Lots of the music blogosphere is not very hip-hop inclined. Its true, the majority of music blogs, including this one, tend to focus on guitar driven indie rock or maybe some experimental stuff from time to time. Granted, music blogs are all about recommending what the writer enjoys, but I guess there are just more opinions (or laptops) in the possession of indie rock fans.

Thats not to over generalize, since I try to journey outside of that box whenever I can, and Im usually happy that I have. Such is the case with the new K-OS record. I think the station got a very early advance of the album and has been playing it lots in the months since I came on board.
K-OS, which is an acronym for “Knowledge of Self” is certainly not tied to hip hop though. The Canadian artist swims in and out of several genres to create his sound. From rapping to soul to some guitar driven rock as well. And on “Atlantis” he does this in a very appealing manner. Following up on the very successful second album “Joyful Rebellion”, K-OS continues to meld different styles and sounds on Atlantis, and a few songs stick out. The tune, “Valhalla” (with Kevin Drew and Sam Roberts assisting) is one of my favorites, but I certainly appreciate “Sunday Morning” and “Flypaper” also and have an instantly addictive quality about them.

So, listen indie rock kids, if you are gonna grab one hip hop album this year, make it this one, its gotten my attention and is worth your time and attention as well. The album is available on import now, and has been since October, but will hit US shelves in early March from Virgin Records.

K-OS – Sunday Morning