Alternative

NATURAL LIGHT was recorded unexpectedly over 6 magical days by four best buds in a cabin by a lake. Here, there is a return to folk music’s classic underpinnings of political resistance. A return to writing “song songs” that might be played around a campfire. Mangan has experimented rigorously with his sound over the years, but resting in his roots may be where he operates most effortlessly.

There is something fitting in Mangan hitting this high watermark at this stage of his life and career. You can trace the chapters of his story in the fabric of Natural Light. You’ll find remnants of the tenacious young artist who booked tours of Europe via Myspace in the mid 2000s. The emergent songwriter who hibernated into fatherhood just as arena-folk exploded in the early 2010s. The genre-bender who has subtly challenged his audience with each album, tracing a unique trajectory of confronting and eclipsing his own art.

Dan Mangan is a 2x JUNO Award-winning and 3x Polaris Music Prize-nominated musician and songwriter. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with his wife and two sons. For decades, Dan has brought signature wit, sonic innovation and lyrical insight to the indie/folk community, garnering him a fiercely dedicated and deeply involved audience. He has played Glastonbury & Jimmy Kimmel Live, sold out Massey Hall and scored acclaimed soundtracks for television and feature film. In 2017, he co founded Side Door, a community marketplace platform for the arts that seeks to democratize and decentralize the entertainment industry by connecting artists with alternative venue spaces.

Kaia Kater’s JUNO-winning and Polaris nominated album, Strange Medicine, opens with a haunting vision. Accompanied by Aoife O’Donovan, Kater sings of the women burned at the stake as witches in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts and their wish to strike back: “I dreamt I moved through you and / Burned my name into your chest”. It’s an opening salvo from an album that celebrates the power of women and oppressed people throughout history as they rise up and turn the poison of centuries of oppression into a strange kind of medicine. Kater’s songs are dialogues with these historical figures and meditations on her own modern life as well. In the years since her 2018 album, Grenades, on Smithsonian Folkways, Kater has taken time to reinvent herself and hone her skills, first attending film school to learn composition, then diving deeper into her songwriting to come up with her most personal album yet. Feeling the pressure as a talented young songwriter, banjo player, and bandleader with three successful albums and an NPR Tiny Desk Concert under her belt, Kater struggled initially with the expectations of her adopted genre, Americana. “I was factoring everybody else's perception into my songwriting,” she says. “Would I write more honestly if I knew that no one would ever hear this?” With that in mind, Kater retreated to her apartment in Montréal. Sitting at home with her banjo, the songs unfolded in personal intimacy, revealing windows into the perspective of women and revolutionaries through history. Co-producing with Joe Grass (Elisapie, The Barr Brothers), Kater invited close friends and colleagues O’Donovan and Allison Russell to sing on the album, along with longtime hero and American legend Taj Mahal. With lush arrangements and unexpected musical ideas drawn from genres as surprising as minimalist composition, jazz drumming, and film scores, Strange Medicine is the bold next step in Kater’s career. It’s an album made beyond the white gaze of Americana, unbeholden to a music industry that so often tokenizes and silences marginalized voices, a Black Feminist perspective on a genre that refuses to cede power to Black women. But ultimately it’s a celebration of the self. The words of the poem “won’t you celebrate with me” by Lucille Clifton echoed in Kater’s ears throughout the process of making this album:

“born in babylon

both nonwhite and woman

what did i see to be except myself?”

Aysanabee is a multi JUNO Award–winning Indigenous (Oji-Cree) singer-songwriter whosemusic blends alternative, indie-folk, and rock influences into a sound that is both intimate and expansive. Known for his emotionally resonant songwriting and unmistakable voice, Aysanabee has quickly become one of Canada’s most compelling contemporary artists, earning national acclaim for his artistry and storytelling.

Aysanabee’s music has garnered widespread critical praise and industry recognition. From“Nomads” and “Somebody Else” to “Home”,his music has become a staple on Canadian alternative and alt rock formats while receiving consistent airplay across commercial radio, CBC and SiriusXM. His ability to connect deeply with listeners has made tracks like “Dream Catcher”standouts, with the original version, released last summer, becoming a fan favourite and a defining moment of his recent tours.

