PUP, Kid Koala Lead The Release Roundup For March 13, 2026

We feel like Canadian music scenes are having a real cultural flashpoint moment right now with the continued success of the NTBTSTM movie and the upcoming Mile End Kicks film (by former Polaris juror Chandler Levack). These are classic Toronto vs. Montreal culture war entities, though. If we really want to do this romanticizing-Canadian-music-culture soft power thing we need a third city/scene to lift up to flood the trend piece market. Let us know who should take that spot because we’re not sure Sloan announcing a video vault event meets the standard we need.

Here are the #PolarisPeople who have new albums this week:

* PUP (2x Short List, 2x Long List) have released Megacity Madness (The Official Live Recordings).

* Kid Koala (Heritage Prize, 1x Long List) has released Space Cadet Soundtrack Sampler (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) via Envision.

* Daniel Romano’s Outfit (4x Long List) have released Preservers of the Pearl via You’ve Changed Records.

* The Besnard Lakes (2x Short List, 2x Long List) have released Ghost Nation (Ghost Mixes) via Full Time Hobby.

* Philippe B (2x Long List) has released Cigale via Bonsound.

* The Darcys (2014 Long List) have released the “GOODTIME Edition” of Rendering Feelings.

For your playlist refreshment needs Charlotte Cardin explores “The Way We Touch,” Broken Social Scene want to connect with all the Amandas out there, and there are new tracks from Allison Russell, Arkells, Whitehorse, CFCF, Yu Su and Total Fucking Darkness (featuring members of Stars and Young Galaxy).