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THE
SOUND CAFE
JOURNAL

Documenting the sound of culture.

Stories of music, place, and identity from around the world

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Latest Articles

Global Roots #6 — The Sacred Echo: From Gaelic Psalms to the Nordic Joik

Global Roots #6 — The Sacred Echo: From Gaelic Psalms to the Nordic Joik

Global Roots #6 — The Sacred Echo: From Gaelic Psalms to the Nordic Joik

Global Roots Series

Stevie Connor

6 min read

There are moments in an artist’s journey when a song doesn’t just arrive, it reveals itself as the emotional axis around which everything else turns. With the release of “The Trouble With Love,” Joanne Shaw Taylor steps firmly into that space

There are moments in an artist’s journey when a song doesn’t just arrive, it reveals itself as the emotional axis around which everything else turns. With the release of “The Trouble With Love,” Joanne Shaw Taylor steps firmly into that space

Where Love Burns and Breaks: Joanne Shaw Taylor Ignites Emotion on 'The Trouble With Love'

Stevie Connor

4 min read

Finding Her Voice, Turning Up the Volume: Favourite Girl Announces a Fearless New Era

Finding Her Voice, Turning Up the Volume: Favourite Girl Announces a Fearless New Era

Finding Her Voice, Turning Up the Volume: Favourite Girl Announces a Fearless New Era

Stevie Connor

5 min read

Iris Copperman has been writing songs since the age of five, and her storytelling bears the weight and nuance of someone far beyond her years.

Iris Copperman has been writing songs since the age of five, and her storytelling bears the weight and nuance of someone far beyond her years.

14-Year-Old Iris Copperman Transforms Pain into Poetry on Middle School Dropout

Megan Routledge

3 min read

Where Roots Meet Reinvention: The Andrew Collins Trio Celebrate 'Retro' in Toronto

Where Roots Meet Reinvention: The Andrew Collins Trio Celebrate 'Retro' in Toronto

Where Roots Meet Reinvention: The Andrew Collins Trio Celebrate 'Retro' in Toronto

Stevie Connor

4 min read

There are moments in life, and in any meaningful journey, when you feel a quiet but undeniable shift.

There are moments in life, and in any meaningful journey, when you feel a quiet but undeniable shift.

A New Chapter: A Letter From The Editor

Stevie Connor

4 min read

Global Roots #5 — The North Sea Salt

Global Roots #5 — The North Sea Salt

Global Roots #5 — The North Sea Salt: How Gaelic Melodies and Nordic Drones Map the Same Shore

Global Roots Series

Stevie Connor

6 min read

Leon Redbone: Who Was This Mysterious Man?

Leon Redbone: Who Was This Mysterious Man?

Leon Redbone: Who Was This Mysterious Man? And Why We Should All Let The Mystery Be

Richard Flohil

4 min read

Behind The Curtain: Michael Fonfara

Behind The Curtain: Michael Fonfara

Behind The Curtain: The Legacy of Michael Fonfara

Behind The Curtain

Erin McCallum

9 min read

The 55th JUNO Awards: Canada’s Biggest Night in Music Comes to Hamilton

The 55th JUNO Awards: Canada’s Biggest Night in Music Comes to Hamilton

The 55th JUNO Awards: Canada’s Biggest Night in Music Comes to Hamilton

Megan Routledge

3 min read

Some albums arrive quietly, like a late-night conversation that lingers long after the last word is spoken. Drivin’, the new release from Berlin-based Canadian singer-songwriter Luke Hawkins, is one of those records.

Some albums arrive quietly, like a late-night conversation that lingers long after the last word is spoken. Drivin’, the new release from Berlin-based Canadian singer-songwriter Luke Hawkins, is one of those records.

Driven by Memory and the Muse: Luke Hawkins Returns With the Soulful New Album Drivin’

Stevie Connor

5 min read

After a 16-year hiatus from the recording spotlight, Broken Hill’s own Stephen Rowe is back, and he’s returned with a distinctly personal touch.

