Summer 2024 album guide: 20 new releases you need to hear

We're getting ever closer to the summer solstice, and what better way to spend those longer daylight hours than by pressing play on brand new music? CBC Music's editorial team has chosen 20 standout albums that are sure to make the season better and brighter, whether they're meant for that hazy summer daze of mid-August or better suited to sweating on the dance floor at 1 a.m.

Read on for our guide to the Canadian albums, EPs and rumoured releases we think you need to hear during summer 2024. 

Artist: Celeigh Cardinal
Album: Boundless Possibilities
Release date: June 21

"I'm kind of in my Madonna era right now," Celeigh Cardinal said in an interview recently, laughing but serious. The Edmonton-based singer-songwriter is likely better known for the folk-rock stylings of her 2017 debut album and 2019 followup, but for the upcoming Boundless Possibilities, Cardinal has been leaning into her pop sensibilities — and what she's created is a delightful mix of dance anthems and gentler, more vulnerable songs steeped in her musical roots. Recent single "Show You How to Love Me" bursts with energy and synths, as Cardinal lets loose on the dancefloor jam. By contrast, "Light of the Moon," written with Joey and Dave Landreth (of Juno-winning duo the Bros. Landreth), is an ode to "friends, family and idols who have passed on," as Cardinal explained via press release — and it has already garnered the singer a set of 2024 Western Canadian Music Award nominations. Boundless Possibilities has been a long time coming, but between personal tragedy and collective, global trauma, the album needed to wait. "I want people to feel all the feelings," Cardinal said, and with the amount of heart she's put into this record, that outcome is inevitable. — Holly Gordon

Artist: Jah'Mila
Album: Woman of the Sun
Release date: June 21

Jah'Mila's self-assurance and faith are the bedrock of Woman of the Sun, an album that will inspire listeners to believe in their own potential. On the surface, the rootsy reggae rhythms and the Halifax-based singer's powerhouse vocals make for a groovy time, but the lyrical subject matter creates a deeper thread through the album's 11 tracks. From the defiant "Reggae Nuh Dead," featuring Kairo McLean, asserting the longevity of the often maligned genre, to the heartfelt "Beloved (Elijah)," about Jah'Mila's experience with abortion, Woman of the Sun exposes the many sides of the singer. Recorded in both Halifax and her hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, the album has a distinct Canadian flair, merging Jamaican sounds with support from local acts including Reeny, Haliey and Micah Smith, Kayo, Wolf Castle, Aquakultre and Wendy MacIsaac. The latter three join her on "East Coast Family," a celebration of Jah'Mila's roots and her new home. — Kelsey Adams

Artist: pHoenix Pagliacci
Album: Dichotomy
Release date: June 24

R&B singer and rapper pHoenix Pagliacci is back with her first solo album in eight years, and on it she's wrestling with what it means to be an artist — particularly how artists are viewed outside of their art. "How do we as a society hold people accountable?" she asks on "Beyond," the third conversational interlude on Dichotomy, following ones titled "Bieber" and "Brown." "At what point do we say OK, here's another shot.... Where do we draw the line? And if so, can that line ever be erased? And if so, who gets to erase that line? So that's my struggle." Pagliacci had many conversations with fellow artists about it, and through that came the collaborations on her album, including a bewitching team-up with goth-rock sister duo Bonnie Trash ("Humility"), a soaring and harmony-laden earworm with the OBGMs ("Not the One"), and a powerful verse-for-verse reunion with Shad (album closer "Up"). "You don't f--k with me cause you heard/ that I'm mad rude and true to my word/ I don't talk small and don't play no game," Pagliacci raps on "Politics," the album's lead single with still-not-Juno-nominated Cadence Weapon, who eviscerates with the line: "The politics: the only reason I'm not nominated." Each verse on Dichotomy is an affirmation from Pagliacci — that the singer, songwriter, producer and rapper is back, and at the top of her game. — HG

