The Neighbourhood Mixtape: New Map

The Neighbourhood Mixtape is a collection of newly-released songs by Toronto musicians. The mixtape is meant to celebrate Toronto's music culture and provide a forum to listen to and discover new local music.

Every Sunday, I post a five-track mixtape (along with my own mini-reflections for each track) that you can download or stream as a soundtrack for the week.

Track #1: Solvent, "Curtains"

"Curtains" hovers in metallic hisses and scraps of bass, creating an ambient, melodramatic atmosphere. A bit of trivia: The tracks on Solvent's EP RDJCS5 were produced using a Yamaha CS5 monosynth that was previously owned by Richard D. James of Aphex Twin and won at an auction by Solvent's friend.

Track #2: Aaron Comeau, "Waltz for Her"

"And I could do whatever you want me to do," serenades Aaron Comeau in "Waltz for Her". Sundresses hang to dry on the cover of Comeau's record, reflecting the simple and earnest sound of his hearty folk song.

Track #3: Indoor Voices, "Nevers (Minimal)"

There are two versions of the Indoor Voices track "Nevers". The vocals in the "minimal" rendition ellipse and expand with echoes of hollow percussion - a sunset of richly textured melodies.

Track #4: OPOPO, "The Bump"

OPOPO hammers out some euphoria with the rhythmic track "The Bump", as synth bleeps and bloops along with drum machine stutters to test your vitals.

Track #5: Huddle, "Dark Times"

Huddle released their debut LP All These Fires this week, and there's a real sincerity and sharpness to the album. "Dark Times" throbs and lets go of any doubts. And the more you listen to the question lead singer Mark Satterthwaite harkens in the song, the more it feels and sounds right.

If you wish to be a part of The Neighbourhood Mixtape, you can contact Aldrin at aldrin [at] blogto [dotcom]