After an extended gestation period, Certified Lover Boy finally has a due date. Drake will drop his long-awaited project just before deadline to be a contender for Album of the Summer. Regardless, we’ve had plenty of music from the north side to keep us satiated in the interim. From newcomers to OGs, Canadian artists released a surplus of bangers to soundtrack the end of hot vax summer. Here are the ones our staff vibed with the most this month.
Justin Nozuka, "Nova"
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Justin Nozuka’s latest single “Nova” is so smooth and sweet—without being saccharine—it feels like a dessert that you should be savouring from start to finish. On the track, he’s positively lovestruck and his lyrics are dripping in longing: “Hearts about to stop by that look on your face/You got me in my feelings/The type I can't shake.” The funky melody is buoyed by clean guitar and Nozuka’s crisp falsetto vocals, and the bouncy rhythm signals a spring in his step as he pursues a relationship with the person he wants. It’s an anthem for hopeless romantics everywhere, and makes for the perfect song for wistfully staring out of windows while thinking about a crush. —Natalie Harmsen
Hunnah, "Appreciate"
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Hunnah isn’t playing games on “Appreciate.” The sultry, soulful offering is bursting with emotion as she gets candid about being the object of desire. Wanting to be wanted is a universal feeling, and although the track is melancholy, she taps into this theme with ease. “Why nobody wanna be my lover/Tell me why I’m so alone undiscovered,” she quips, making us all reflect on feeling isolated while questioning our self-worth. Leaning into that sadness and frustration is what propels her forward and into a place of acceptance. From there, it’s onwards and upwards as the healing process begins and she learns to appreciate herself. —Natalie Harmsen
Skiifall, "My Gully"
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Skiifall’s music career began less than a year ago, but his stock is already rising faster than Tesla’s. “My Gully,” off his debut EP WOIIYOUI TAPES VOL. 1., builds on the sounds that’ve been garnering the Montreal-based, St. Vincent-born artist international attention: a gentle, coruscating beat, placid vocal tones, wizened storytelling, and a seamless mix of English and patois lyrics. On this track, co-produced by Yama Satio, Freakey!, and Doomx, he tells the still-in-progress story of his come-up, from resisting the urge to take dead-end paths to dreaming of getting his family of out the slums. It’s simple, authentic, and will soothe your tired old soul like a weighted blanket on a rainy day. —Alex Nino Gheciu
dvsn and Ty Dolla $ign, "Memories"
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Last week, dvsn and Ty Dolla $ign dropped a sultry collaborative mixtape, Cheers to the Best Memories. The standout track from that lecherous link-up is “Memories,” a hot-and-heavy ode to creating highlight-reel moments in the boudoir. Over a sample of Silk’s 1992 smash “Freak Me”—courtesy of OVO’s 40 and dvsn’s Nineteen85—Ty starts things off by getting straight to the point: “Goin’ stupid, yeah/On the D, yeah/Baby, leap, yeah.” Daniel Davey dives into the second verse with some intent to make this more than a one-night affair: “I wanna do some real things/With a real woman/I wanna knock your walls down/Then we’ll build something.” It’s all a bit on the nose, but what it lacks in sublety, it makes up for in raw, passion-filled chemistry. Cheers to this R&B supergroup for getting cuffing season started early. —Alex Nino Gheciu
Boslen, f/ Rascalz, "Note to the City"
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Rising hip-hop artist Boslen pens a love letter to Vancouver in the aptly named “Note to the City.” Over a swirling, soulful beat, he seranades his city, personifying it as if it were a paramour. “I gave her stars and the moon/I gave it all up for you,” the Indigenous-Jamaican rapper sings on the hook, pledging to give her 110 percent. He recruits Rascalz member Red1 to spit bars on the song’s boom-bap-y interlude, signifiying a sonic passing of VanCity’s rap torch. “Maybe I’m the one to make Vancouver break through. Maybe not. But I know how bad my team and I want it,” Boslen told Complex when we interviewed him earlier this month. Given the fire and desire all over this track, he’ll be sure to ignite his city with inspiration, whether he blows up or not. —Alex Nino Gheciu
Jazz Cartier f/ KYLE, "Rock the Boat"
