NXNE is upon us and seeing as I'm live tweeting it up for the @NXNE account, I do know a thing or two about this year's lineup. As requested and promised, here's a list of my festival picks for this year. If you end up discovering something you like and/or end up checking one of these acts out give me a shout in the comments. Enjoy!

AKUA – Friday 8pm @ Hard Luck
Mini Bio: Montreal solo synth soul. Pronounced “A-koo-ah”. Inspired by Little Dragon and CocoRosie. Has opened for Katy B.
Tunes: “Told You So” and “Gravity”

ALVVAYS – Friday 10pm @ Silver Dollar
Mini Bio: Toronto lo fi. Camera Obsura-ish with a pinch of 90s vibes.
Tunes: “Archie Marry Me” and “The Agency Group”

After The Smoke - Wednesday 11:05pm @ Wrongbar
Mini Bio: Tallahasse hip-hop duo. Smooth stuff. Finalist in the Billboard Battle of the Bands. Over 50,000 followers on Tumblr and Twitter.
Tunes: “Come & Leave” and “OIAM”

Ania Soul – Saturday 9pm @ MOD Club
Mini Bio: Toronto soul signer. Inspired by Solange, Lauryn Hill, and Feist. Latest single “Over You” produced by King Luck. Here’s a link to her YouTube EPK.
Tunes: “Over You” and “All In My Head”

Blank Cinema – Thursday 10pm @ (587 College St)
Mini Bio: Vancouver indie synth rock act. Five piece who’ve been creating music since 2008. Launched an Indiegogo campaign to help fund their new record Eras.
Tunes: “Destroy Together” and “What You Have”

The BB Guns – Saturday 9pm @ Lee’s Palace
Mini Bio: Hazy surf-pop fun from some Toronto ladies who are both a little punk and a little girly. Recently released their EP, Baby I Hate You.
Tunes: “Pennie Lane” and “Soho”

BRIADS – Thursday 11pm @ Comfort Zone
Blue Hawaii – Thursday 1am @ Comfort Zone
Mini Bio: Partner projects with Calgarian Raphaelle Standell-Preston as the connecting dot. BRAIDS are more indie rock based & tad softer while Blue Hawaii are more electronic and beat based. Both are putting out releases with Arbutus Records, and both are killing it.
Tunes: “The Other Day” by Blue Hawaii and “In Kind” by BRAIDS

Decades – Friday 11pm @ Silver Dollar
Mini Bio: Toronto new wave revival. Just released their self-titled debut with White Girl Records.
Tunes: “Tonight Again” and “In Sequins”

Joey Bada$$ - Saturday 1am @ Wrongbar & Sunday 8pm @ YDS
Mini Bio: 18 year-old Brooklyn kid with mad talent. His fifth mixtape is new out June 12th. Currently with Cinematic Music Group.
Tunes: “Word Is Bond” and “World Domination”

Majical Cloudz – Saturday 12am @ BLK BOX
Mini Bio: Down tempo duo from Grimes’ & Doldrums’ Montreal scene. Haunting live. Debut record just dropped with Matador and Arbuturs.
Tunes: “Turns Turns Turns” and “Bugs Don’t Buzz”

Mozart’s Sister – Wednesday 11pm @ Rivoli
Mini Bio: Solo project of Montreal's Caila Thompson-Hannant, who describes her sound as dirt pop. Past projects include Shapes and Sizes, Miracle Fortress and Think About Life. Grimes credits her as a huge influence. Merok Records put out her EP. Tons of internet hype and rumor has it an album is to be expected this summer.
Tunes: “Mozart’s Sister” which has been making the blog rounds

Prince Innocence – Saturday 11pm Comfort Zone
Mini Bio: Minimal synth duo from Toronto and Montreal. Babe-tastic. Part of the Pretty Pretty Records crew.
Tunes: The oh so hip “Golden Hour” and “To My Right”

Rich Kidd – Saturday 11pm @ Wrongbag
Mini Bio: Mississauga producer and rapper who has worked with Raekwon, Drake and Talib Kweli. Recently released his latest mixtape In My Opinion earlier this year.
Tunes: “SYKE” and “Can I Get A (Bom Bom)”

Ryan Hemsworth – Saturday 1am BLK BOX
Mini Bio: The hippest thing to come out of Halifax since Ellen Page. Producer/DJ dude of the collective known as Wedidit. Recently released his sixth EP Still Awake.
Tunes: “Perfectly” and “Summertime Sadness” Lana Del Rey remix

White Lung – Saturday 11pm @ Horseshoe Tavern
Mini Bio: Vancouver punk act made up of three ladies and one lucky guy. Last year Deranged put out their second LP Sorry.
Tunes: “Bag” and “Glue”