As sure as the sun rises in the east and winter gives way to spring, Moka Only will tirelessly turn out new records at a near-seasonal clip — or at least he has for about the last decade. Having long found his musical sweet spot — a breezy blend of clean, simple and often soulful sample play paired with easy-going rhyme style — the Vancouver native has remained consistent in both sound and substance, never straying too far from his established recipe, and that's not bad thing. Moka's latest set, SexMoneyMoka, sticks pleasingly to plan, unfurling with the immediately familiar hypnotic rhythms, muted bass tones and chopped guitar accents of Dilla-era Common and Slum Village (not surprising, as some of the album's beats date back to at least 2003), with the rapper/producer's sly sex talk and relaxed boasts completing the form.
The humble MC approaches being consistently slept on without a hint of bitterness on the soulful "Always Happy", sprinkles a bit of vocal sunshine on cuts like "Inside My Heart" and "Trying To Be Fly" and rides the record's general throwback vibe with a relatable cool that eases the soul, turning out a tight and timely collection of springtime headphone stroll music in the process.
(Urbnet)The humble MC approaches being consistently slept on without a hint of bitterness on the soulful "Always Happy", sprinkles a bit of vocal sunshine on cuts like "Inside My Heart" and "Trying To Be Fly" and rides the record's general throwback vibe with a relatable cool that eases the soul, turning out a tight and timely collection of springtime headphone stroll music in the process.
