Jessie Reyez and 6lack's steamy duet, and 6 more songs you need to hear this week

Songs you need to hear is CBC Music's weekly list of hot new Canadian tracks.

Scroll down to find out what CBC Music producers are listening to this week.

'Look to the Stars,' Postdata

Look to the stars,
They tell you who you are,
Look to the stars,
Yeah, you never know.

"Look to the Stars" began as a lullaby for Paul Murphy's young son, but its natural imagery and cheerful melody will have listeners of all ages snuggling up. Murphy, the man behind Postdata and Wintersleep's lead singer, combines acoustic guitar, strings and percussion-as-finger-snapping for a song that builds from that launchpad lullaby into a larger universe, as the lyrical thread of "Look to the Stars'' gets darker and twistier. "Will we make it through the night?" Murphy asks, winding down, before immediately answering: "We can make it through the night." It's reassurance for and from the parent of a young child, but also for the rest of us, wherever we find ourselves — Holly Gordon

'Homicide,' 6lack feat. Jessie Reyez

Jessie Reyez and 6lack have a history of steamy duets, from "Imported" to "Forever," with each collaboration helping to cement fans' pleas for a joint album. On their latest sultry link-up, "Homicide," 6lack takes on the role of a commitment-averse cheater, who will face lethal consequences if he's found out. "If she catch me with that bitch, she runnin' down with me tonight/ it's gon' be homicide, it's gon' be homicide, yeah," he sings. There's a nonchalant quality to his delivery — he sings as if he doesn't care about the danger, drama or chaos that would ensue, should his relationship implode. Reyez takes on the role of co-conspirator and backs up his case for stepping out on a lover: "A whole lotta people don't wanna admit that is more fun to love with somebody who toxic." The combination of airy guitar and trap beats lets the R&B singers' vocals be the focus on the track, allowing the pair to take turns passionately egging each other on. — Natalie Harmsen

'Let U In,' Debby Friday

Debby Friday is riding a high. Fresh off the heels of her Polaris Music Prize win in September, she's dropped a new single, "Let U In," that is buoyant and joyful. Part of what makes Friday so compelling, and a major reason she nabbed the coveted award, is that she's a shape-shifter, surprising listeners with each new iteration herself. The new track is a lot mellower and lighter in tone than the songs on her last album, Good Luck, and it's exhilarating to see her play around on the brighter end of the electronic music spectrum. Melodic hyper-pop meets drum and bass on this tender love song — there's no strife, just adoration and a willingness to give all of herself to her lover. — Kelsey Adams

'Give Me a Reason,' Dominique Fils-Aimé

The ever-prolific Dominique Fils-Aimé returned last week with her fifth album, Our Roots Run Deep. Beyond the singles that preceded its release, the album is full of gems and revelations. "Give Me a Reason" is one such moment, where the prowess of Fils-Aimé's jazz vocal brilliance is on full display. With the coolness of a jazz singer straight out of the Harlem Renaissance, she sings and scats along, immediately whisking the listener to a dark, smoky lounge. There's an improvisational quality to the musical arrangement, the saxophone sounding as uninhibited as her wandering voice. She kicks off a tour this week in support of the album, hitting cities across Canada, the U.S., France and Belgium, and I can only imagine how formidable this track will be sung live. — KA

'My Foolish Heart,' Jocelyn Gould

On Oct. 13, Juno Award-winning jazz guitarist Jocelyn Gould will release Sonic Bouquet, her third album as a leader. She and her bandmates recorded it after a 33-concert tour of the U.S. and a four-night run at the Rex Hotel in Toronto — which must account for their seamless phrasing and effortless complicity, on full display in Victor Young's beloved "My Foolish Heart," arranged by Gould and released in advance of the full album. Joining Gould is fellow guitarist Randy Napoleon (left channel), fulfilling her longstanding wish to collaborate. They open the tune together with glowing sound, suspending time until the hair-raising arrival of the rhythm section: drummer Quincy Davis, bassist Rodney Whitaker and pianist Will Bonness (who takes an elegant solo). Not included on this track, but featured prominently on Sonic Bouquet, is clarinettist Virginia McDonald, adding an interesting facet to this highly anticipated project. Gould's upcoming concert tour includes dates in Winnipeg, Vancouver and Montreal. — Robert Rowat

'I Want it That Way (Backstreet Boys cover),' William Prince

It may look like a strange combination at first, but there's something immediately comforting about William Prince's cover of Backstreet Boys' smash hit, "I Want it That Way." Recorded as part of a Spotify Singles session, the Winnipeg artist transforms the 1999 pop ballad into a warm, emotional folk anthem, tapping into the beating heart at the core of the track. "I'm such a Max Martin fan," Prince said in a press release, "and though it's impossible to replicate the sound, you can do your best to replicate the feeling of a great song. 'I Want it That Way' is a great song." Prince's admiration of the song is felt throughout the track in the sincere way he delivers the song's lyrics; his voice at once evoking nostalgia and such heartfelt feeling that you almost forget that this song didn't originate from Prince himself. — Melody Lau 

'Personal Effects,' Chromeo

It's one thing to be haunted by memories of an ex, but it's another thing when you're walking around your home and you spot remnants of this person everywhere: a phone charger, a curling iron, hair ties. Chromeo's latest single, "Personal Effects," off their upcoming album Adult Contemporary (out Feb. 16), is an ode to exes who perhaps intentionally leave items behind to haunt you long after they're gone. It was an idea that first came to Dave 1 when he was sitting on a plane and the pilot said, "Please don't forget your personal effects." His first thought was, "Wait, how come this isn't a Chromeo song title?" Like any good Chromeo song, "Personal Effects" couches real relationship woes in funky grooves and a generous dose of humour, as is displayed in its music video. Instead of anger or despair, their response to seeing those hair ties strewn across the apartment? "She loses hair ties all the time." — ML