‘Fictional Dreamers’ is the latest single from Toronto-based electro-shoegaze duo Jo Ryder. It’s a deeply textured track based on a unique electronic soundscape. At the bottom of the arrangement, rhythmically rigid bass lines merge magnetically with an insistent, motorik drum beat. Above that, detailed synth loops interact and develop alongside the distinctive lead vocal, which come from Lauralee Sheehan. The piece unfolds slowly, eschewing the traditional verse-chorus structure to make it feel like more of an exploratory journey. Keep an eye out for more from the pair over the course of 2023. -Dan Peeke