After a 16-year hiatus from the recording spotlight, Broken Hill’s own Stephen Rowe is back, and he’s returned with a distinctly personal touch.

Broken Hill’s Stephen Rowe Returns After 16 Years with Two New Tracks

Neil Mitchell

3 min read

Los Angeles dream-pop duo TANGIENTS return with “The Ether,” a shimmering new single that blends shoegaze textures, ethereal vocals, and atmospheric guitars ahead of their debut album Embers, arriving May 1, 2026.

Los Angeles dream-pop duo TANGIENTS return with “The Ether,” a shimmering new single that blends shoegaze textures, ethereal vocals, and atmospheric guitars ahead of their debut album Embers, arriving May 1, 2026.

TANGIENTS Share Dreamlike New Single 'The Ether' Ahead of Debut Album Embers

Stevie Connor

5 min read

Ken Wallis Chats With Nashville-Based Crystal Shawanda

Ken Wallis Chats With Nashville-Based Crystal Shawanda

Ken Wallis Chats With Nashville-Based Crystal Shawanda

Ken Wallis

10 min read

International Women’s Day: Andrea England and the Power of Four Chords and the Truth

International Women’s Day: Andrea England and the Power of Four Chords and the Truth

International Women’s Day: Andrea England and the Power of Four Chords and the Truth

Stevie Connor

4 min read

The Long Road To Flin Flon: The Ramparts and the Seven Blessings

The Long Road To Flin Flon: The Ramparts and the Seven Blessings

The Long Road To Flin Flon: The Ramparts and the Seven Blessings

The Long Road To Flin Flon

Megan Routledge

5 min read

J Balvin and Amber Mark Reimagine Van Halen’s 'Jump' as Coca-Cola’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ Anthem

J Balvin and Amber Mark Reimagine Van Halen’s 'Jump' as Coca-Cola’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ Anthem

J Balvin and Amber Mark Reimagine Van Halen’s 'Jump' as Coca-Cola’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ Anthem

Megan Routledge

4 min read

The Long Road To Flin Flon: From Pitch to Pipes

The Long Road To Flin Flon: From Pitch to Pipes

The Long Road To Flin Flon: From Pitch to Pipes

The Long Road To Flin Flon

Megan Routledge

9 min read

Grammy-Nominated Global Afrobeats Superstar Ayra Starr Ignites New Era With 'Where Do We Go'

Grammy-Nominated Global Afrobeats Superstar Ayra Starr Ignites New Era With 'Where Do We Go'

Grammy-Nominated Global Afrobeats Superstar Ayra Starr Ignites New Era With 'Where Do We Go'

Anne Connor

5 min read

The Long Road To Flin Flon: The First Conservatory

The Long Road To Flin Flon: The First Conservatory

The Long Road To Flin Flon: The First Conservatory

The Long Road To Flin Flon

Megan Routledge

10 min read

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Global Roots

Cultural Journey's and Traditions

The Record

Memoir, Reviews and Interviews

The Now

New Music and Reviews

Behind The Curtain

The Canadian Blues Collective

Exclusive Interviews.

By Erin McCallum

The Long Road To Flin Flon

A life-spanning memoir of music, survival, and the search for belonging across continents.

Blues Legend & Legacy

Erin McCallum's Blues Legacy & Distinction, Honouring The Canadian Blues Collective.

Featured Stories ...

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The Silent Struggle: Unsung
Women Behind the Soundboard

The Balance of Reciprocity in Independent Music and Media

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Unsung Heroes of Album Art and Photography

From Around The World ...

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Beloved Australian Indie Folk Band The Paper Kites

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Canadian JUNO Award-Winning Angelique Francis

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UK Powerhouse Jo Harman Returns With 'Someday We'll All Be Free'

Album Reviews ...

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What Just Happened by Lily Sazz

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Wayfarer by Dan Raza

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Black Diamonds by Amira Kheir

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