Ka: Honor Killed the Samurai (2016) (Hip-hop)

Unlike most traditional MCs, Ka does not rely on vocal fireworks and showy production, instead, Ka opts for an atmospheric, subtle approach mustering a cerebral almost cinematic experience of smoke and grime. His flow and the production all seem very background, sobering and mysterious while the verses he performs are cryptic, confessional and dark, yet deeply satisfying, intriguing and minimalist. A unique sound and aesthetic, Honor Killed the Samurai might not be for all hip-hop fans, but it is genre-pushing enough that many outsiders will perk their ears at this record. Few hip-hop records offer such a unique experience in such a cohesive fashion.

Best Tracks: Conflicted, Just*, That Cold and Lonely, Mourn at Night*, $*, Ours, FinerThings/Tamahagene, I Wish (Death Poem)*

A+

Abstract Hip-hop/ Conscious Rap/Experimental Rap