Crickets

A veteran emcee/producer from Canada, Moka Only has been cranking out higher-level, left-field hip-hop since the early \'90s, releasing several dozen albums to date. Known for his mellow flow, unpredictable instrumentation, and witty, conversational lyricism, he\'s worked with a wide range of artists, including Swollen Members, Kirby Dominant, and Jeff Spec, among countless others. On *Crickets*, he collaborates with Swiss beat maestro Chief (the two first joined forces for several tracks on 2008\'s *Lowdown Suite 2—The Box*), who provides sublimely funky, space-age tracks bubbling with freaky synth lines, shapeshifting drums, and finely chopped jazz loops. Chilled-out vibes and easygoing joints dominate, with 16 tracks of laidback bangers perfect for heads unimpressed with repetitive club jams or gangsta fairy tales. Every song here is nice, though \"For Always,\" \"From the Future,\" \"It\'s All Us,\" and \"If You Want It\" are especially fresh. Fantastic music from one of the underground\'s most prolific players.