Calgary’s Underdog Sound: A Scene Without Borders

Photo: Vogue India

Calgary isn’t the first city that comes to mind when you think of music scenes. Toronto? Sure. Vancouver? Maybe. But Calgary? It’s long been seen as a cultural middle child—a city better known for cowboys and oil than bars and beats. And yet, something’s shifting beneath the surface. Calgary doesn’t have a defined sound yet—but maybe that’s exactly what makes it interesting.

Unlike cities with established musical legacies, Calgary’s scene is still raw and fluid. Without a dominant sound or aesthetic to conform to, local artists are free to borrow and bend from wherever they want. You can hear echoes of Toronto’s brooding R&B, the jittery percussion of UK drill, and Atlanta’s melodic trap in Calgary’s emerging artists. But it’s never a one-to-one copy. These influences are being filtered through something grittier, colder, and more isolated—something distinctly Calgary.

Take Cartel Madras, the sister duo who call their style “Goonda rap”—a high-energy blend of Southern trap, punk attitude, and South Asian textures. Their sound doesn’t resemble anything else coming out of Canada. In interviews, they’ve spoken openly about the challenges of building something different in a city that’s still catching up to hip-hop. “People are really afraid to bring new music to Calgary,” said Eboshi of the group in a 2021 Red Bull article. “It’s not a hip-hop-friendly city. Slowly it is becoming one.”

That tension—between ambition and limitation—is part of what’s shaping Calgary’s sonic identity. Artists are constantly negotiating between what they want to make and what the city will support. The infrastructure still lags behind: there are only a handful of accessible venues for emerging acts, and hip-hop events often face unnecessary scrutiny or cancellation. But that’s also creating a scene built on hustle, cross-genre collaboration, and experimentation.

Photo: Calgary Folk Fest

Another artist pushing boundaries is Jairus Sharif, known for his innovative blend of jazz, ambient noise, and spiritual themes. His latest album, Basis of Unity, released on February 28, 2025, delves into personal grief and metaphysical exploration. Sharif's self-taught approach to the alto saxophone and his background in hip-hop and garage rock inform his unique sound. The album features compositions that embody the energetic capacity of humans throughout life and after it, incorporating subtle layers of percussion, voices, and other sounds (phonographme.blogspot.com).

One standout track, "Oh and Poets Maybe," exemplifies Sharif's ability to merge free jazz with ambient textures. The piece begins with a meditative saxophone line, gradually building layers of electronic noise and subtle percussion. This track encapsulates the album's theme of spiritual exploration and the permeability between the realms of the living and the dead.

Calgary may not have a flagship sound just yet, but that doesn’t mean it lacks identity. On the contrary, its music scene is a reflection of a city in flux—growing, changing, trying things, failing, and trying again. It’s a petri dish for hybrid sounds, strange combinations, and unexpected breakthroughs like Sargeant X Comrade, a Calgary-based duo consisting of Yolanda Sargeant and producer Evgeniy "Comrade" Bykovets.

Their music blends elements of lo-fi soul, hip-hop, and experimental production. Their debut album, Magic Radio, was longlisted for the 2021 Polaris Music Prize, and their single "Romance in Outer Space" features a rap cameo by Kool Keith. Their unique sound has earned them nominations for Breakout Artist of the Year and Rap & Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the 2021 Western Canadian Music Awards.

Sargeant X Comrade's music is characterized by its dreamy, lo-fi production and soulful vocals. They often explore themes of love, space, and introspection, creating a soundscape that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

Their latest single, "Old Familiar Feelin’," exemplifies their signature style. The track features a minimalist jazz-infused lo-fi production, with Yolanda Sargeant's rich, smoky vocals taking center stage.

This blend of soulful introspection and experimental production perfectly captures Calgary’s music scene in microcosm—rooted in diverse influences yet unafraid to forge new paths. Artists like Sargeant X Comrade exemplify how the city’s sound is still evolving, marked by boundary-pushing creativity and a DIY spirit.

Calgary may not have a flagship sound yet—but that doesn’t mean it lacks identity. Instead, its music scene reflects a city in flux: growing, changing, experimenting, sometimes failing, and always trying again. It’s a laboratory for hybrid sounds, strange combinations, and unexpected breakthroughs—an underdog story in the making.