Atwood Magazine is thrilled to present our Editor’s Picks column, created and curated by Editor-in-Chief Mitch Mosk. Each week, Mitch will highlight a selection of songs, albums, and artists that have captured his attention and inspired him. The music landscape is filled with astonishing talent just waiting to be discovered, and all we need is an open mind and a readiness to listen. Through this column, we aim to highlight our music findings and showcase a wide range of fresh and recent releases. This week’s picks include Bria Salmena, TOLEDO, Mon Rovîa, Mary Eliza, jasmine.4.t, and MEGGO.
“Stretch the Struggle” by Bria Salmena
The passionate intensity of “Stretch the Struggle” immediately drew me in, almost like a “hunger I couldn’t deny.” Released on January 14th via Sub Pop, this lead single from Bria Salmena’s forthcoming debut album, Big Dog, bursts forth with electrifying heat and emotional depth that is unmistakably compelling. It serves as a powerful reintroduction to Salmena, who has previously established herself as the frontwoman for the Canadian post-punk band FRIGS and as a vocalist in Orville Peck’s live ensemble. Here, the Toronto-based singer/songwriter steps into the spotlight as a vibrant and engaging indie rock artist with a fearless punk spirit and a deeply vulnerable nature.
“This song is about being in that liminal space between knowing something or someone should leave and actually letting them go,” Salmena explained to Atwood Magazine via email. “It touches on recognizing something is detrimental to you but feeling unable to let go. It’s about pain, pride, and a kind of self-sabotage that feels almost euphoric. This had to be the lead single for a couple of reasons: firstly, it’s a major track. Secondly, it’s ultimately a song where I’m facing myself and trying to reclaim power in a scenario where I felt powerless. In the end, I did reclaim my power – and that’s what ‘big dog behavior’ is all about.”
Dynamic, dramatic, provocative, and driving, “Stretch the Struggle” keeps Salmena at the forefront from the moment the song begins until its conclusion three and a half minutes later. She navigates the transition from the quiet of her introspective verses to the explosive energy of her cathartic, gripping choruses.
“I guess it’s a kind of euphemism,” she states regarding the phrase ‘stretch the struggle.’ “It pertains to several things, some of which I can’t share. It’s like stretching an elastic band to its limit, even though you know it will snap back and hit you in the eye. But that experience of pulling is exhilarating.”
“This song gives a great first taste of what the album sounds like,” she adds. “It showcases the unique sound that my creative partner Duncan Hay Jennings and I have been developing over the last few years. Vocally, it’s one of my favorites on the album, completed in one take, which I’m really proud of.”
“Stretch the Struggle” embodies her inner conflicts and tension; nevertheless, Bria Salmena is fully in command of this tumultuous journey. She effectively keeps her audience on edge, igniting a passion in our ears and hearts with a powerful emotional performance that resonates deeply and leaves a lasting impression. Her fierce and energetic presentation is both inspiring and empowering – a revitalizing rush of sound that guarantees we’ll be keeping our eyes on this artist as she unveils her debut solo album this year.
Set to release on March 28th via Sub Pop, Big Dog tells a story of transformation, presenting a personal exploration of resilience and artistic independence developed through collaboration. Serving as the first glimpse into this narrative, “Stretch the Struggle” establishes Bria Salmena as an artist to watch in 2025 and beyond.
They tricked me with a pretend “breakup” announcement at the end of last year, and though that certainly made me reflect on valuing artists during their active times, I had already been playing “Zelda” on repeat by that point. This track is the first of a series of late 2024 singles from Brooklyn duo TOLEDO, consisting of Daniel Alvarez de Toledo and Jordan Dunn-Pilz, who return to their roots by embracing the soft vocals and dreamy, jangly sounds reminiscent of their sophomore EP Jockeys of Love – an album I’ve cherished since I first encountered it four years ago.
“Zelda” is a sonically sweet surrender of the soul, released on October 29th, featuring lush instrumentation and a deep sense of self-exploration and vulnerability. The harmony of trumpet, saxophone, and mandolin melds with glistening guitar riffs and radiant keyboard swells that define TOLEDO’s signature sound, but it is Alvarez de Toledo’s gentle, heartfelt vocal delivery that takes center stage. His
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Selected by Mitch Mosk, this week's Editor's Picks showcases tracks from Bria Salmena, TOLEDO, Mon Rovîa, Mary Eliza, jasmine.4.t, and MEGGO!