Artist: Mattmac
Album: All Eyes on Us
Release date: June 28

Mattmac's third album, All Eyes on Us, kicks off with heartfelt snippets of Indigenous artists speaking about the power of community. This message of unity is the throughline of the project, as Mattmac passionately sings and raps about wanting to "see my people at the top." The numerous features with fellow Indigenous musicians (Rex Smallboy, Mariame, Drezus and more) cement this thesis, with each artist complementing Mattmac's signature melodic trap sound. Mattmac has been candid about his anxieties around fame on previous releases, and All Eyes on Us continues this confessional style. With unflinching optimism, he shares his hopes: "I just want my family to live a good life," he sings on "See the Future." By the final song, you can feel his hunger not just for finding success, but also to inspire others to chase their dreams, too. — Natalie Harmsen

Artist: Bruce Liu
Album: Waves: Music by Satie
Release date: June 28

Bruce Liu's next album will be a followup to his debut studio album, Waves: Music by Rameau, Ravel, Alkan, released last November. He adds another name to that list of French composers: Erik Satie. The album will comprise Satie's Six Gnossiennes, each recorded two ways: on an opulent-sounding grand piano and on a cozy upright. This isn't as unusual as it may seem: pianist Vikingur Ólafsson released two such versions of his album From Afar in 2022. Liu, who's known for the silky touch and dazzling finger work that nabbed him first prize at the 18th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, will shift gears for these iconic slow-motion miniatures by Satie, revealing yet another aspect to his artistry. — RR

Artist: Bodysync 
Album: Nutty
Release date: June 28 

Ryan Hemsworth and Giraffage have been lighting up dance floors since they first teamed up as Bodysync in 2021. Nutty, the duo's sophomore release, keeps the party going with bright, fun, '90s/Y2K-inspired anthems — all wrapped in a 2000s pop-punk ethos that "doesn't take itself too seriously," as the duo explained in a statement. Whether they're drawing from Vengaboys or Daft Punk, Hemsworth and Giraffage bounce around with the freewheeling spirit of two friends encouraging each other's silliest, and catchiest, ideas. The album is set up with interludes that play out like a live radio station, lending itself to an ideal block-party soundtrack, and Daniela Andrade (who collaborated on the hit "Suenos Bravos" from Bodysync's debut, Radio Active) returns as the sole guest feature on equally kinetic "Bailar (I Want to Dance)." This album is tailor-made for those hot, sweaty months when all you're craving is the sun and a good song to dance to. — Melody Lau

Artist: Mas Aya
Album: Coming and Going
Release date: July 12

The followup to Mas Aya's critically acclaimed 2021 album, Mascaras, takes a departure from the subdued ambient sound associated with multi-instrumentalist Brandon Miguel Valdivia. On the new record, Valdivia blends free jazz, house, Afro-Cuban percussion and hip-hop beats in the style of J Dilla and Madlib, as well as sparse vocals from his partner, singer Lido Pimienta, and their daughter, Martina Valdivia. Thematically, Coming and Going reflects many shifts in Valdivia's life: moving from the cacophony of Toronto to quiet London, Ont.; becoming a father; and discovering what home, community and family really represent to him. Valdivia lets the instruments speak for him: echoing woodwinds, spectral synths, delicate piano, bleeps and bloops, and grainy recordings of nature come together to create resplendent worlds for pondering and stretching reality. — KA

Artist: Bria Skonberg
Album: What it Means
Release date: July 26

Jazz trumpeter and vocalist Bria Skonberg recently joined the roster of Cellar Music Group — a feather in the Vancouver label's cap as it approaches its 25th anniversary in 2025 — and her label debut celebrates the music that first captivated her: New Orleans jazz. Her band includes bassist Grayson Brockamp, pianist Chris Pattishall, guitarist/banjo-player Don Vappie and legendary New Orleans drummer Herlin Riley (who takes the band on a fun Latin detour on lead single "Comes Love"). While there are some classics of the genre ("Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans," Sydney Bechet's "Petite Fleur"), the setlist is personal and wide-ranging, with two original tunes and some surprises: John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy" (in honour of the latest addition to Skonberg's family), Van Morrison's "Days Like This" (with guest vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa) and Sonny Bono's "The Beat Goes On." — Robert Rowat

Artist: Jhyve
Album: War & Peace
Release date: Aug. 16

Sultry, summery R&B in the vein of SiR or Summer Walker is the vibe of Jhyve's latest album, War & Peace. The project features polished arrangements that elegantly amplify feelings of joy, lust and more, serving as a care package of songs. If you're stuck with a partner who no longer loves you, there's the soaring track "That Girl" to play while you heal, and if you require self-reflection, "I Need" has got you covered. Every track has a distinct mood, yet this works in Jhyve's favour: from jazzy slow jams like "Unbreakable," to the relaxed, melodic rap number "What if We the Angels," to the sparkling "Love in Me" with the invariably dynamic Jessie Reyez, this versatility somehow feels cohesive and effortless. — NH

