Mustafa Reflects on The World and Its Flaws on 'Dunya': New & Upcoming Canadian Albums

As the fall music season gets into swing, notable albums are filling up the calendar.

This week brings new acoustic releases from Alexisonfire and Good Kid, the debut EP from Billboard Canada Women in Music performer Tia Wood and much more.

Read on for a full calendar of new and upcoming releases and this week's featured album.

Album of the Week: Mustafa, Dunya

Given the profile that Toronto-based Sudanese-Canadian singer-songwriter and poet Mustafa has already earned, it is something of a surprise to learn that Dunya (released on Sept. 27 via Arts & Crafts) is just his second official full-length album. His debut album When Smoke Rises earned multiple awards and his songwriting talent has already been utilized by the likes of the title of The Weeknd, Camila Cabello, The Jonas Brothers and Justin Bieber. He's also been recognized for his work as a poet, activist and director. Last year, he won the Prism Prize for Best Canadian Video for "Name Of God." Earlier this year, Mustafa hosted a star-studded second edition of hisArtists for Aid benefit concerts for Gaza and Sudan, this one in London.

Mustafa’s work defies easy genre classification, incorporating hip-hop, R&B, world music and folk elements with graceful ease. On this album, he collaborates with guests as diverse as Aaron Dessner (The National), Rosalía, Clairo, Nicolas Jaar, and longtime creative partners Simon Hessmann and Ramy Youssef.

Dunya is Arabic for “the world in all its flaws,” and Mustafa explores this theme with a highly autobiographical lens. This includes his analysis of his Islamic faith, one he terms “the longest, most peculiar relationship in my life.” This heady subject matter fuels the 12-songs featured here. Mustafa’s ability to fuse the political and personal is demonstrated on “Gaza Is Calling,” a powerful ballad, sung partially in Arabic, about a childhood friend in war-torn region (sample lyric: “Every time I say your name/There’s a war that’s in the way”). Another standout is "SNL," with Aaron Dessner featured on guitar, synth and bass, while "Imaan" showcases his plaintive and soulful voice in full bloom.

September

18: The Free Label, Songs for Sienna (Westwood Recordings

20: Golden Feather, Release (Sonic Unyon)

20: Sunset Rubdown, Always Happy to Explode

20: Alex Henry Foster, A Measure of Shape and Sounds (Hopeful Tragedy)

20: Houdini, Hou I'm Meant To Be

20: Virginie B, Astral 2000

20: Spitty, Motherland

20: Nelly Furtado, 7

27: Leif Vollebekk, Revelation (Secret City Records)

27: Alexisonfire, Death Letter (Dine Alone)

27: Goldie Boutilier, The Actress ( ONErpm)

27: Sharon, Lois & Bram, Elephant Show Stoppers! (Elephant Records Inc./Red Brick Songs)

27: Julian Taylor, Pathways (Howling Turtle, Inc.)

27: Bryn Roberts, Aloft(Elastic Recordings)

27: Tea Fannie, It's All Love

27: Andy Colonico, Daytime Broker

27: Mustafa, Dunya(Arts & Crafts)

27: Contrived, Addicted to Sadness (LHM Records)

27: Mother Mother, Mother

27: Hua Li 化力, ripe fruit falls but not in your mouth -remix (Next Door Records)

27: Bryn Roberts ft Matt Penman and Quincy Davis, ALOFT (Elastic Recordings)

27: The Reklaws, Outliving (For Mom)

27: André Ethier, Cold Spaghetti

27: SHEAL, Golden Hours

27: Tia Wood, Pretty Red Bird

27: Eddy Ruyter, Waves (Heart Dance Records)

27: Abby J Hall, Vital Signs

27: Good Kid, Acoustic Kid

27: Raveen, Forever

27: Blue Moon Marquee, New Orleans Sessions

27: Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, Horizon Lines

October

3: Cadence Weapon,ROLLERCOASTER (Deluxe)(MNRK Music)

4: Mia Kelly, To Be Clear

4: Devarrow, Heart Shaped Rock (Paper Bag Records)

4: Christo Graham, Music For Horses (We Are Busy Bodies)

