A Shiny New Indie-Pop Album

Dizzy, a dream-pop favourite hailing from Oshawa, Ont., have been making waves across the country since the 2018 launch of their debut album Baby Teeth. Now, the quartet is back with The Sun and Her Scorch, a new batch of tracks detailing lead singer Katie Munshaw’s experiences with her own flaws – all set to the band’s lush, ethereal instrumentation, bound to give you all the end of summer emotions. Available on all major streaming platforms now.

Your New Sports Comedy Obsession

Calling all soccer (ahem, football) fans and non-believers alike: we’ve got a show for you. Sure, on its face, Ted Lasso – a new Apple TV+ comedy co-created by Jason Sudeikis and Bill Lawerence (Scrubs, Cougar Town) that starts streaming on August 14 – is about an idealistic American football coach (Sudeikis) hired to coach an English soccer team despite knowing nothing about the sport. But it’s also charming and sweet and features a hilarious performance by Juno Temple as a clever “WAG” (spoiler alert: she’s so much more than an athlete’s girlfriend) and a blossoming female friendship that you’ll love.

A HIGH-END MASSAGE GUBN

Theragun’s latest percussive therapy massage device is now available in Canada – and is much quieter than its predecessors. Theragun Prime ($399) uses vibration to treat soreness, chronic pain and issues like carpal tunnel. It also helps to instantly relax muscles before sleep and exercise. Connect the device to Theragun’s sleek new Therabody app (which integrates with Apple Health, Samsung Health and Google Fit) for personalized routines and detailed how-to videos.

An Iced Coffee Companion

We don’t know about you, but we are trying to savour every last minute of iced coffee weather. Nespresso clearly shares this aspiration; their newest collection, Barista Creations for ice, allows users of the Original and Vertuo systems to choose from two different blends, each with a simple three-step recipe for a delightful iced beverage. 

A Book About Friendship

Fans of the popular Call Your Girlfriend podcast will be thrilled to devour brand new content from the dynamic duo that is Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman – albeit, this time in a different medium. Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close is a book filled to the brim with musings on the first decade of Sow and Friedman’s friendship. Available for purchase now at all major online book retailers.

A Heartwarming Salon Series

The D Cut is a sunny six-part series helmed by Dove Hair, inspired by the true story of a Montreal artist’s famous queer hair salon and the community’s fight to save the safe haven when it falls under threat. The series is LGBTQ+ inclusive, fun and fabulous – needless to say, it definitely makes the cut. Available to stream now on Crave.

A Somber Summer Record

Le Ren has translated tragedy into beauty with her aptly titled new album, Morning & Melancholia. The new body of work from Montreal-based singer-songwriter Lauren Spear is a meditation on grieving, loss and the preservation of memories, with the artist’s B.C. upbringing and aptitude for folk and blues giving way to a natural, delicate sound. Available now on all major streaming platforms.

A Politically Aware Podcast

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the never-ending news cycle? Do you want to be more informed but don’t know where to start? Look no further than Sandy and Nora Talk Politics. The weekly podcast features whip-smart conversations between Black Lives Matter Toronto co-founder Sandy Hudson and writer Nora Loreto as they break down “radical” political ideas (check out their must-listen episodes on what it would look like to defund the police)  and explore the best ways to achieve social change in a digestible and engaging way.

No Crying In Baseball – Only Laughing

The lack of Major League Baseball this season might be a disappointment to fans, but Slo Pitch is sure to be the tonic (or, uh, over-priced stadium beer) to fill the void. A digital mockumentary series, Slo Pitch features a fully female and/or non-binary led creative team, a key cast that is 50 percent BIPOC, 70% of the cast and crew identifying as female or non-binary, and 80% of key cast identifying as LGBTQ+. Coach Joanne (Kirsten Rassmusen) attempts to take her queer slo pitch team The Brovaries all the way to the championships of their  competitive beer league – and it’s a hoot. Available to stream on OutTvToGo, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.

A Must-Read Novel 

Acclaimed author Thomas King’s new book Indians on Vacation is due for release this month, providing readers with a fictional escape (despite most of us not being able to vacation to foreign countries this summer). Not necessarily your typical beach read, the novel dives into the lives of Bird and Mimi, who venture out to trace Mimi’s long-lost uncle and the family medicine bundle he took with him to Europe. It ties in politics and history with King’s signature wit and flowing prose.

A Pop EP from a Rising Canadian Star

“I want to be as real as I can,” said 17-year-old rising pop star Anna Sofia in a statement. “I don’t want to have to try and hide anything from anyone – in my music, on my social media, it’s all the truth.” If her first EP, titled Self Aware Bitch was any indication, honesty is Sofia’s policy – and she’s keeping the truth alive with her sophomore effort, Broken Perfection (out now on major streaming platforms). The new release features the infectious single “Happy For You,”  a must add to anyone’s monthly playlist.

A Pin for a Cause

These days, it’s all about the small victories, but Jenny Bird’s Every Day Hero pin celebrates the big ones. One hundred percent of net proceeds from the rainbow enamel pin will go towards the YWCA Canada, who are providing emergency support to women and their children whose health and safety is at great risk due to the pandemic. Shop the pin here.

READ MORE:

Everything On Our Pop Culture Radar This July

What’s On Our Pop Culture Radar This June

What’s On our Pop Culture Radar This May