Artist: Luna Li
Album: When a Thought Grows Wings
Release date: Aug. 23

On her sophomore album, When a Thought Grows Wings, Luna Li proves exactly why dreamy arrangements are her forte by building on the gorgeously lush soundscape she created on her first project. Fuzzy guitar and honeyed harmonies take centre stage this time around, but she still makes room for experimentation: "In Real Life" has some surf-rock subtleties, while the feathery "Minnie (Would You Be My)" possesses a churning, bossa-nova-inspired groove. It wouldn't be a Li album, though, without the sweet sounds of the harp, which add an ethereal sparkle to the songs: "I hope you love me for the good I do possess," she sings over twinkling strings on "In Real Life" while bargaining with a love interest. Love and its stages are a uniting thread, and whether Li is aching for it or mending her heart after a breakup, she plays on listeners' heartstrings with the same control as she does her instruments. — NH

Artist: Queen Priyanka
Album: Devastatia 
Release date: Aug. 23

It's been four years since Queen Priyanka won the inaugural season of Canada's Drag Race, and after an EP and a handful of singles the drag icon is finally dropping a debut album, proving that she's ready to take a new crown: pop star. "I ain't wasting no time with you/ I ain't wasting no time with you/ chitta-chatta it don't mattah/ sorry Imma/ shut it down," she sings on the take-no-prisoners chorus of "Shut it Down," a surefire song-of-the-summer contender. It followed the spring release of "No New Friends," a low-key banger about leaning into the relationship and trust you have with yourself, and with the pair of songs it's clear that Queen Priyanka is continuing to pave her own way in an industry that has often told her no. "There was a time when people looked at drag queens to kind of just be like clowns," she told CBC Music in 2021. "But music is the next chapter where drag artists are charting on iTunes and drag artists are selling out stadiums, or opening for artists like Ariana Grande and Little Mix.... it's time for people to take drag music seriously." — HG

Artist: Valley 
Album: Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden
Release date: Aug. 30 

Earlier this year, Toronto pop-rockers Valley announced the departure of guitarist Mickey Brandolino, who explained in a letter to fans that he is pursuing a career in writing and producing. While the band was supportive of Brandolino's decision, it left its remaining members with a lot of grief to process. But with that also came inspiration, as lead singer Rob Laska said in a press release: "The songs just poured out of us…. We weren't looking for things to write about. We knew exactly what we needed to write about." You can hear the band — now a trio with Laska, bassist Alex Dimauro and drummer Karah James — work through these feelings on singles "When You Know Someone" and "Water the Flowers, Pray For a Garden." "Think you know someone so well/ and when they break your heart/ it's never equal parts, oh well," Laska sings on the former. But even though the pain is palpable at times, Valley tackles these songs with a spirited optimism, spinning the band's catharsis into the heartfelt, feel-good anthems that we've come to expect. — ML

Artist: Hansom Éli
Album: Sip
Release date: Sept. 6

Hansom Éli's debut album, Sip, provides a wistful, downtempo pop fix just in time for the transition to autumn. The Montreal duo, made up of siblings Camille and Alexy Guérer, emerged in 2019 with its Yesterday EP, and has since released two other EPs and a slew of singles, continually expanding on its left-of-centre sound. Alexy handles production and instrumentals, while Camille sings, and together they create sonic worlds rife with reverb, field recordings, R&B, electronic influences and haunting vocal runs. Camille's voice is rarely above a whisper but it's gripping nonetheless, with lyrics full of evocative imagery. Throughout Sip, the siblings seem preoccupied with existential questions, pondering the past, present and future and where they fit in. Take early single "Oumamie," an ode to their paternal grandmother, which recounts stories from her past, immortalizing her life in song. On this debut, Hansom Éli has really found its groove, diving deeper into the vulnerable songwriting and unconventional production choices that make the duo's music so distinctive. — KA

Artist: Colin Stetson
Album: The Love it Took to Leave You 
Release date: Sept. 13

