Xiu Xiu
Constantly shapeshifting around frontperson Jamie Stewart, Xiu Xiu has plumbed the depths of experimental noise rock over decades and continents.
Xiu Xiu (pronounced "shoo shoo") was formed in 2002 and quickly established its confrontational approach on the debut LP Knife Play, including despairing lyrics, clanging percussion, a variety of instruments and multimedia storytelling. The emotional follow-up album A Promise explored the border between music and non-music, layering Stewart’s Reznor-esque vocals over a cacophony of audio experiments and surprising melodies.
Each release in the years since has been a fearless jump into new sonic territory. 2004’s Fabulous Muscles created waves of synthpop, while 2010’s Dear God, I Hate Myself experimented with chiptune sounds engineered with a Nintendo DS. They released a tribute album of Twin Peaks tracks in 2016 and described 2017’s Forget as their “most direct engagement with pop music,” which is just the tip of the iceberg of their vast discography.
Between this dizzying flurry of albums, the band has relentlessly toured the world, collaborated with Mitski, and gigged alongside acts like Deerhoof and Sun Ra Arkestra. They performed an extended audio piece at the Guggenheim Museum in 2019, and in 2023, Stewart published a brazenly vulnerable memoir entitled Anything That Moves. Their latest album, 13" Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips, is a chaotic storm of psychedelia that explores the idea of "interesting uselessness.” It’s also proof that fourteen albums and 20+ years in, Xiu Xiu’s noisy exploration — from post-punk universes to danceable queer pop over kosmische rhythms — is far from over.
Devours
Across five acclaimed underground albums, Devours — the electropunk project of Vancouver-based DIY artist Jeff Cancade — has written confessional and confrontational electronic music about masculinity, body image, gay politics, and inner-city queer existence. Their most recent album, Sports Car Era, came out in March and featured Japandroids’ David Prowse on drums for the live release show.
Kee Avil
Montreal producer Kee Avil combines guitar, voice, and electronic production to forge deconstructed songs informed by a distinctive amalgam of post-industrial, avant-pop, glitch, minimalist, and experimental folk sensibilities. Her second album, Spine, was released May 3, 2024 on Constellation Records as Bandcamp’s “Album of the Day.”
KERUB
The brainchild of Vi Levitt, KERUB is at the confluence of ambiance, driving drums, traditional folk melodies, and hyper-modern club music. Apocalyptic but playful, KERUB independently released their debut album, MIN, in ‘23, a techno-organic take on Jewish mysticism through instrumental transgender allegories. Their sophomore album is expected to release this year.
HAWA B
Genre bending Montreal artist HAWA B challenges the limits of creation with her iconoclastic music of plural textures, where soul and jazz meet alternative rock. Through her first two EPs, Sad in a Good Way and sadder but better, HAWA B embraces melancholy and its most contrasting variations. This ultimately led to her breathtaking debut LP better sad than sorry, released last November.
MORRISMORRIS
The raw, sensual, and sometimes abstract sounds of MORRISMORRIS are a love letter to audio synthesis and the electronic underground. Their sonic vision harmonizes buzzy post-punk influences with a passion for some of the most important electronic movements of our time, such as Chicago footwork, UK jungle, and Detroit techno.
Tawni Bias
Freak-folk art rockers Tawni Bias blend raw vocals, experimental production, and post-rock grit to craft vulnerable, hopeful tuneage. Their sound moves between earthy folktronica and other-worldy noir vibes. Latest single “Soot” is an invitation for listeners to reflect, connect, and embrace human struggles whether at home or at the show.
About Sled Island:
Sled Island is an annual five-day independent music and arts festival in Calgary, Alberta that brings together a community of music, comedy and art with nearly 30,000 attendees in multiple venues across the city. For more information, visit SledIsland.com.
Upon entering a festival venue, the passholder agrees to being photographed, filmed or recorded in that venue, and agrees to the publication, reproduction, distribution and broadcast of all photographs, video or other recordings of the passholder's voice or likeness without further notice or compensation in any publicity, advertisement or other publication carried-out by, or on behalf of, Sled Island and in perpetuity in any manner and media whatsoever, including print, broadcast or internet.
Everyone has the right to feel safe and included at Sled Island. All festival attendees must abide by Sled Island's safer spaces and inclusion policy and agree to the code of conduct, which can be found at SledIsland.com/SaferSpaces.
Sled Island acknowledges Calgary as the traditional territory of the Blackfoot and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Ĩyãħé Nakoda First Nations, including the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Goodstoney First Nations. Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta (Districts 5 and 6).
You may also like the following events from Sled Island:
- Next Tuesday, 17th June, 05:00 pm, Sled Island Opening Party + Poster Show Launch in Calgary
- Next Wednesday, 18th June, 12:00 pm, Sled Island 2025 in Calgary
- Next Wednesday, 18th June, 05:30 pm, Sled Island presents: Mary Lattimore, SANAM and Hermitess in Calgary
Also check out other
Music events in Calgary,
Entertainment events in Calgary,
Arts events in Calgary.
