Hamar’s much anticipated album 'Joint & Marrow' was released September 23rd.
Americana and folk at its core, Hamar does not shy away from experimenting with a vast variety of musical influences throughout; from the Tom Waits esque “Where Your Love Lives”, to a reggae-leaning refrain on “Light a Fire”, to the county-influenced ballad “Great Goodbye”. Hamar proves that vulnerability is strength throughout the album with her deeply personal lyrics and highly emotive and soulful vocals.
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The album was produced by Paul Johnston and features acclaimed musicians Chris Andrews, Jamie Cooper, Paul Johnston and Zadok Hamar, as well as Toronto producer and guitarist Joel Schwartz.
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"There’s a little country, a little soul, and lots of heart." - GREAT DARK WONDER
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"Cynthia Hamar has a unique vocal quality that invites you into the depths of reflective solitude"- AMERICANA HIGHWAYS
Hamar’s second single off "Joint & Marrow" is "Light a Fire", released August 26th.
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The track combines a country groove that switches into a reggae feel under the chorus's sunny refrain "Light a fire, light a fire - inside these bones, inside these bones" Hamar explains her thought process behind the song; "I wrote this feeling extremely burnt out struggling with ambition. I was thinking how a tiny spark can set a whole forest on fire and I wrote the melody attempting to kindle some fresh creative joy inside me.”
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Produced by Paul Johnston, and featuring her son Zadok Hamar along with acclaimed Alberta session musicians Chris Andrews, Jamie Cooper, Paul Johnston and Toronto’s Joel Schwartz.
Hamar’s first single off "Joint & Marrow" is "Shaken", released June 24th.
Accompanied by an atmospheric and earthy roots arrangement, layered under the warmth of rich and highly emotive vocals, “Shaken” is both heartbreaking and hopeful. “Shaken is an internal conversation about trauma; recognizing the need to let go of the pain to embrace a brighter future.” The track features dobro from Toronto producer/guitarist Joel Schwartz.
Press for "Shaken"
“WITH ITS LANGUID RHYTHMS AND EVOCATIVE DELIVERY, THE TRACK FINDS A BALANCE BETWEEN SOULFUL CONFIDENCE AND POIGNANT SADNESS, LED BY THE KIND OF BITTER ASSURANCE GAINED ONLY FROM LEARNING THE HARD WAY.”
— Various Small Flames
“CYNTHIA HAMAR IS A FOLK MUSICIAN WHO COMPOSES MUSIC THAT IS MENACING, POWERFUL, AND CONTEMPLATIVE”
— Music Arena Gh
“HER VOICE IS UNIQUE AND COMPELLING, BRINGING EVERY STORY AND NOTE TO LIFE. WE HANG ON TO HER EVERY WORD AS IT FILLS US WITH HOPE.”
— We Are YMX
“HAMAR ORGANICALLY CONVEYS THE CONTENT OF HER LYRICS THANKS TO HER CONFIDENT AND SENSUAL VOCAL AND THE TIMBRE OF HER VOICE IS EXTREMELY ELASTIC AND WARM, WHICH IS PERFECTLY SUPPORTED BY AN ELEGANT ACCOMPANIMENT WITH BEAUTIFUL GUITARS AND LIGHT PERCUSSION.”
— Indie Dock Music Blog
“HAMAR’S LATEST SINGLE, “SHAKEN,” IS AN INTIMATE EXAMINATION OF TRAUMA AND ITS EFFECTS ON A PERSON, UTILIZING IMAGERY OF NATURAL PHENOMENON TO EXTERNALIZE EMOTIONS THAT OFTEN FEEL TOO BIG TO KEEP INSIDE.”
— Adobe And Teardrops
“CYNTHIA HAMAR BRINGS HARD-EARNED WISDOM TO BEAR FOR ‘JOINT & MARROW’”
— Wildfire Music & News
“JOINT & MARROW CONTINUES TO ENHANCE CYNTHIA’S REPUTATION FOR MAKING HAUNTINGLY INTROSPECTIVE SONGS ROOTED IN HER MÉTIS HERITAGE. ”
— Roots Music Canada
“ OVER A SUBTLY SOULFUL MUSICAL BACKDROP, THE EDMONTON-BASED AMERICANA ARTIST CONVEYS THE STRUGGLE TO LET GO OF THE PAIN IN EVERY HEART-WRENCHING NOTE DELIVERED BY HER UNMISTAKABLE VOICE.”
— Amplify Music Magazine
ABOUT
Cynthia Hamar writes haunting, commanding, and introspective folk music. She is an Alberta-born Métis singer-songwriter with four studio albums that prove dedication to her craft. Hamar can execute timeless songs that will stand up with the sounds of Buffy St. Marie, Tom Waits, and Feist and she is currently completing a Bachelor of Music at MacEwan University majoring in Recording and Production. Cynthia was the recipient of the Victor-Osten Performing Arts Award (2022) as well as the winner of the 2021 Bent River Records Songwriting Competition, and was recently invited to represent MacEwan as a performer at their 50 year celebration. Cynthia has performed her music across Canada, including Pembina River Nights Festival (2018), Jasper Folk Festival (2016) and a live performance on City TV Edmonton. She was the Artist in Residence at Keno City Yukon (2019) and SOCAN Song House (2017) and has participated in art showcases in Vancouver and Toronto while touring across the country through the Via Rail Artists on Board program (2018).
Hamar has received radio attention for her past releases (#9 on CFBX Kamloops, #18 KSYM, San Antonio, #5 to #3 on Radio Phoenix, #1 on Indigenous Music Countdown) and has been nominated for a Toronto Music Award (Best Out Of Town Artist 2017), an Indigenous Music Awards (2017) and two GMAs for her 2010 release, Fairytale.
Cynthia Hamar’s upcoming album “Joint & Marrow” was produced by Paul Johnston and features acclaimed session musicians Chris Andrews, Jamie Cooper and Paul Johnston, as well as Toronto producer and guitarist Joel Schwartz. The record has proven her growth as a writer and performer, and the audience she has garnered from past work has made this release a highly anticipated one. “Joint & Marrow” is set to be released on Neon Moon Records in September.
FOR MORE INFO VISIT WWW.CYNTHIAHAMAR.COM