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Toronto’s Jazz Cartier and L.A.’s KYLE linked up this summer to “Rock the Boat” with a fresh single, which introduces Cartier’s upcoming album The Fleur Print. The track follows a wavy beat by KYLE and romantic notes from Cartier inspired by the muses in their lives. The West Coast-6ix connection also references R&B’s late princess Aaliyah. “I see ya/Tippin like I’m T.I./Aaliyah/She rock the boat/Calling for Maria/I need ya/Drive me crazy like a Fiat/No Kia,” they spit on the hook. This may well be the first rap song to make a Kia reference. —Beatriz Baleeiro
Shawn Mendes f/ Tainy, "Summer of Love"
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Canada’s boy wonder dropped the music video for his latest single, “Summer of Love,” a sultry collaboration with a touch of reggaeton, produced by Tainy and Neon16t. The video, shot in the beautiful blue waters of Mallorca, Spain, will definitely make you want to pack your suitcase and go chase Shawn’s summer vibes. The singer’s seen having a carefree vacation in a convertible and soaking up the sun on a boat while basking in the freedom of a hot summer day. He also makes an undeniable and hella cute reference to his 2019 hit with his girlfriend Camilla Cabello. “Meditation and tequila/Calling you my señorita,” he croons. After all, summer is not complete without some tequila and someone to call “señorita.” —Beatriz Baleeiro
The Halluci Nation f/ Chippewa Travellers, "It's Over"
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The Halluci Nation (formerly A Tribe Called Red) made a big impact on me in 2013 when their album Nation II Nation came across my desk. I still remember putting on my headphones and instantly thinking it was like nothing I had ever heard. Their latest single, “It’s Over,” feauring Chippewa Travellers, off their fourth album, One More Saturday Night, stays true to the group’s DNA of experimental mashups. The high-energy track infuses elements of hip-hop, dance, moombahton, and of course, the iconic chants paying homage to First Nations music. Definitely a track you need in your summer 2021 playlist. —Alex Narvaez
k-os f/ KAGE E, “Hot Boy”
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The debate of old school vs. new school amongst hip-hop fans may forever remain unsettled. Fans of the “golden era” gravitate towards lyricism and boom-bap drums while fans of the modern sound enjoy trap beats and more melodic flows. On this new collab, hip-hop fans get the best of both worlds as veteran MC and vocalist k-os teams up with newcomer KAGE E on this boastful anthem full of bravado, “Hot Boy.” k-os kicks off the track with effortless vocals but wastes no time jumping right into his signature flow, spitting bars that no doubt satisfy the rap fans. KAGE E matches the confidence on the track with a display of range in pitch and cadence. The duo successfully blend their styles together on the track and perhaps have come one step closer to bridging the generational gap between hip-hop fans. —Alex Narvaez
Bebeboy, “Pasion”
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On his latest track “Pasion,” Bebeboy embodies his Latin lover alter-ego and takes the opportunity to cross over into Spanish language music. Predominantly an English language artist, BebeBoy no doubt has recognized the potential of Latin music in today’s global market and has decided to leave his mark on the popular genre. His unique vocal pitch, enhanced with AutoTune, overtop a catchy reggaeton beat, makes for a the perfect end-of-summer vibe. Bebeboy doesn’t waste the chance to stay on brand with sexually explicit lyrics. Whether it’s 2 Live Crew in the ’80s or Cardi B today, one thing’s for sure, sex sells and Bebeboy’s not too shy to address his wildest fantasies on record. —Alex Narvaez
SonReal, "Right Before My Eyes"
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The idea of being put into a creative box or conforming to one specific genre seems like it’s never been an issue for SonReal. The B.C. artist is known for his high-concept music videos and blurring the lines between hip-hop, pop, soul, and R&B. “Right Before My Eyes” is the first single off his i can’t make this up EP and is the feel-good song we didn’t know we needed. In this reflective track, SonReal attempts quieting the thoughts around the uncertainties of life in lyrics like, “Life don’t always end up like the movies/I’m gettin’ tired of pretendin’ like you’ll see.” Speaking of movies, this song sounds like it belongs in the part of the movie when the hero gets back up. With a slow build-up and triumphant hook, he comes full circle as he takes comfort in the person who’s been there for him all along: “Right before my eyes/I had you to hold me down”. We could all use a moment of appreciation for that special person who holds us down as we take in this track —Alex Narvaez
