Today marks the launch of rehab(it)recordings, an exciting new platform bringing together artists from Canada, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. Celebrating the launch are two debut singles: “Gravity Isn’t Real Today,” a collaboration between NOT THA ONE and Vanessa John that channels early 90s techno-warehouse-rap, and “msg no.5,” Vanessa John’s first single from her upcoming EP “msgs from the abyss.”
We spoke with NOT THA ONE (EVAN TYLER), co-founder and featured artist, about the label’s fresh approach to hypnagogic hip-hop, garage wave, and avant-garde video production. The label launches with an impressive roster including NOT THA ONE (Regina), Vanessa John (Toronto), Ira Lee (Montreal), NTS SleepS (Vancouver), Deacon LF (Brooklyn), Polly Say Phalle (Paris), 73Stan (Warwickshire), MS.GOD (Canada/USA), MR.CONSTRIKTUS (Minot), Sleepsearch (Yorkton), HazeShallow (Regina), OKAN’S OLD MUFFIN (Regina), and Lemon-Aids (Vancouver/Regina).
How did your musical journey begin?
Picture this – five-year-old me in 1990, sitting cross-legged in front of the TV with my fisher price karaoke box, recording Michael Jackson and Nirvana straight from the screen. That was the start. Then came the formal training – Royal Conservatory of Music for piano, picked up bass guitar and drums along the way, started this wild psychedelic rock band in high school. But everything changed when I heard Wu-Tang. That was it – I knew right then that THIS was my life. Been writing bars ever since. Couldn’t stop if I tried.
You’ve got quite an interesting academic background too. How does that play into your music?
I’ve got this graduate degree in visual arts from University of Toronto, which might seem fancy, but at my core, I’m still that ‘raw made it in a garage rap brain’ from Regina, Saskatchewan – what I like to call the forgotten province of Canada. One of my biggest inspirations is Ira Lee from Montreal, who’s now part of rehab(it)recordings. This guy… he completely rewrote the rulebook of what RAP could be. But you know what? I’m really just a product of everyone I’ve crossed paths with – Ira, countless others. That’s what art is, right? Taking the world and telling its story back to itself. It’s never just about one person.
For someone who’s never heard your music, how would you describe it?
You’re dumpster diving and find this sketchy VHS tape. Against your better judgment, you take it home and pop it in. What hits you is this beautifully chaotic, unorthodox sonic assault that somehow makes perfect sense once you create your own framework to process it. I’m a hip-hop scholar at heart, sure, but I’m equally in love with hypnagogic, garagewave, leftfield, glowfi, Nu Disco – and that’s before we even dive into all the different flavors of hip-hop itself.
Tell us about the vision behind rehab(it)recordings.
We’re this amazing collection of musicians and visual artists spread across Canada, USA, France, and the UK. But it’s more than just geography – it’s about understanding that life itself is a constant process of rehabilitation. Every artist here knows that path intimately. It’s raw, it’s delicate, but it’s also incredibly fertile ground for creativity. Everyone’s got their own way through it, you know?
What do you hope people take away from your music?
The courage to create something uniquely theirs. Doesn’t have to be rap – we’ve probably got enough rappers already,” he laughs. “But there’s something special about being 40 and still living for that next freestyle. It’s like this inside joke I carry with me: ‘EVAN – GOT GREAT AT RAP.’ Ridiculous journey? Maybe. But it’s mine, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What’s next for rehab(it)recordings?
We’re launching with two great singles today. This summer, we’re dropping videos for ‘Gravity Isn’t Real Today’ and a new track called ‘PAMELA CALENDAR’ featuring the incredible Vanessa John, with Deacon LF bringing his magic to the production. Later in 2025, we’re releasing this wild double album, ‘The Found CDs disc one + disc two’ – a collaboration between myself and Vanessa John, produced by Deacon LF and ET. I can’t wait for people to hear what we’ve been working on.
‘Gravity Isn’t Real Today’ by NOT THA ONE and Vanessa John‘msg no.5’ by Vanessa John
Today’s launch of rehab(it)recordings at rehabitrecordings.ca brings a fresh perspective to the independent music scene, offering an engaging mix of hip-hop, experimental electronic music, and visual arts. The launch singles showcase the label’s range – “Gravity Isn’t Real Today” draws from early 90s techno-warehouse-rap traditions while exploring themes of dissociation and alienation, while “msg no.5” delves into the often-overlooked importance of platonic love. To follow NOT THA ONE’s journey and upcoming releases, check out his linktree or connect on Instagram (@deadregina).
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There’s something refreshing about an artist who doesn’t chase volume. “I don’t make music to sound loud. I make music to sound deep,” says iurisEkero, and after diving into his catalog, you get exactly what he means.
Born in Mendoza, Argentina, iurisEkero (stylized in lowercase, like his approach to fame) grew up in a house where music wasn’t just background noise—it was the main conversation. His grandfather recorded albums as a vocalist, his father played trumpet, and young Iuris absorbed it all. But here’s what’s interesting: instead of just carrying the torch, he’s completely reimagined it.
Now splitting time between the USA and Argentina, iurisEkero creates what he calls “sonic exploration”—pop mixed with electronic textures, ethereal vocals, and these atmospheric moments that genuinely make you want to hit pause on everything else. He pulls inspiration from unexpected places: cities at night, red wine, those comfortable silences between people who know each other well, and what he describes as “the glitch of memories.”
His latest single, “This Summer Night,” dropped on August 19th and perfectly captures that specific magic. At 3:17, it’s packed with synths that stick in your head and a melody that somehow feels both nostalgic and brand new. Other tracks like “The Sun, The Wine and You” and “Midnight Drive” show his range—each one catching different emotional frequencies while keeping that distinctive warmth that comes from his bicultural perspective.
