The Belle Game done playing games with debut album

Rachel PickThose with their ears to the ground with respect to Canadian independent music might have been hearing good things about Vancouver’s Belle Game for a few years now; they might have even heard their debut album was done and supposed to be out as long ago as last October. So they’d probably be wonder why, with it now being April, they hadn’t actually heard it yet. The whys and wherefores of the delay are really known only to the band and their label(s), but what’s important is that Ritual Tradition Habit is finally coming out next week on April 16.

I don’t fully buy the “dark noise pop” self-description – to ears accustomed to things both dark and noisy, it’s not that much of either – but it is very much the sound of a band who knows who they are and what they want to do. The sonic parameters drawn around Ritual are fairly rigid – I guess if you find a reverb setting you like, why not stick to it? – but within those lines the band have crafted a well-realized world centered around Andrea Lo’s yearning vocals and Adam Nanji’s roughly echoed guitars, tastefully bolstered by orchestral flourishes and all in support of some terrific songs of the sophistication you’d expect from a much more veteran outfit. It’s a record that may have taken longer than it should have to come out, but still manages to have been worth the wait.

The album is currently streaming in whole along with an interview at CBC Music and there’s another feature on the band at Ladywood.

MP3: The Belle Game – “River”
Stream: The Belle Game / Ritual Tradition Habit

Noisey interviews Moon King, whose are streaming a couple tracks from their new Obsession II EP, which is out on Tuesday. They played their hometown release show for it at the Drake last night, but will be back in June for NXNE.

Stream: Moon King – “Icarus”
Stream: Moon King – “Dreamtrap”

CBC Music also has a stream of the new Odonis Odonis EP Better ahead of its release April 16.

Stream: Odonis Odonis / Better

Spinner has made available to download Broken Social Scene’s contribution to the Arts & Crafts: 2003-2013 anniversary compilation due out April 16; a new recording of their very first song they recorded way back who knows when. Maybe they’ll play it when they headline the Field Trip festival at Garrison Common on June 8.

MP3: Broken Social Scene – “Deathcock”

Exclaim talks to Born Ruffians about their new album Birthmarks, out April 16, which they helpfully also have an advance stream of.

Stream: Born Ruffians / Birthmarks

The Irish Times and Irish Independent talk to Rachel Zeffira. She plays The Drake Underground on May 2

Paste have premiered a stream of a new Jim Guthrie song, taken from his new record Takes Time, out May 7.

Stream: Jim Guthrie – “What A Difference A Day Makes”

Local Krautrocking instrumentalists Fresh Snow have released a new video for the title (and only) track of their “Saturation Complete” single. They’ll play the May edition of Feast In The East at Polyhaus on May 10.

Video: Fresh Snow – “Saturation Complete”

The Fader has premeired a new video from Doldrums, taken from Lesser Evil. He plays The Horseshoe on May 11.

Video: Doldrums – “Lost In Everyone”

Exclaim has details on Gravez, the new album Hooded Fang. It’s due out May 28, a song from it is available to stream right now and they’ll play songs from it at The Horseshoe on May 31.

Stream: Hooded Fang – “Graves”

Exclaim has the results of the Red Bull Hometown Tour concert series, which I didn’t tell you about but which will be bringing Tokyo Police Club to Sugar Beach – that’s Sugar, on the east end, not Echo at Ontario Place – for a free show on June 2. RSVP for admission.

MP3: Tokyo Police Club – “All My Friends”

Black Mountain spinoff Lightning Dust have announced a June 25 release for their new album Fantasy and are streaming a song from it.

Stream: Lightning Dust – “Diamond”