Renowned for his powerful live performances, Aysanabee has built a reputation as a must-see artist on stage. Whether performing in intimate theatres or on major festival stages, his shows are marked by raw honesty, magnetic presence, and a rare emotional connection with audiences. His now global performance history has created a loyal fan base and made him a standout performer across the country.

Continuing this momentum, Aysanabee has just announced Timelines, a new EP reimagining fan-loved songs, set for release on March 20th. Two tracks, “Nomads (Timelines Acoustic)” and“Dream Catcher (Acoustic)” are already available digitally, offering a stripped-back, deeply personal glimpse into the songs that have defined his journey.

Kim Churchill embarks on the Canadian leg of  'The Lovely Tour' in the spring of 2026! Following the release of his latest album, 'It's Lovely To Have You Here', Kim has been touring the globe on the Lovely Tour presenting the new songs alongside all peoples favorites from the past. Armed with his 3 campervans Kim travels across countries telling his stories and drawing people into the adventure of his nomadic and musical existence. Be prepared for a dazzling one man band evening full of storytelling, happy tears and psychedelic foot stomping blues!'

Raised By Swans is the recording alias of Canadian songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist Eric Howden. Fiercely independent in all aspects of his music, spanning five full-length albums and two decades thus far, his haunting, contemplative songs have been described as evoking “both mournful and triumphant emotions” (Exclaim!), and have been featured in international film and television, including Academy Award and Palm d’Or nominated director Atom Egoyan’s Chloe (2010), starring Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore.

Raised By Swans Is The Name Of A Man, Volume 2: Run With The Silent Wildfires (2023), is the latest of five albums Howden has written, arranged, performed, produced and independently released as Raised By Swans; his past LPs are Codes and Secret Longing(2005), No Ghostless Place (2010), Öxnadalur (2014), and Raised By Swans Is The Name Of A Man, Volume 1 (2021). Over the eight years spent creating Volumes 1 and 2, he performed concerts in twelve countries, managed a tiny harbourside grocery shop in the most remote municipality in Iceland, and planted 10,000 baby birch trees in the hills of Öxnadalur (a valley in North Iceland), all by himself.

Currently based in London, Ontario, Raised By Swans will be touring in Europe in the fall of 2025. His latest single, “locket from a wreck”, was released on May 7th, 2024.

TUNES@NOON at The Aeolian is supported with thanks to The Paul Seed Fund through London Community Foundation and is a London UNESCO City of Music project.

Justin Adams, guitarist, producer and composer, has been a creator of wonders with Robert Plant in the Sensational Space Shifters. His production on landmark albums by Tinariwen and Rachid Taha highlights his feel for North African groove, while his award-winning collaborations with Juldeh Camara linked griot tradition with raw blues spirit. His work with artists such as Jah Wobble and Sinead O’Connor was infused with the spirit of post-punk London, while his solo guitar album “Ribbons” was cited by Songlines magazine among the top 50 albums of the past decade.

This collaboration with Mauro Durante stems from a concert led by Ludovico Einaudi, the legendary Notte de Taranta in Puglia, where the two first played together, recognising kindred spirits in the trance rhythms of Taranta which transcend “melancolia” or the blues. Mauro Durante toured the world for many years with Ludovico Einaudi playing violin and frame drums. He is one of the leading players in the pizzica style of Southern Italy and leads Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, who have played great festivals all over the world. Last year they were featured in their own concert at the BBC Proms (where Justin Adams guested with them) and they won Best Group in the Songlines Music Awards.

The duo won Songlines magazine’s Best Fusion Artist award in 2022. Their 2024 CD titled “Sweet Release” was chosen as one of the best albums of 2024 by Songlines, il giornale della musica, Corriere del Mezzogiorno , Blogfoolk, Globofonie, Izvorišta, World Music Charts Europe, Transglobal World Music Chart, World Music Central, Podwireless – Local Music From Out There and many others.

