K-OS- Atlantis-Hymns for Disco

After browsing the iTunes Music Store I found this album by hip-hop artist K-OS. I’ve heard his name in underground hip-hop circles for quite a while but I’ve never actually listened to him before. I had to pick up this album because of the review I read online. I can’t even describe this album. It is more than hip-hop. Where OutKast and Gnarls Barkley left off, K-OS picks up and takes us further. It is definitely a trip through great melodies, beats, and lyrics. I wouldn’t call this a hip-hop albums as it incorporates many different styles. He does some R&B, some rock, some funk, some disco, and does it all very well. The song “Valhalla” is reminiscent of Ricky Nelson or Chuck Berry where “Born to Run” is a mix of Michael Jackson and reggae sounds. Mixing so many genres on one album is a tough feat to accomplish, but K-OS does it so well that the flow is able to continue from one track to the next. It really is a journey through genres. It’s this type of variety in an album that I love. Here are two of my favorite tracks from the album:

Valhalla
[audio:http://pieceofshep.com/audio/08-Valhalla.mp3]

Highway 7
[audio:http://pieceofshep.com/audio/12-Highway-7.mp3]