k-os
Atlantis: Hymns 4 Disco

Virgin

Instead of aiming for either the streets or the clubs, Canadian rapper k-os has carved out an all-access corner of his own. He raps, he sings, and his musical worldview is expansive enough to house b-boy beats (“Elektrik Heat - the Seekwill”), lush old-school soul (“The Rain”), snap-happy jazz (“Flypaper”), retro disco (“Black Ice”), Caribbean reggae (“Mirror In The Sky”) and excursions into indie rock (“Valhalla” even boasts backing vocals from hirsute rockers Sam Roberts and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew).
k-os has been known to have a huge chip on his shoulder over exactly how “hip-hop” his music is, which is odd since genre parameters are precisely the opposite of what the eclectic MC is all about. This time round he should just be happy his Atlantis came out so beautifully buoyant.