A letter from Reuben and the Dark:

I’ve always thought of music as a kind of medicine - for myself initially, and then hopefully for the people who hear it. Over the last decade with Reuben and the Dark, I’ve had the chance to share songs across North America and Europe, from small clubs to major festivals, alongside artists like Vance Joy, Mumford and Sons, and The Paper Kites. Every stage has been another step in a journey that’s as much about community and connection as it is about music.

This year also marks the eleven year anniversary of Funeral Sky, our debut record. Looking back on that album - the one that started it all - while preparing to release new music has been grounding. It’s a reminder of how far the songs have carried me and how much they continue to evolve with the people who listen and sing them back.

My songs have found their way into films and television - Killers of the Flower Moon, Breaking Bad, The Highwaymen, Grey’s Anatomy - spaces where the music takes on a life larger than my own story. And in the last few years, my work with the Bullhorn Singers, a Blackfoot Powwow group from Kainai, has become one of the most meaningful chapters of my career. Together we’ve toured, performed at Indigenous schools and communities across Canada, and released our first album together in 2025. What started as a collaboration has grown into family, and into music that feels bigger than me.

Now, as I look ahead to our fifth full-length record, I feel like I’m starting fresh; building something independent for the first time in my career, while still carrying all the roads and stories that brought me here. At the core, Reuben and the Dark has always been about honesty and finding beauty in the shadows, and I think the music we’re making now reflects that more than ever.

Thank you for being a part of our journey. The best is yet to come.

-Reuben

Madison Violet is a Canadian Juno-nominated female musical duo, consisting of Lisa MacIsaac and Brenley MacEachern.

The pair, who grew up on rural Cape Brenton Island, came together musically in the late 1990s over many evenings in Brenley’s grandmother’s kitchen, which was always  bursting with food, family, friends, and instruments.

Influenced by their maritime heritage, the East Coast musicians began creating music together that had roots firmly planted in their past, but with contemporary and modern elements generously overlaid.  Categorizing Madison Violet’s music is an impossible task, in that one can hear elements of folk, singer-songwriter, pop, indie, bluegrass, and country flawlessly interwoven throughout.

MacIsaac and MacEachern are exceptional story tellers, skilled multi-instrumentalists, and together, perfect harmonists. Their voices soar, perfectly complimenting each other, as they sing lyrics that will both mend and break your heart.

MacIsaac and MachEachern have released more than 10 albums together.  Their latest record “eleven” was self-recorded and produced, ranking MacIsaac and MacEachern among the less than 2.1% of female-identifying music producers in the industry.

“Eleven” is considered their most candid album to date, filled with deeply personal stories of love and loss.

The musicians have received dozens of notable accolades for their work, including a JUNO nomination for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year.  They have brought home a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Vocal Group Album of the Year, have reached the top 5 on the Canadian iTunes download charts, amassed over one million streams on Spotify, and have placed on CBC’s Top 20 multiple times throughout their career.

Their music is consistently played across Canada and throughout the world, and the internationally acclaimed artists are no strangers to receiving glowing reviews for both their studio work, and live performances.

MacIsaac and MacEachern currently live in and around Toronto, Ontario, tour Internationally, identify as members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and are fervent advocates for social justice.

Alternative/folk/pop singer-songwriter, Magenta, writes honest and emotional songs which fans describe to be brutally relatable. Through the years, she has developed her craft immensely, constantly experimenting with lyrical metaphors and sonic expressions. With music similar to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrams and Jeremy Zucker, magenta’s audience has been growing ever since her first release in 2021. Magenta has been a part of various development programs such as SOCAN's Incubator for Creative Entrepreneurship and RBCxMusic First Up.  

After the successful release of her first single “finding myself”, Magenta later released her debut EP “lost in plain sight” in March of 2022. Magenta then wrote her sophomore EP throughout 2022 and released the project titled “can you see the beginning?” in March of 2023. Of that project, her single “weighing me down” landed a spot on Spotify’s Fresh Finds Canada Playlist. Most recently, magenta released her third EP titled "angel" in March 2025. This EP was made possible with funding support from FACTOR Canada and Canada Council for the Arts. Magenta is now working on her debut album.

TUNES@NOON at The Aeolian is supported with thanks to The Paul Seed Fund through London Community Foundations and is a London UNESCO City of Music project.