Fresh Canadian Songs of the Week: Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Majid Jordan, Mother Mother & More
Listen to must-hear new songs from artists including Ayla Tesler-Mabé, DijahSB and a new-old song from The Tragically Hip.
Mother Mother
Billboard Canada’s Fresh Canadian Songs of the Week is a guide to the most essential releases coming from artists in the country and those bubbling under the surface ready to rise.
This week, new music from Canadian alt-rock favourites Mother Mother and The Tragically Hip, the major label debut for Indigenous hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids and more.
Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Mother Mother, “The Matrix”
Mother Mother - The Matrix (Official Music Video)
British Columbia alt-rock band Mother Mother continue their uplifting and fascinating comeback with “The Matrix.” The band has been around since the mid-2000s, but went viral on TikTok around 2020. Their song “Hayloft” went viral and then went haywire. They made a sequel, "Hayloft II," and that was recently certified gold in the U.S. (very rare for a Canadian band). Their mix of upbeat hooks and off-kilter energy has found new resonance with a new generation, and you can hear it in their new music. It’s true to Mother Mother, but also feels energized. Their new album GRIEF CHAPTER will come out on Warner Music Canada in February 2024.
Snotty Nose Rez Kids, “I Got Paid Today”
Snotty Nose Rez Kids - I Got Paid Today (Official Video)
Snotty Nose Rez Kids, the Haisla Nation hip-hop duo of Yung Trybez and Young D, have been rising for years and building confidence with each new release. Now, after a memorable performance at the Polaris Music Prize gala, where their EP I’m Good, HBU? was nominated for best Canadian album of the year, their hard work is paying off. They’ve signed to Sony Canada and released their first major label single, the appropriately named “I Got Paid Today.” It shows off their bravado-filled-yet-vulnerable interplay, bouncy flow and cameos from up-and-coming artists Tia Wood and Lex Leosis. Their debut major label album will come out next summer.
The Halluci Nation, Path of the Heel
Since transforming from A Tribe Called Red into The Halluci Nation, the innovative Indigenous duo of Bear Witness and 2oolman have been stretching beyond the electronic genre they helped define “Pow Wow Step” to push at the boundaries even more. This new EP explores tropes of professional wrestling (something they’ve said gives complicated representation to Indigenous folks) to build a whole good-guy-versus-bad-guy storyline on top of their trademark beats. It also features guest vocals from Damian Abraham, lead screamer for Toronto hardcore band Fucked Up, to create a whole new set of sounds.
Majid Jordan, “Eyes Closed”
Majid Jordan - Eyes Closed (Official Lyric Video)
OVO’s own Majid Jordan, the duo of Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman, released their fourth album, Good People on Friday. Sultry single “Eyes Closed” showcases Maskati’s trademark R&B croon and Ullman’s smooth production. The record arrives on the ten year anniversary of their breakout feature on Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home” and shows they’ve still got the sound flowing.
The Tragically Hip, “Songwriter’s Cabal”
The Tragically Hip - Songwriter's Cabal (Audio)
It’s been six years since we lost Canadian icon Gord Downie, but he’s still gifting us with new material. The Tragically Hip have just put out a deluxe box set version of their 1998 album Phantom Power, and it’s full of new treats for longtime fans and those still discovering the legendary rock band’s discography. Alongside new takes on old faves like a full live concert and a mostly acoustic alternate version of the classic “Bobcaygeon,” there are also a handful of never-officially-released new tracks. For a taste of Downie’s self-referential wit, here’s the bluesy “Songwriter’s Cabal.” Like so many of his songs looking back, it feels like a eulogy about his songwriting legacy written in first person.
Click here to read Willo Downie’s beautiful tribute to her father Gord Downie for Billboard Canada.
Jon Vinyl, “Numb”
Jon Vinyl - Numb (Official Audio)
Jon Vinyl is making a name for himself. The Pickering, Ontario musician (and former classmate of Shawn Mendes) received a 2022 Juno nomination for his debut album, Lost In You, and picked up another this year for the follow-up EP, Palisade. “Numb” — off his brand new sophomore record, Heartbreak Hill — is a moody ode to making the most of the moment.
Ayla Tesler-Mabé, “Eventually”
Eventually (Official Audio)
Written with the intention of being both romantic and creepy, “Eventually” is the jazzy closer to rising guitar hero Ayla Tesler-Mabé’s debut solo EP, Let Me Out!! The Vancouver guitarist is only 22 years old, but she’s been active for a decade, previously playing alongside Finn Wolfhard in Calpurnia and featuring on Willow Smith’s “Come Home.” On “Eventually,” though, she proves she doesn’t need any help laying down a groove.
EDITOR’S PICK: DijahSB, “I’m Blooming”
I'm Blooming
It feels like DijahSB is at the centre of the conversation every day on their X account. At least it did, until the Toronto rapper’s 15K-follower account was frozen after someone reported it. Now, they’re back at their original account and back with two new songs from their upcoming album, The Flower That Knew, which will come out Nov. 17. “I’m Blooming” tells the story of the non-binary rapper’s come-up, mixing modern rhymes with a jazzy boom-back throwback beat. DijahSB is the kind of underdog you want to cheer for, and the breakout could be on its way.
