BAND: Cold Specks

HOMETOWN: Etobicoke

CBC MUSIC PAGE: music.cbc.ca/#/artists/Cold-Specks/blog

SOUNDS LIKE: Gospel soul: the power and spirit of Mahalia Jackson with the raw honesty of Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

WHY YOU’LL LIKE THEM: Singer Al Spx’s powerful, husky gospel voice breaks through her awkward, borderline geeky personality and sweeps you off your feet.

BAND: Gold & Youth

HOMETOWN: Vancouver

CBC MUSIC PAGE: music.cbc.ca/#/artists/Gold-Youth

SOUNDS LIKE: A cross between TV on the Radio and Destroyer…after living under a rock for a year.

WHY YOU’LL LIKE THEM: Lead singer Matthew Lyall’s crisp, deep voice is refreshing, not to mention their heavier ambient-pop is a welcome new sound in the sea of overdone electro-pop.

BAND: Eight and a Half

HOMETOWN: Toronto/Montreal

CBC MUSIC PAGE: music.cbc.ca/#/artists/Eight-and-a-Half/likes

SOUNDS LIKE: Exactly what it is! A collaboration between members of Canadian favorites The Stills and Broken Social Scene.

WHY YOU’LL LIKE THEM: Each member has reinvented his sound to achieve an ambient-electronic vibe, a harmony that strays widely from their previous projects.

BAND: Zeus

HOMETOWN: Toronto

CBC MUSIC PAGE: music.cbc.ca/#/artists/Zeus/likes

SOUNDS LIKE: Indie-rock, OK Go, The Band on pop-infused drugs.

WHY YOU’LL LIKE THEM: The energy surging through the crowd of dedicated fans speaks for itself. They have as much fun as their audience, and are not afraid to let loose (especially in their hometown).

BAND: Snowblink

HOMETOWN: Toronto via San Francisco

CBC MUSIC PAGE: music.cbc.ca/#/artists/Snowblink

SOUNDS LIKE: Indie-ambient-rock, the soothing sound of Enya with a Dolly Parton edge.

WHY YOU’LL LIKE THEM: East meets West to create a fascinating auditory spectacle via loop pedals, vocal distortions and an unmistakable Northern-California aesthetic.

BAND: Dan Mangan

HOMETOWN: Vancouver

CBC MUSIC PAGE: music.cbc.ca/#/artists/Dan-Mangan

SOUNDS LIKE: Indie-folk in the form of a husky Hey Rosetta!; this is the soundtrack to your cottage on a sunny day.

WHY YOU’LL LIKE THEM: The performer’s adorable smile and rugged, laid back style aside, Mangan kept the Horseshoe audience dancing and involved until well into the night. There is a reason this subtle, but visceral, rock-folk artist has been nominated for four Junos awards.