4: The Low Sixes, The Oshawa Tree ( Forge Again Records)

4: Mosaic, S/T (Cornerstone Records)

4: Ada Lea, notes EP (Next Door Records)

4: Pressure Pin, Polyurethane (Mothland)

4: Brett Hansen,Confluence

4: Emblematics, Removal

4: Caribou, Honey (City Slang)

4: Charlie A'Court, San Palarino

4: Chris Gostling, Forest City Town Country

11: Klô Pelgag, Abracadabra (Secret City Records)

11: Secondhand Dreamcar, Answer The Call

11: The August Arrival, Hillsides

11: Jadea Kelly, Weather Girl

16: Jane's Party, The Best of Wild in the Woods Vol. 2

18: Twin Flames, Hugging the Cactus

18: The Free Label, Songs for Sienna (Westwood Recordings)

18: Nicky Lawrence, Ugly Black Woman (Gypsy Soul Records)

18: YASSiN & Sean Terrio, Just Try (Believe Digital)

18: Wolf Castle, Waiting For The Dawn (Forward Music)

18: Sean Davis Newton, Bird Brain

18: Nap Eyes, The Neon Gate (Paper Bag Records)

18: Hildegard, Jour 1596 (Chivi Chivi)

18: The Lookout, I Know The Future

18: Shawn Mendes, Shawn

18: Wild Rivers, Better Now (Nettwerk Music Group)

22: Léolo, Mainland

25: Simbo, SOUNDSORCERER VOL.2

25: Victime, En conversation avec (Mothland)

25: Ron Sexsmith, Cobblestone Runway & Retriever (limited edition vinyl & Cd reissues)

25: Good Lovelies, We Will Never Be The Same (anniversary reissue)

25: Ollee Owens, Nowhere To Hide

25: Maddee Ritter, Songs about Love & Death (Best Breakfast/Majesticsilk)

25: MICO, Internet hometown hero (Wasted Years Ltd.)

25: LEAHY, Live In Concert

25: T. Thomason, Tenderness (Six Shooter Records)

25: Diana Panton, soft winds and roses

25: Lia Kuri, Motherland

November

1: Jeremie Albino, Our Time in the Sun ( Good People Record Co./Easy Eye Sound)

1: Sarah Neufeld / Richard Reed Parry / Rebecca Foon, First Sounds (One Little Independent/Envision Records)

1: Jennifer Castle, Camelot (Solstice Radio)

1: No Codes - Usual Suspects

1: OMBIIGIZI, Shame (Arts & Crafts)

1: SHEBAD, Music is the Answer

1: The Henrys, Secular Hymns and Border Songs (Bandcamp)

1: Astrocolor, Stargazing – AstroJazz Vol. 2

1: Skye Wallace, The Act of Living ( Tiny Kingdom)

1: The Matinee, End of Scene - B-Sides EP

8: Les Dales Hawerchuk,Attaque à cinq (Bravo)

8: Les Breastfeeders , La ville engloutie (Bonsound)

8: ROSIER, elle veille encore l

8: The Tragically Hip, Up To Here (box set)

8: Louie Sanchez, S/T (Next Door Records)

8: We Are Wolves, title TBA

8: Yoo Doo Right, From the Heights of Our Pastureland (Mothland)

8: Les Dales Hawerchuk,Attaque à cinq ( Bravo)

15: Alvvays, S/T -10th anniversary vinyl only reissue

15: Marcus Trummer,From The Start (Gypsy Soul Records)

15: Stefan Gnyś, Horizoning (We Are Busy Bodies)

15: His His, Good Gold Cassette (Victory Pool Records)

15: Tim Baker, Full Rainbow of Light

20: MOONRIIVR, Tascam Series EPs (Victory Pool Records)

December

5: Carmen Braden, A Hard Light

6: Lubalin, haha, no worries (Cult Nation)

13: Menno Versteeg, Why We Run ( Royal Mountain Records)

January

17: Marlaena Moore, Because You Love Everything (Session/Bonsound)

31: Gus Engelhorn, The Hornbook (Secret City)

February

27: JJ Miller, Hometown Believer