Fresh Sounds Canada: Good Kid, Tei Shi and More
This week's must-hear songs of the week includes Montreal composer Alex Henry Foster, dream-pop band Ghostly Kisses and a Quebec rap benefit song for Palestine.
Good Kid
In Fresh Sounds Canada, Billboard Canada puts you on to the must-hear songs of the week by artists on the rise and those about to break. Here's what's out this week.
Good Kid, “Dance Class”
Good Kid has been an out-of-nowhere online phenomenon over the last year. Since dropping their viral cover of Laufey's vocal jazz hit "From The Start," the Ontario indie rock band has cultivated an enthusiastic young fanbase that they've connected to on a deep level. Part of that is how they allow their fans to use their music for their gaming videos, their TikToks, their school dance projects, and offering up their music content ID-free. That's the story of their new video for "Dance Class," which is directed, choreographed and produced by and stars dancers Stephanie Romero and Nick Joseph. They first caught the band's attention by using Good Kid songs in their choreographed video projects, and now they're an official part of the band's lore. On a sonic level, the band's high-energy indie rock feels almost like a 2000s-era throwback, so it's fun to see it catch on with a younger generation. "Dance Class" is part of the band's new EP Good Kid 4, which is free to listen to on YouTube. Find their extensive North American tour dates here. - Richard Trapunski
Tei Shi, “No Falta”
It’s been five years since the last full-length from Colombian-Canadian singer Tei Shi, and based on the latest singles, her upcoming albumValerie sounds worth the wait. “No Falta,” which follows the bachata ballad "QQ (Quédate Queriéndome)," is a low-key love song, whose name translates to “nothing is missing.” Inspired by Brazilian tropicália, the song weaves together bubbling electronics, casual funk guitar and slinky bass lines, guided by Tei Shi’s smooth vocal. After a tough breakup with her previous label, Valerie is Tei Shi’s first full-length independent release, and on “No Falta,” the indie pop auteur sounds more than ready for her new era. Toronto fans can find out in person at her upcoming TD Music Hall performance, set for May 2. - Rosie Long Decter
Alex Henry Foster, “A Silent Stream”
This Montreal-based rock musician, producer and composer’s first single from his upcoming album Kimiyo, out on April 26 features vocalist Momoka, who sings and narrates Alex Henry Foster’s contemplative lyrics in Japanese. “I wanted Momoka to make her own interpretation of the lyrical undercurrent and to express herself in her native tongue,” Foster explains. Over eight and a half minutes, he sets her voice amidst lush washes of keyboards and strings, creating a compellingly cinematic sound. Foster earned international acclaim and a Juno nomination as leader of the prog-inclined Your Favorite Enemies, and has since moved into post-rock territory as a solo artist. He has been very prolific of late, making a film, Voyage à la Mer, and another album, A Measure of Space and Sounds, all expected to appear in 2024. Foster and his band The Long Shadows play four European festivals this summer. - Kerry Doole
Ghostly Kisses, “Crimson”
“If I could only find a way out,” sings Margaux Sauvé with a haunting, featherlight touch on Ghostly Kisses’ new single, “Crimson.” The track comes ahead of the Quebec duo’s latest album, Darkroom, and finds them reflecting on questions of personal and social freedom, inspired in part by the Women Life Freedom movement in Iran. With a propulsive beat, ominous organ chords, and Sauvé’s deft vocal, the single is both weighty and dynamic. As the lyrics convey the sense of someone trapped, the song itself insists on pushing forward. - Rosie Long Decter
Webster, 4Say, Qiz7a, Dona Nham, Amel Zaazaa, Mohamed Masmoudi & DJ Nerve, “Palestina”
Several Quebec artists, including Webster, 4Say, Qiz7a, Dona Nham, Amel Zaazaa, Mohamed Masmoudi and DJ Nerve, are joining forces for "Palestina," a highly committed hip-hop track that demonstrates their support for Gaza. "All these bombs, these drones / Mowing down those in their childhood / The truth / It must be called Genocide / Viva Viva Palestina," raps Webster, painting a picture of apathy and complicity by the international community in the face of violence. The track is thus a lengthy (nearly 7 minutes) tribute call for resistance and solidarity. - Amélie Revert
