Since 2007, SaskMusic, a non-profit representing the music and recording industries of Saskatchewan, has celebrated and promoted the province's considerable music talents with the In Tune compilation series.
This year's edition is an eclectic, 40-track double-disc that puts twangy hard rock acts, earnest singer/songwriter types and moody psych bands beside young rap upstarts and devotional reggae.
Established exports like Shooting Guns, Library Voices, and Slow Down Molasses play alongside fresher discoveries like Snake River, Anna Haverstock, DGS Samurai Champs and The Garrys.
When the scope of Canadian music is too often just the happenings of Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Halifax, In Tune's a portal into the various sounds of Canada's Middle Coast. It's not perfect: it doesn't place much emphasis on Saskatchewan's exploding hip-hop scene and, most tragically, it's conspicuously devoid of Indigenous artists, when there are so many tremendous talents. Both are areas of attention that could only make the 2017 edition stronger.
You can stream most of the compilation on Spotify or tune in to the whole thing here. While you're at it, check out our feature on the sounds of Saskatoon.
Get to know what’s good in Saskatchewan with the In Tune 2016 compilation by chris hampton | Chart Attack.
