Past Podcasts & Playlists

Toronto's Practice is recurring live jam session that unites a rotating roster of talented musicians, vocalists and emcees to improvise hip hop, soul and funk songs.

Along with Joseph W. Salusbury, Jahmal Padmore, Ian Koiter and Matthew Progress, co-founders Gaurav Sawhney and Gavin Whelehan have turned Practice into one of most exciting live music nights in Toronto today. 

We sat down with Gaurav and Gavin to discuss how they started Practice, the music that they grew up on, and which musicians they would recruit for their live jam dream team.

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In less than three years, DJ, radio host and music curator Josephine Cruz, aka JAYEMKAYEM, has already become a well-known name in the Toronto nightlife scene.

In addition to DJing at clubs in New York City, Los Angeles and Shanghai, she recently collaborated with Paul Chin to launch the 24-hour radio station pop-up, Istolethesoul FM.

We talked to JAYEMKAYEM about how she learned to DJ, her growing sneaker collection, and why she felt compelled to launch Istolethesoul FM.

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Teenage indie folk duo Moscow Apartment may have only been around for a year, but they've already accomplished more than many of their older contemporaries have in a fraction of the time. 

The duo -- comprised of Brighid Fry and Pascale Padilla -- has won two notable music awards, recorded and released an EP, and played nearly 30 shows.

We sat down with the girls to discuss how they balance the duality of rock stardom and being a regular teenager, why they idolize Joni Mitchell, and how their songs draw on themes of body image issues and female empowerment.

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Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, electronic-R&B singer-songwriter Wafia has already released two critically-acclaimed EPs and a collaborative EP in under three years.

Her latest EP, XIII, marks a maturity in her songwriting as she touches on the Syrian refugee crisis, embracing her sexuality, and dealing with heartache.

We sat down with Wafia before her sold-out show at the Drake Hotel to discuss what it's like to tour the United States as an artist of Arab descent, how her music caught the attention of Pharrell, and her favourite songs to make up and break up to.

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Toronto folk singer-songwriter Luke Kuplowsky, otherwise known as LUKA, conjures the smoky vocals of Bill Callahan and Phil Elverum.

Kuplowsky recorded and mixed his third record, What Kind of Animal, in a live session on a cold afternoon in the dead of winter. The album is a collection of songs that explore themes of self-doubt, integrity, companionship and faith. 

We sat down with Luke to talk about his favourite winter albums, being drawn to the music of video games like Final Fantasy as a child, and the improvisational nature of his live shows.

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Partial is an art rental and sales service specializing in curated works by Toronto artists.

Graphic design artist Tammy Yiu co-founded the startup as a novel approach for both new and seasoned art enthusiasts to build their collection of art.

We sat down with Tammy at 8Space studios where she talked about Partial's burgeoning art rental and sales service.

On Episode 26, designer and Partial Gallery founder Tammy Yiu talks about her burgeoning art rental and sales service, curating the morning playlist at her middle school, and why Rihanna is the real deal. 

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Toronto musician and multimedia artist Maylee Todd has been creating some of the most exciting and engaging music and art installations in recent memory. 

Her music frequently blends various genres spanning soul, r&b, electronic and experimental, while her lyrics tackle themes of science fiction, human development/psychology and unconventional thinking. 

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Toronto comedian Aisha Brown may have gotten a late-start in comedy, but you would never guess it from watching her live act. Her effortless, iron-tight routine proves she's just as formidable as a writer as she is a performer.

With critically-acclaimed appearances at Yuk Yuk's, Kevin Hart's LOL Network and JFL42 opening for Roy Wood Jr., it's only a matter of time before Aisha blows up south of the border.

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The music of Toronto R&B and soul singer-songwriter Tanika Charles blends the classic sound of Motown greats with contemporary hip hop beats.

Hot off the release of her Polaris Prize and Juno Award-nominated debut record, Soul Run, she is currently on tour playing to packed shows across Europe.

We recently talked to Tanika before the tour about graduating from  backup vocalist to solo artist, the international success of her latest record, and that time when she spotted Prince at a New York nightclub.

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This.Broken.Mixtape's hosts/producers Justin Lee and Jeff Woo discuss how the podcast came to be, starting a mixtape exchange club a decade ago, and their top five records of all time.

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Men's vintage clothing store In Vintage We Trust launched as an online store before opening a brick-and-mortar location in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood three years ago. 

The store carries a handpicked assortment of brand name work wear, sportswear, military, and music apparel.

We recently sat down with store owners Josh Roter and Chantal Varela to discuss vintage fashion, '90s hip hop, and which rappers they consider the ultimate style-lords.

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Toronto's Shadrach Kabango, simply known as Shad, is not your average rapper. 

In just a little over a decade, Shad has released five albums that have garnered multiple awards, sold out shows across the country, and hosted CBC One Radio's Q.

More recently, Shad has taken on the role of hip hop historian as the host of the Peabody-winning Netflix documentary series, Hip Hop Evolution. 

All of this makes you wonder how the guy ever finds the time to sleep.

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Ken Chester Kawashima, who is also known by his stage name, Sugar Brown, is a Toronto modern blues musician, singer and songwriter. 

By day, Ken is an Associate Professor of East Asian Studies at the University of Toronto. By night, he performs as Sugar Brown at venues across the country and is set to release his third album next spring.

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For over a decade, Dave and Ray "DJ Lazy Ray" Gillespie, otherwise known as the infamous Gillespie Brothers, have thrown some of the wildest parties in Toronto.

Playing an eclectic blend of 70s and 80s rock, funk, disco and pop rarities and classics, the Brothers know how to command a dance floor.

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For over a decade, Dave and Ray "DJ Lazy Ray" Gillespie, otherwise known as the infamous Gillespie Brothers, have thrown some of the wildest parties in Toronto.

Playing an eclectic blend of 70s and 80s rock, funk, disco and pop rarities and classics, the Brothers know how to command a dance floor.

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Toronto's bedroom dream-pop duo Moon Eyed consists of a real-life couple, Simon Letourneau and Elizabeth-Jane Bitze. 

After releasing their first EP last year, the duo is back with their debut record, Haleiwa.

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Toronto instrumental hip hop/jazz trio Re.verse (REE-Verse) blends various sounds from an expansive, rotating catalog of hip hop, r&b, future funk, breaks, neo-soul, trap, house, and tropical tunes.

With a stripped down set of drums, 6-string electric bass and guitar, Re.verse seamlessly blends and mashes up bangers and deep cuts from the past and present. 

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Toronto singer-songwriter STACEY is one busy woman. When she's not hosting women-fronted music showcases and workshops for her organization, Toronto Women in Music, she's actively songwriting and performing at venues across the city.

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This week our guest is Lauren Pirie, a freelance illustrator and artist who explores feminism and fantasy through intricate ink drawings.

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This week our guest is Malin Johnson -- Audio Engineer and Store Manager of Canada's first retail shop dedicated solely to audio cassettes, The Dupe Shop based in downtown Toronto. We'll talk about the recent resurgence of cassettes, Cassette Store Day and his unpopular but unwavering appreciation of the band, Nickelback.

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