Cadence Weapon — Breaking Kayfabe

Wielding a Canadian-accented delivery and a penchant for video game-style synth beats, Edmonton's Cadence Weapon unleashes one of the year's most unusual and satisfying hip-hop records. Tracks such as hometown shout-out "Oliver Square" lurch along at a pace reminiscent of Houston's chop-and-screwers, but thankfully, Cadence Weapon's lyrical mind works at a faster clip. He serves up a fresh take on industry shadiness on "Fathom," tackles would-be biters on "Sharks" and addresses commercialism on "30 Seconds," all the while laying down dense, dramatic sonic textures that wouldn't be out of place on a Bjork record. It takes a couple of listens to fully appreciate what you're hearing, but Breaking Kayfabe manages to be thoroughly original without sacrificing quality.

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