indy cd & vinyl

K-OS—ATLANTIS: HYMNS FOR DISCO 

K-OS stands for “knowledge of self,” and with this, his third album, the rapper known to his family as Kheaven Brereton has moved to the forefront of the “underground”/”conscious” hip-hop movement by adhering to his own moniker.  Armed with a fistful of Juno’s, Canada’s equivalent of the Grammys, K-OS has fashioned his latest album with a heavy lyrical focus on what he calls “veracity, forgiveness, self-awareness”. Soul-singing as well as rapping, the artist refreshingly minimizes the all-out boasting characteristic of most hip-hop albums, and certainly avoids the gangsta/bling posturing of  mainstream rap. Rather, he focuses on messages of peace and forgiveness such as “The earth is a spaceship, spinning round and round/We’re in it together/We can make it better/ Don’t sweat it/Things swing with no vendettas”.  Even more prominent are self-revealing passages such as, “Every day is Saturday night/ But I can’t wait for Sunday morning, Sunday morning,” revealing his spiritual/family-oriented side. As is evident from the above two quotes, K-OS doesn’t posture, get preachy or self-righteous, Rather, his approach leans toward subtlety and playfulness.

But it is not the lyrics that make this album an early contender for year-end top ten lists.

Rather, it is the wide expanse of musical styles effortlessly covered. Encompassing funk, soul, swing, rock, rockabilly, and blues, K-OS effortlessly mixes genres, often within the same song. Opener “Electrik Heat” starts with a simply hip-hop beat supplied by bass and snare drums, along with scratching, over which the artist lays down a heady rap, under which there is the faint sound of 60’s soul-styled singing. Eventually, the soul singing takes over and turns the song into a beauty. “The Rain” uses piano and synth-derived “strings” to create a soul ballad spiced with heavy, almost Hendrix-like, electric guitar runs. “Flypaper” starts with a cartoon music intro which gives way to a slinky beat and a Fugees-styled pop song. “Eqaualizer” unbelievably uses the guitar chords from “Jailhouse Rock” as the musical foundation for a fantastic rap. And on and on it goes, incorporating styles ranging from Prince to the Police, acoustic soul to bluesy philosophizing. In sum, with Atlantis: Hymns For Disco, K-OS has emerged as a major talent, and this album is a major accomplishment.