA-YWCA has a lot to offer locals. Founded in 1867, the Y works to advance the health and well being of children, youth and families. The Y provides services that tackle issues such as children’s health, unemployment,

Bluesfest Beats

 Photo courtesy of Steve G The countdown to the RBC Ottawa Bluesfest is on. As the weeks leading up to the festival go by, OLM will continue to highlight must-see performances by some of the acts that you may have not yet discovered – so Ottawa music lovers listen up! An

Dance Roots

 Image: danceroots.ca When Sarah Nolan-Downs moved to Ottawa with her husband, Brandon, to find there was no dance studio in their growing community of Riverside South, they seized the chance to share their passion. The two met when they were both apprenticing with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Originally from Saskatchewan, Sarah

Pilar’s Picks: Marta Pacek

 The Australian alt-folk songstress Marta Pacek decided to produce a new sound with her recently released album Voo Doo Dolls and False Alarms -- a fresh twist from the past two years she spent in North America and her home country. It’s a combination of her personal confessions and each

Breaks That Saved Northern Dreams and Healed Pains: One of the Oldest Hip-hop Dance Crews in Canada Celebrates its 30th Anniversary

 Images courtesy of www.canadianbreaking.com By Damira Davletyarova Spectators pressed in, trying to see the dancers on the floor. Hip-hop stars circled. Cameras blinked. One dancer spun, dropping the body on the floor; he extended his legs. Half-lifting his body, he paused in mid-air. At the Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts,

Musical Mayhem Goes beyond the Greenbelt

 It’s a fact – to make it as a musician, you have to tour. As a result, because a musician’s vocals and vibes need to be heard beyond home turf, many local bands are going beyond the greenbelt.  This month a slew of Ottawa bands are traveling to Montreal to