Northern Touch: The Best Canadian Songs Of May

Catch up on the gems you might have missed this month.

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At the end of every month, we round up the songs and music videos by Canadians that made us feel some type of way. Throw some headphones on, kick back, and catch up on the gems you might have missed this month.

Sean Leon, “This Ain’t 2012” feat. River Tiber (Prod. Wondagurl)

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Jimmy B, “Scarborough”

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Jimmy B treats us to a few Views From The Bricks in his new video for “Scarborough,” a spirited ode to Toronto’s east side. The 24-year-old rapper plays tour guide in “Scarborough,” repping his hometown with a visceral pride on top of ominous trap production from RGC. Jimmy B is the self-proclaimed Prince Of The ‘Borough, and after seeing how convincing he is in this video, it’s tough to dispute. Watch for his new EP in June.

James Deen, “An Unwritten Love Letter To Summer Roberts”

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Raz Fresco, “Screwface City”

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Toronto’s Screwface Capital mythology lives on, most recently propelled by 20-year-old rapper/producer Raz Fresco’s output. Raz released The Screwface Tape last year, and as he preps his new project Pablo Frescobar, he’s got more to say on Toronto’s collective resting scowl. Jimmy B walked us Scarborough earlier, but Raz spends his time in the downtown core, showing off neighbourhoods and their respective landmarks such as Kensington Market, Chinatown, and naturally, Toronto’s finest Gentlemen’s establishments.

Digits, “When You Look Inside”

Alt Altman of Digits has spent the last few years cranking out new-wave inspired bedroom recordings, and with his newest release, the best of his output (along with some previously unreleased jams) finally gets a studio treatment. (Re-)Recorded at Toronto Island’s Gas Station studios, Get Through is forlorn, minimal, ‘80s-influenced electro-pop, delivered with a natural vulnerability. “When You Look Inside” is our favourite of the bunch, sporting a drum machine, an arpeggiated synth, and a vocal that’s equal parts haunting and comforting.

Kaytranada, “A Loser’s Celebration”

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Dena, “Girls Like Drake” feat. TammyKruelz

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Dena is based in Berlin, but “Girls Like Drake” gets an honourary Canadian passport on the strength of a feature from a native Torontonian, not to mention the fact that the song is about The Boy. TammyKruelz is the alter-ego of Toronto Future R&B singer and Solange-affiliate AKUA, who first connected when Dena was working on a new album in L.A. last month. Dena told The Fader that they shot the video within the same week on Coachella Sunday “while Drake was playing in the desert." This is a feel-good, mellow track with unlimited summer vibe potential, and in a way, it makes us feel like Drake likes us back.

Belly, “White Girls” feat. Travi$ Scott

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Veteran Ottawa-born rapper/producer Belly has been a staple of the Canadian music scene for years, but he’s finally getting some major looks stateside thanks to his affiliation with XO. His latest mixtape Up for Days has a feature from the Weeknd, but perhaps a bigger coup for Belly is “White Girls,” featuring Houston It Boy Travi$ Scott. It's a dark, slow, and seductive drop anchored by a show-stopping melodic hook from Scott. This could be the beginning of a new chapter in Belly’s career, a plot that’s a decade in the making.

Wasiu, “Picture Imperfect”

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ROLEMODEL, “Until”

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