Ouri and Antoniya's leftfield banger, and 6 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:

• Kelly McMichael.
• Hatim and Sadé Awele.
• Myst Milano.
• Diamond Cafe.
• Ouri and Antoniya.
• Jeremy Dutcher.
• Aqyila.

Scroll down to find out why you need to listen, too.

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

'Tour From Hell,' Kelly McMichael

When Kelly McMichael went on tour last fall, a lot of things went wrong. Illness, van breakdowns and bad weather readjusted the St. John's-based singer's own tour not long after she was shortlisted for the 2023 Polaris Prize, as well as Sarah Harmer's, with whom McMichael travels as a touring band member. Shows were rescheduled, but the chaos stuck with McMichael, popping up as inspiration when she was asked to write a song for the East Coast Music Hour series The Story and the Song earlier this year. "Tour From Hell" was soon born, and with it came a new wave-inspired guitar riff you won't easily shake — not that you'll want to. "Going on tour/ going on tour/ and everything's expensive/ but we're built to spill/ and it's got to happen," she sings, touching on the additional absurdities of touring today before the song kicks into another of its many gears, mirroring the unexpected pace of last year's travels. I luckily caught McMichael at her Halifax Halloween show last year, and would highly recommend getting to one of her shows when all the stars align again. — Holly Gordon

'If I Could,' Hatim and Sadé Awele

The best slinky grooves move stealthily from beat to hips, bypassing the brain and showing up in the body, unbidden and irresistible. In Hatim and Sadé Awele's beguiling new song, "If I Could," an old school Sudanese string sample vibes with vintage '90s hip-hop, creating the perfect backdrop of tension and warmth for a duet where our two narrators are in conversation with each other but not quite listening. "If I Could" hits its peak in the call-and-answer refrain below where their lines almost overlap, recreating the feeling of a real conversation between two people trying to hold onto each other in the midst of a collapse:

Awele: I don't have enough to give all I need is space
Hatim: There's no point holding on to love if I need to change
Awele: It's you I want but I can't give until I heal the pain
Hatim: Just to fit the picture of the perfect man you paint

But there's also a deeper meaning to "If I Could" and to Hatim and Awele's collaboration. According to the song's press release, the two neo-soul/R&B singer-songwriters wanted to create a shared space for themselves as Black musicians living in Vancouver, referencing the lush sounds of some of their musical heroes (Usher, Mary J. Blige) and the very act of "making historically Black music in a market that doesn't seem to always understand them." — Andrea Warner

'Thirteen,' Myst Milano

Myst Milano's latest single "Thirteen" is a club-ready dance banger that sees the DJ and rapper gas themselves up over robotic synths. "Bitch, I got you in my pocket," they rap, in a matter-of-fact manner that doesn't feel braggadocious — they're just spitting facts. The clean electronic instrumentation sets the scene for twirling on sticky dancefloors after sunset, allowing listeners to get swept away in Milano's tropical, funky world. It's a house-y, disco-y track that signals it's time to party, with a relentless four-on-the-floor beat that Milano flows over with ease. The punchy track is the first single from the upcoming album, Beyond the Uncanny Valley, which Milano describes as a "love letter to my favourite contributions Black people have made to electronic music across genre, generational and geographical lines." — Natalie Harmsen

'Whatever It May Be' Diamond Cafe

The latest from Victoria-based artist Diamond Cafe, the solo project from Tristan Thompson, is a captivating listen with his unique brand of synth pop and R&B. In "Whatever It May Be (Diamond Cut)," Thompson masterfully juxtaposes nostalgic synthesizers with modern R&B elements, making for a simultaneously smooth and electrifying soundscape. The song is remastered from a 2021 release, and this time around he leans into bigger and bolder drums. The infectious energy of the first four bars is all it takes to get hooked into this irresistible jam. Thompson's soulful vocals glide effortlessly over the rich production, exuding a sense of confidence and vulnerability. "What ever the cause may be/ I'm still in love with you," he sings, in what is clearly a breakup song. However, there's a shift from the classic toxic breakup narrative, instead offering love and understanding. Thompson has an incredible ability to steep heartfelt emotion into his delivery, creating an undeniable intimacy. This song is for the times it didn't work out, and even though it's all love, a cathartic release is still needed. Get ready to surrender to the irresistible rhythm. And hit repeat. — Vanessa Conley

'1st Bite,' Ouri and Antoniya 

Montrealers Ouri and Antoniya have crafted the soundtrack for irreverent party girls everywhere with "1st Bite." Its high-octane production starts with plucky, percussive strings that create the bassline of the sonic onslaught. Ouri, the Polaris-shortlisted musician, composer and producer, is flexing her innovative production chops all over the track, merging so many disparate sounds into something brilliantly exhilarating. And then there's Antoniya's powerhouse vocal performance. Her voice is otherworldly, bold and brash as she sings about a girl that all the boys flock to, one who likes competition and thrives in a fast-paced world. "1st Bite" is the single off of the artists' joint EP, I Had This Dream You Were My Sister. In a press release, Antoniya said the experience of making the EP was challenging, both as an artist but also as a girl in the world: "It's about being vulnerable, petty, violent, sexy, experimental, confident and selfless."— Kelsey Adams

'Skicinuwihkuk,' Jeremy Dutcher

mecimiw naka askomiw
skicinuwihkuk tan qiniw iyuwok wasis kpomawsuwinuwok
'tankeyutomon-oc kihtahkomikomon.
skicinuwihkuk  

Translation: 
Always and forever
This is Indian land
As long as there is a child among our people
We will protect the land
Indian land

It's been five years since Jeremy Dutcher blew everyone away with his debut album, Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa, and in that time the classically trained opera tenor and pianist from Tobique First Nation won the Polaris Prize, a Juno Award, collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma and Buffy Sainte-Marie, judged Canada's Drag Race and most recently composed music for the first Wolastoq ballet. He also just signed to Montreal-based label Secret City, and gifted us with his first new music since that debut, titled "Skicinuwihkuk" which translates to "Indian Land," a song about land sovereignty. Recorded with a full orchestra and arrangements by fellow Polaris winner Owen Pallett, "Skicinuwihkuk" is a moving piece that sees Dutcher seated at the piano, his voice inextricable from the orchestra as he takes flight with the emotion of the song's lyrics. With a major Canadian fall tour announced alongside this single, we're hoping we'll get much more of Dutcher this year. — HG 

'We Keep On,' Aqyila

With each new release, Toronto singer Aqyila's star power becomes more apparent. She just released her debut EP, For the Better, and it includes four of her previous hits like the Juno-nominated track "Vibe for Me." The two new songs, "We Keep On" and "Moving Like That," continue in the vein of poppy R&B she does so well. On  "We Keep On," her voice is undeniable, with rich tones that are so enchanting it's a shame she's singing about love gone wrong. Her honeyed vocals are paired with a '90s R&B production that suits her voice and the subject matter impeccably. The song is about getting caught up in cycles that are easier to continue than break away from, but she's clearly come to the valuable realization that "My love was never meant for you." — KA