The Love it Took to Leave You marks Colin Stetson's first solo recording since 2017, but that doesn't mean the Montreal saxophonist hasn't been busy. In those intervening years, Stetson became a highly sought composer for film and television, using his already tense soundscapes to pair with hair-raising scenes in Hereditary, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Menu. Now with more than 10 scores under his belt, Stetson is bringing his cinematic learnings with him into his latest album, which boasts its own dramatic flair. Tracks "The Six" and "Hollowing" are densely packed with thick, heavy instrumentals and pummeling rhythms that keep listeners on the edge of their seat, while the title track gorgeously unfurls, revealing the many layers to one's solitude. Recorded over a week in Montreal's Darling Foundry, a 144-year-old former metalworks facility, The Love it Took to Leave You is a surround-sound experience, taking you on a ride as wild as the big-screen adventures Stetson has soundtracked. — ML

Artist: Dear Rouge 
Album: Lonesome High
Release date: Sept. 13

On "Gimme Spirit," off Dear Rouge's 2022 album, Spirit, Danielle McTaggart admits, "Nothing good is easy, love." To reach those highs, you must put the work in and sometimes experience hard lows. That journey became the beating heart of the Vancouver indie-rock duo's fourth studio album, Lonesome High. "Our pain turned to joy with this record," Danielle and husband/bandmate Drew McTaggart wrote in a statement, "reminding us that we're all in this grime of life together." All that energy packs a serious punch on the album, translating Danielle and Drew's ferocious live performance into polished singles like "Goon" and "Too Close to the Heat." Recorded in Toronto with producer Gus van Go (Metric, the Beaches), Lonesome High reaffirms Dear Rouge's place in the current Canadian rock echelons. — ML

Artist: Kelly McMichael
Album: After the Sting of It
Release date: Sept. 20

And in this fire I found my power,
I opened the lid and set it off,
I fanned the flames when I had someone to blame, 
And I let it shoot me straight to the top.

On "Bomb," the latest single from Kelly McMichael's forthcoming album, the St. John's-based singer-songwriter takes the sting out of betrayal by letting her rage out on a wave of guitar-rock that's perfectly suited to a breezy summer day. It's the perfect twist: an irresistible song with a dark heart, a tried-and-true way to cure what ails you. And on After the Sting of It, McMichael is leaning into whatever feels good — whether it be a jazzy made-for-a-musical number ("You Got it Wrong"), a Fleetwood Mac-inspired stunner ("Open") or a psychedelic layer cake of guitars and keys ("Moody Green"). "I write and record in a way that you're just giving the song what it needs," McMichael said in the album description. "Why limit the creativity?" The followup to her Polaris Prize-shortlisted album, Waves, After the Sting of It shows new sides to the artist who's spent much of her life performing with other bands, including Sarah Harmer, the Burning Hell, and the Hidden Cameras — proving that there's much more Kelly McMichael for us to know. — HG

Honourable mentions

A section to highlight some buzzy rumoured releases and shorter projects.

Artist: Begonia
Album: The Open Swim EP
Release date: July 17

Begonia's followup to her Polaris Prize-shortlisted album, Powder Blue, showcases the melodious vocals and earnest songwriting we've come to love from the Manitoban singer. Singles "Get to You" and "Stay Forever" are doorways into the themes of the three-song EP: exploring the nuances of interpersonal relationships and one's relationship with oneself.

Artist: Stephen Hero and DJ Uncle Fester
Album: TBD
Release date: August 2024 

The Saint John rapper already released an EP in May, and is working on an upcoming full-length with DJ Uncle Fester that will feature Aquakultre, Wolf Castle, Michael Shabazz, Dee Hernandez and more.

Artist: Nav
Album: On My Way 2 Rexdale
Release date: Summer 2024

Hit-making rapper Nav released a mysterious album trailer featuring hazy vocal snippets and crisp hi-hats for On My Way 2 Rexdale in May, teasing that his upcoming fifth studio album would arrive this summer.

Artist: Sebastian Gaskin
Album: TBD
Release date: Summer 2024 

While there's little info right now on Sebastian Gaskin's upcoming debut album, the Toronto-based, Tataskweyak Cree Nation-raised multi-instrumentalist and producer recently released "Ghost," their second single since signing to Ishkōdé Records and Universal Music — and it blew us away.