The numbers tell their own story. Nearly 3 million Spotify streams. Over a million YouTube views. But when you mention this to iurisEkero, he seems genuinely surprised. “I don’t even understand those numbers,” he admits. “I just enjoy and am grateful.”
What he hopes listeners take away is simple: that urge to play a song again, whether you’re remembering someone, dancing alone in your kitchen, or waiting for something you can’t quite name yet. Even his breakup songs somehow feel optimistic—there’s always this undercurrent of possibility in his work.
Currently working on a new album featuring various guest artists, iurisEkero seems ready for whatever comes next. The sound explorer from Mendoza has found his frequency, and people are definitely tuning in.
What happens when you achieve everything you dreamed of before turning 23, but there’s no one around to celebrate with? That’s the question Alain Mékani wrestles with in “Quiet,” his introspective new single that dropped August 1st, 2025.
The Dubai-based artist, who grew up in Beirut speaking Arabic with his mom and French with his dad while MTV played in the background, has been carving out his own corner of the Middle Eastern pop scene since his 2023 debut “Fool.” But this latest track hits different. It’s raw, honest, and uncomfortably relatable for anyone who’s ever felt alone in a room full of people.
Written during a period of professional success while living abroad, “Quiet” runs just over three minutes but packs an emotional punch. The track opens with Mékani reflecting on his younger self’s dreams—the car, the new place, all achieved before his 23rd birthday. But here’s where it gets real: “I left it all behind just to find myself / But am I really free?”
The chorus doesn’t pull punches either. When he admits “I’ve been going through some changes and my mind is fucking racing,” you feel that restless energy. It’s not polished pop perfection; it’s someone working through their stuff in real-time. The official music video, which premiered July 31st, visually captures this internal conflict.
“Quiet” by Alain Mékani
Family threads through every verse — and you can feel it. There’s the promise to make his mother proud, the desire to share his victories, and that gut-punch line about missing the people who matter most. The bridge transforms into something between a mantra and a desperate reminder: “Be somebody if you’re nobody.” It’s less motivational poster, more survival mechanism.
Since emerging with tracks like “Awlad El Haram” and his licensed reimagining of the Lebanese classic “Tallou Hbabna” earlier this year, Mékani has built a reputation for blending French, Arabic, and English lyrics with what critics call a “melancholic awakening” sound. Regional outlets including Musivv and Buro 24/7 Middle East have taken notice of his ability to pair cross-cultural production with genuine vulnerability.
The artist, who taught himself guitar after starting on accordion at eight, turned to songwriting as therapy following his father’s death in 2015. While working a marketing day job in Dubai, he spent nights and weekends learning production, eventually creating the demos that would launch his career.
Currently working on collaborations with Rayan Bailouni and Jay Janith, Mékani is pushing further into French territory with his upcoming releases. It’s a natural evolution for someone who grew up switching between languages at home. As he puts it: “I write in three languages because some emotions need more than one passport.”
The first thing that hits you about Siren isn’t just her voice—it’s the sheer audacity of someone who taught themselves everything. No formal training, no music theory classes, just pure instinct driving her to create something that sounds like Rammstein got into a late-night conversation with Lana Del Rey while Massive Attack played in the background.
At 24, this LA-based artist has already written around 70 songs, most still unreleased, sitting in her vault like secrets waiting to surface. Born June 13, 2001, Siren started making music in 2019, and what’s emerged since then defies easy categorization. Her sound pulls from trip-hop pioneers like Portishead, the industrial weight of German metal, and the cinematic drama of Tchaikovsky—yes, the Swan Lake composer.
“Every ache must be turned into art,” she says about her approach to music. It’s this philosophy that drives her self-described “raw confessions where melancholy meets beauty.” Her mezzo-soprano voice shifts between whispered vulnerability and soaring intensity, creating what she calls “cold waves of sound that mesmerize like a siren’s voice in the night sea.”
Siren
The artist’s journey started unexpectedly early. One of her most vivid childhood memories involves her grandmother singing Russian folk songs on a winter swing—an experience she describes as “blue, cold, wintry, dark, nostalgic, deep, soulful, and melancholic.” By twelve, she’d discovered Rammstein, which she credits with awakening “strength, courage, resistance, and the spirit of a fighter.” The band shaped about 60% of her musical taste, while Lana Del Rey, who she calls her “musical mother,” opened up the other side of her artistic personality.
What’s striking about Siren’s work is how she balances opposing forces. She describes her music as reflecting both her anima and animus—the feminine emotional vulnerability paired with masculine instrumental drive. This duality shows up everywhere in her sound: acoustic piano meets electric guitars, string arrangements collide with rock drums, trip-hop grooves support orchestral swells.
Her latest release, “Devil 2019,” dropped on August 3, 2025, running 3:28 and showcasing her hypnotic vocal control. But it’s just a taste of what’s coming. Her debut single “Siren Heroine,” released on June 13, previews her upcoming album “Blue Blood,” which promises an oceanic, siren-themed concept drawn from songs written three to four years ago.
Siren
Beyond music, Siren works as a visual artist, filmmaker, and photographer, creating her own visual concepts exactly as she imagines them. She admits to both loving and fearing the ocean—thalassophobia mixed with an obsession for deep blue imagery. “I reflect what I fear. I am what I fear,” she explains.
When asked about dream collaborations, she mentions Hans Zimmer, Rammstein, and Lana Del Rey—though she notes that most of her musical heroes are dead. Her approach to creation remains uncompromising: “I don’t write for people—I write for myself. Music is how I let you know me.”