Bahamas
Afie Jurvanen isn’t from the Bahamas. He’s a Finnish-Canadian from Barrie–a working class town in rural Ontario. But his chosen epithet is fitting. Since 2009 he’s been making music under the name Bahamas–writing songs about sunsets, love affairs, and making out with crooked smiles. With a carefully trained ear for melody that he’s honed during his time playing with the likes of Feist and Howie Beck, Jurvanen’s solo project has a stripped-down and contemplative sound that focuses on doing more with less, allowing his voice and guitar to do most of the heavy lifting on his quiet, indie folk meditations. Through simple arrangements, he charts an escape route from the snow belt to the coral reefs. His new album, Barchords, was released on February 7, 2012 to critical praise: “A sublime, incomparable leading man, one with a soulful, sweet and stylish touch in his song-writing.” – Globe and Mail.