Sean Sroka, known as indie outfit Ten Kills the Pack, has become known for his confessional-style lyricism that explores the rough edges of the human condition. Stemming from his DIY days cutting his teeth in the music scene of Toronto, pausing his musical path for poetry, or playing in his slop punk band around the city, Sroka pens his experiences in a way that blends an ethos of punk with the kindness of folk.

“girl of my dreams” is Ten Kills the Pack’s first independent single since parting ways with his record label in early 2024 and is leaning further back into a very familiar yet still disorientating independent musical landscape. To this, Sroka mentions “It does feel like I’ve never left this part of my musical lifestyle. And it’s beautiful to be able to create and release as you please. If the song feels like autumn, let’s have it out then.”

Reminiscent of an alt folk soundtrack to a movie of the 90’s, “Girl of My Dreams” is a leading example of Ten Kills the Packs guided artistic precision and spanning collaborators; working with artist Jay Som aka Melina Duterte (Boy Genius, Fenne Lily) mixing the track, and previous collaborator and drummer Griffin Goldsmith of Dawes. The new self produced release casts a light on the personal exercise and growth of becoming less precious and following your momentary artistic intuitions. “I sent what is now the chorus of this song as a little self deleting voice message jingle to my partner who was touring overseas at the time; trying to help count down the days we had away. From there it just kept turning in my head, so I turned off the tv and wrote it that night".

With critical looks across an EP and two Albums, Sroka also moonlights as a songwriter with Nashville publishers and beloved Canadian acts like Aysanabee, with a song that earned Sroka’s first JUNO Award win in 2024 under the songwriting category. The nuances of Ten Kills the Pack’s efforts can also be explored in the production of Hannah Georgas’s critically acclaimed 2023 album I’d Be Lying if I Said I Didn’t Care.

Through a self released album, an EP produced with Dave Cerminara (Father John Misty), Ten Kills the Pack’s latest release Thank You for Trying, co-produced with Marcus Paquin (Weather Station, The National), acquired the descriptions of "...poetic observations... poignant songcraft” from notable music leaders Under the Radar, and notes on how the projects “...poetic song writing ties the transportive tale that's simultaneously intimate and expansive” from EarMilk. With this, we now enter a new era where Sroka has established himself as a nuanced and free flowing artist that pushes the boundaries of what a singer songwriter is or can be.