Can't you feel the knife?
I got proved wrong. Over the net (and, yes Sean, at an Indigo CD-preview station), I had heard a couple of things off of the new k-os record. Being a pretty big fan of the fellow Torontonian man, Kheaven Brereton, I own both Exit and Joyful Rebellion which are great discs. However, I was being naive when my skepticism kicked in for the new album, Atlantis - Hymns For Disco -- I forgot how k-os gets these different ideas and influences that greatly form the direction of his records.
Deciding to break the ice and give it a real shot, I bought the record on Friday (at the very same Indigo, in fact). And, well, like I said; I got proved wrong. Don't judge a book by it's cover -- not the all too familiar album artwork and design, not the choices of singles from Joyful Rebellion, nor the weird title have suffered k-os a single fraction of lost judgement here. The opener, "Electrik Heat - The Seekwill", seemingly starts off a little bland, mainly relying on it's steady percussive efforts, but soon showed me it's purpose through Kheaven's use of strong-yet-calm melodies and soulful approach to his choruses. And besides, compared to Joyful Rebellion's "Emcee Murdah" as an opener, it's a growth -- it would appear he himself agrees; he actually 'disses' the track on the new one.
Atlantis definitely has a certain range of musical styles but usually manages to lean toward more soulful numbers than former alienating odes to "power above" or cracked b-boy jaunts. In the past couple years, k-os has also teamed up with a number of interesting musical groups, including Broken Social Scene, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and a host of others. As I read the liner notes to the album last night, my jaw dropped at the sneaky 'mention' of Chan Marshall as his primary influence for the new record. For those who don't know, Chan Marshall is none other than Cat Power. Weird? Not necessarily. Unexpected? Definitely. So, sure enough, k-os has brought in some familiar faces for collaboration, such as Sam Roberts and Rahzel, as well as new friends, including a good chunk of Broken Social Scene and fellow Canadian-rapper Buck 65.
Hearing this kind of consistent power in Canadian music and such successful transcension of musical styles and genre-specific norms makes it easy (and me proud) to say that Atlantis - Hymns For Disco does not disappoint. Quite the contrary, really. Taste these new tracks and/or the "exclusive" Dave Newfeld and Ryan Lenssen (of The Most Serene Republic) remix of Joyful Rebellion's "Dirty Water". Hot damn.
MP3: k-os - Valhalla (Feat. Sam Roberts, Kevin Drew & Justin Peroff)
MP3: k-os - Black Ice - Hymn 4 Disco
MP3: k-os - Dirty Water (Dave Newfeld & Ryan Lenssen Remix)