Refresher Course: k-os

Toronto renaissance rapper k-os is set to release his new album Yes! next month. While the new album is good, it might not be the best entry point for new fans who are just now discovering this formidable talent. Here’s a look back at some of rapper/singer/multi-instrumentalist k-os’ best moments.

“Heaven Only Knows” from Exit.

His second song to break through in the U.S. (following the b-boy anthem “Superstarr, pt. 0″), this is a good example of everything k-os is capable of. He’s not a mind-shatteringly great emcee, but he flows nicely and has a warm, unique singing voice. More than anything, his vocal arrangements are always compelling and mix with the organic backing tracks to create songs that are more than the sum of their parts. The video mix is even better.

“Crabbuckit” from Joyful Rebellion.

Undeniably one of k-os’ catchiest songs, this one also defies easy categorization. Mixing jazz and hip hop with pop sensibilities, it’s just fun. It also displays k-os’ knack for using his voice as an instrument, in terms of adding to what’s going on in the song musically, but also through pausing and letting a horn solo or handclap break shine through.

“B-Boy Stance” from Joyful Rebellion.

A chaotic sonic assault for three minutes, this song flips into a haunting ballad in its final quarter. k-os isn’t afraid to blend genres—not just when combining reggae, hip hop, folk, rock and soul sounds, but also when wholly embracing one before suddenly flipping to another. Peep the video.

“The Rain” from Atlantis: Hymns for Disco.

While k-os both sings and raps on most of his songs, this is him in full-on Sam Cooke mode. Backed by a great arrangement, he kills it. Though I’d appreciated his singing before, this was the first time he really proved to me that he’s not just “a rapper who sings,” but a pretty great singer in his own right.

“Sunday Morning” from Atlantis: Hymns for Disco.

I know some people have written off k-os as a Christian rapper, but aside from a few bars here and there devoted to spirituality, I never noticed until it was pointed out to me. This might be one of his most explicitly spiritual songs (the hook goes “Every day is Saturday night/ but I can’t wait for Sunday morning”), but it’s also one of his most complete and engaging songs. If this is “gospel rap,” then that much-maligned genre might not be so bad. Here’s a live version.

“Born to Run” from Atlantis: Hymns for Disco.

Atlantis might be k-os’ most solid, fully-realized album, as evidenced by this song. A catchy hook, creative instrumentation and emotional vocal performance, “Born to Run” also features a last-minute musical change-up that heightens the emotional impact of the song.

While Atlantis might be k-os’ best album, Joyful Rebellion is probably the easiest to get into. Its unique mix of rootsy hip hop, soul and pop is fun without being saccharine, and innovative without being pretentious or obtuse. Yes! is a good album, though its darker tones might be better suited for listeners who are already familiar with the artist.

All in all, k-os is one of the most engaging hip hop artists making music right now, one of the few who understands that making good rap music is about writing songs and crafting albums, not cramming syllable chains together and releasing a new mixtape every other week. While he’s not the most poetic or technically precise emcee out there, his talent as a producer and arranger really elevates his work into a special category, and I hope more people in the U.S. will discover him.

Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia

Also: Interview with k-os