Lxvndr and Niimo's bright hip-hop bounce, and 3 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:

• DijahSB.
• Lxvndr and Niimo.
• Junior Boys.
• Living Hour.

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 and Toronto's Here and Now every Wednesday afternoon, both available via CBC Listen.

'Dance Like This,' DijahSB

The summer is still young when a new DijahSB track drops. The Toronto rapper has become known for their feel-good soundtracks, whether it's acknowledging their growth and persistence through tough times or just straight up pumping themself up. "Dance Like This" fits into the latter, with Dijah's confident bars bouncing atop an infectious dance beat by frequent collaborator Cheap Limousine. "Bet your mans can't dance like this," they sing-rap effortlessly. There's zero doubt that Dijah is at the top of their game, and any efforts to challenge them are simply futile. Consider this an incredibly late, but no less extraordinary, addition to this year's song-of-the-summer conversation. — Melody Lau

'Sunsh1ne,' Lxvndr and Niimo

Summer may be exhaling its last few weeks, but Lxvndr's new single "Sunsh1ne'' with producer Niimo refuses to let the season dictate your inner warmth. "I be out here shining with my cadence and my flow," raps Lxvndr, over collaborator Niimo's bright and bouncy beat, proving that sunshine can be carried in a single track. The two P.E.I. artists — though Lxvndr calls Halifax home these days — are close friends and collaborators, with Niimo having produced Lxvndr's 2020 EP, Warmth, and their connection is powerful in both the song and the video, as they share the screen while sliding from the forest to opulent rooms seamlessly. "Sunsh1ne" is fun and addictive, and Niimo's production gives Lxvndr an anchor to keep proving she's currently one of the East Coast's best rappers. — Holly Gordon

'Night Walk,' Junior Boys

It's been six years since Ontario duo Junior Boys released any new music, but Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus are finally back. "Night Walk" is our first peek at Junior Boys' upcoming album, Waiting Game (out Oct. 28), and it explores the idea of "peripheral music," something that the two describe as atmospheric and layered with details. "Waiting Game is intended to give the listener some respite," Greenspan explained in a statement. "I like the idea of people putting it on at home and exhaling in relief, even if that relief is tinged with some sadness." "Night Walk" specifically is about "someone who has gone missing and doesn't want to be found." Cloaked in subtle blips of synth production, the track feels like a peaceful evening stroll where the dark, moonlit streets double as a comforting embrace. Quiet yet powerful, "Night Walk" is a welcome return from one of Canada's most beloved electronic acts. — ML

'Middle Name,' Living Hour

"Every speck of something means something to me." When Living Hour's Sam Sarty sings this line, her voice is soft but there's also something in the arc of her confession, as if this is an admission she herself is hearing for the first time. Hues of surprised amusement, maybe at her own earnestness, colour her confession. It's endearing and relatable; who hasn't split themselves open trying to swallow the world whole? 

According to a press release from the band, whose new album, Someday is Today, is out Friday, Sept. 2, the track originated as a voice memo called "Janes' Chicken Nuggets" and from there evolved into something both bigger and smaller than maybe they even anticipated. "[It's] the feeling of pretzelling yourself small, creating a diet version of yourself to fit into someone else's life, house and situation," Sarty told CBC Music via email. "'Middle Name' is about the false idea that you find clarity about yourself through making someone else happier." 

"Middle Name" is dreamy and nostalgic, a highly crafted collision of bedroom pop, guitar-driven distortion, and surprising, evocative shifts in tempos and arrangements. It's Sarty's voice and lyrics that graft to the bone. "I say a little, I mean a lot," she sings, "been dreaming of people I used to be." Building yourself up after you've tried to make yourself small — this is what it looks like. Finding strength in self-reflection, remembering who you used to be, finding a way back to you. — Andrea Warner