Harrison's lively jazz-rap bop, and 5 more songs you need to hear this week

Here at CBC Music, we're always on high alert for new songs by Canadian artists.

This week, we're listening to new tracks from:

• Nemahsis.
• Desiire.
• Harrison featuring Med and Guilty Simpson.
• Chromeo, Ric Wilson and A-Trak.
• Lavi$h.
• Kali Uchis and Clairmont the Second.

Scroll down to find out why you need to listen. 

What new Canadian tunes are you currently obsessed with? Share them with us on Twitter @CBCMusic.

To hear more about these standout songs, tune in to CBC Music Mornings every Thursday with producer Ryan Chung and host Saroja Coelho, available via CBC Listen.

'I Wanna be Your Right Hand,' Nemahsis 

It's important to identify your love languages, and in the case of Toronto pop artist Nemahsis, her love language is acts of service. "I feel small in a relationship if I'm not put to use," she said in a press release. It's the language her latest single, "I Wanna be Your Right Hand," has been translated into, with Nemahsis's voice desperately reaching out to someone as she begs to be of service, to be useful in the name of showing her love and devotion. Over an acoustic riff that's reminiscent of the Smashing Pumpkins' "1979," Nemahsis sounds equal parts steadfast and free, playing with her voice in ways she hasn't in previous releases. For example, she stutters on the pre-chorus, professing, "I-I-I'm getting on it/ I made a promise, I-I I-I-I'm honest." Paired with a gorgeously choreographed music video by Norman Wong, "I Wanna be Your Right Hand" shows us new sides of Nemahsis: as a songwriter, performer and a budding pop star. — Melody Lau 

'Obstacles,' Desiire

Desiire's summery Afro R&B track "Obstacles" has a steady, rhythmic flow that feels like a caress from a tropical breeze. With a mix of spoken word and captivating Masego-like falsetto, the Congolese Canadian musician takes his time on the song, as he contemplates his refusal to slow down despite hurdles in his path. He hums with a sense of laid-back assuredness that things will go his way as he flirts with groovy inflections. It's the first track he's released in over a year, and it's also the very first song that Desiire engineered solo, demonstrating a new layer of confidence from an artist who is always in pursuit of the groove. As he sings about flying away over the echoing sound of a bird cawing in the distance, you can practically feel the sun on your face and the sand between your toes. — Natalie Harmsen

'Pay it no Mind,' Ric Wilson, Chromeo, A-Trak

Even though it's barely spring, we've already got a strong contender for this year's song of the summer. Brimming with Chromeo and A-Trak's signature neon-tinged disco energy, "Pay it no Mind" is a paean to believing in — and standing up for — yourself, and Ric Wilson's fluency is both lyrical and authoritative as he calls out ignorance:

Dribble like I play for the Raptors,
Can't nobody else dunk faster.
Who the quickest slapping a MAGA,
Talking hella shit like a pastor.

The video, directed by Robert Salazar, depicts Wilson as a nude model for an art class, staring into the camera to keep your eyes "up here" while delivering his verses. It's impossibly charming, and the best news of all is, this is the lead single off a new nine-song collaborative project called Clusterfunk, due out on March 31. It's destined to soundtrack all your summer's best dance moves. — Robert Rowat

'Bump,' Harrison feat. Med and Guilty Simpson

Harrison's latest jazzy release from his upcoming album, Birds, Bees, the Clouds & the Trees, is a way for the pianist and composer to give flowers to veteran MCs Med and Guilty Simpson. Over vintage-sounding beats and joyful melodies, he's crafted a peppy anthem for a sunny day, complete with faint sounds of chirping birds. "The instrumental for 'Bump' was actually originally different," Harrison revealed in a press release, explaining that the rappers' choice of beats inspired him. "They found the pocket I was looking for on this new joint. I'm floored that they were kind enough to join me on this album," he added.  The track's retro feel is instantly nostalgic — the instrumentals are reminiscent of the ragtime soundtracks of classic cartoons, plus the crackling sound of spinning vinyl amplifies the warm, rich vibe that dominates the album. — NH

'World in my Hands,' Lavi$h

"I've been quiet for a few years but, for good reason," posted Lavi$h on Instagram at the beginning of February. "I've been working on a voice loud enough to shake the world." Well, now we know what the Winnipeg-raised artist was talking about: his latest single reveals an R&B singer of seismic proportions, showing off a two-and-a-half octave range and myriad vocal colours. "World in my Hands" is an effusive outpouring of pride and joy — a celebration of those moments in life (however fleeting) when things are going your way. "I impress myself, did this for myself," he muses in the pre-chorus, "and I'm damn sure there ain't nobody besides myself." A chorus of "Ohs" builds to an ecstatic "I got you, baby" that sends aftershocks with a high G-flat. You may not have the vocal ability to sing along with Lavi$h, but you'll be uplifted right alongside him. — RR

'Not too Late (Interlude),' Kali Uchis

Clairmont the Second expressed his joy on Twitter about working with singer Kali Uchis on her 2023 album, Red Moon in Venus, in similar fashion to an expecting parent announcing the birth of their child. Now that the album is out, we know why: on 11th track "Not too Late," fans of Clairmont are reintroduced to his ethereal production: moody keyboards, syncopated and droopy drum patterns and medieval-esque choral arrangements. Add Uchis's dreamy vocals to the mix and you get a match made in rhythmic heaven. The song explores the ebbs and flows of situationships, and takes time expressing heartfelt emotions from the moment the first chord is played. Uchis sings that she is the only one made for her love interest — and what better way to deliver her message than to lay it over some soulful instrumentals from the Toronto rapper and producer? — Ryan Chung