Northern Exposure (CMF edition): Kidstreet, 'X' -- Free MP3

With over 700 showcasing bands at over 45 live music venues during five nights of performances, Canadian Music Week / Canadian Music Fest kicks off in Toronto today. Our exclusive Northern Exposure column highlights some great tracks by homegrown artists playing Canadian Music Week's CMF.

They say the family that plays together, stays together. Waterloo, Ontario sibling trio Kidstreet seem to be taking that axiom to heart -- Cliff (synth and guitar), Edna (piano and vocals), and Karl (drums) Synder join forces to make music as giddily addictive as Pop Rocks candy, all sugary rush with an unexpected spark.

The indie-electro outfit (named after a nerdily earnest '90s-era kids' TV gameshow featuring teams of siblings) has been steadily gaining buzz since first bowing onto the scene in 2007 with their upbeat, danceworthy sound. But they've smartly taken their time to develop, releasing only a few key tracks in the interim before signing to noted Canadian label Nettwerk Records, which will release the band's forthcoming full-length this summer.

Many electro acts like to tout their ability to re-create their heavily-produced studio vibe live, but Kidstreet take that whole "DJ-as-live-band" angle much further -- their gleefully frenetic sound is best experienced at one of their sweaty, hands-in-the-air dance parties.

Luckily, the trio seem to have captured that loose, fun sound in the tracks they've released to date, including the bouncy 'X' -- brimming with youthful exuberance, it's an electro jam that wouldn't seem out of place next to a Woodhands tune on a particularly fun mixtape -- in fact, 'X' makes a good argument for Kidstreet as Woodhands' younger, poppier cousins.

While Kanye might approve of the sleekly futuristic Vocoder-ized tone of 'X', the lyrics reveal the song to be far more human than its robotic vocals might suggest: "I want you so bad," Edna chirps over a driving beat, the steady breakdown punctuated by piercing whistle blasts as the blips and bloops swirl up around the boy-girl harmonies.

There's an interesting tension between the ebullient beats and seemingly longing lyrics that lends the usual indie-electro vibe a fresh edge. On 'X', Kidstreet may not be getting the love they're looking for, but if the buzz around this act is any indication, they certainly won't be lacking for love from fans of good music.

CMF set: Kidstreet play the MuseBox showcase at Sneaky Dee's, March 11 at 1AM

Download: Kidstreet, 'X' (MP3)