SXSW Song of the Day: poolblood – voyager

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poolblood is the project of Toronto’s Maryam Said, whose most recent album, the Polaris Prize longlisted mole, was released a little over a year ago. They’ll be at SXSW this March, just one of several Toronto-based acts making their way to Austin for this year’s edition.

“voyager” is one of the highlights off of mole. Check it out below.

SXSW Song of the Day: Lauren Lakis – Leave Your Window Open

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“Leave Your Window Open,” the latest single from Austin’s Lauren Lakis, is a moody, shoegazey number taken off of her most recent release, 2023’s A Fiesta and a Hell. And she’ll be playing SXSW next month in promotion of the album.

The video for “Leave Your Window Open” features Lakis as a conflicted vampire who seems more at home strumming her guitar while lounging on a motel room bed or reading paperback novels in a diner than feasting on blood. But, alas, a vampire’s gotta do what a vampire’s gotta do. Check it out below.

Lauren Lakis plays Zilker Brewing on Thursday, March 14 at 8:00pm.

SXSW Song of the Day: DE FACTO – Legend Of The Four-Tailed Scorpion

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Today sees another announcement from SXSW highlighting the latest round of musical acts set to play Austin next month. And unsurprisingly for an Austin-based festival, there’s a fair number of acts from the Lone Star State on that list, including Austinites such as Blushing and Farmer’s Wife.

One name in particular that sticks out in the latest announcement is DE FACTO, the El Paso dub group formed in the late ’90s by Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (of At The Drive-In/Mars Volta fame). Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala will also be in town promoting Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird, Nicolas Jack Davies’ documentary on the duo’s “artistic and personal relationship,” which looks like it should be a good one.

Check out “Legend Of The Four-Tailed Scorpion,” the lead track from DE FACTO’s 2001 album Légende du Scorpion à Quatre Queues, below.

SXSW Song of the Day: Elisapie – Qimatsilunga (I Want to Break Free)

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Inuktitut is the latest release from Elisapie and as its title suggests, it’s a collection of popular tunes from the likes of Pink Floyd, Metallica, Leonard Cohen and Cyndi Lauper translated into Inuktitut and beautifully reinterpreted by the Inuk singer.

Elisapie is soon set to embark on a tour behind the album which will see her playing extensively throughout Quebec before heading to Austin for SXSW. And for Toronto folks, she’ll also be hitting the TD Music Hall on March 28th.

One of the highlights of Inuktitut is “Qimatsilunga,” her version of Queen’s “I Want to Break Free.” Check it out below.