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FYI

Dead Soft: The Static

The BC band softens its sound on a new dream-pop meets shoegaze single. Ethereal vocals float atop atmospheric guitars in mesmerising fashion.

Dead Soft: The Static

By Kerry Doole

Dead Soft - "The Static" (Arts & Crafts): Defining the sound of this BC band seems to be problematic. The press bio tag of "grunge-punks" is most certainly not an accurate description of this brand new single.


"The Static" is a moody dream-pop meets shoegaze track that brings the likes of Galaxie 500 to mind. The ethereal vocals of bassist/vocalist Keeley Rochon float atop the guitar work of Nathaniel Epp and Kyle Schick in beguiling fashion.

Rochon says of the tune: "The song represents the feeling of being alone and afraid, having a partner to rely on but becoming aware of the fact that there's more to life than blacking out for the entirety of your workday only to get home and collapse in the arms of the one you love. It's also a love song."

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Dead Soft was founded in 2011 by partners Epp and Rochon and has undergone a few personnel changes. A self-titled debut came out in 2014, followed by an EP, New Emotion, late last year. The couple now lives on Gabriola Island where they run a landscaping company in between writing music and touring.

The band is currently playing club shows on the US west coast, concluding with an April 18 gig at Vancouver's Static Jupiter.

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Publicity: Ken Beattie, Killbeat

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Jairus Sharif
Matt Wallace via Jairus Sharif / Instagram

Jairus Sharif

Awards

Calgary Jazz Artist Jairus Sharif Wins the First-Ever Meridian Prize

Sharif's album Basis of Unity is the first recipient of the FACTOR-partnered award that recognizes an album of exceptional artistic achievement from Western and Northern Canada. The award was presented at BreakOut West in Victoria this weekend (Oct. 3).

Jairus Sharif has won the first-ever Meridian Prize.

This weekend, the Calgary experimental jazz musician was awarded the inaugural Meridian Prize for his 2025 album Basis of Unity at BreakOut West festival and conference in Victoria, British Columbia. The brand new prize was introduced this year to recognize an album of exceptional artistic achievement from Western and Northern Canada, serving a similar role as the Polaris Music Prize. In addition to a trophy, Sharif also receives a $5,000 honorarium.

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