Various

While the bigger leagues of hip-hop see formerly indie rappers happily jumping to major labels, the kids at Toronto’s Hand Solo Records want to give a voice to the truly obscure. The first edition of this indie Can-hop series boasted the likes of Buck 65 and Sixtoo (the later actually coined the title) but the follow-up digs even deeper below the surface. Vice columnist Fritz tha Cat is probably the best known (albeit not for his rapping), but there are impressive turns from Supreme Being Unit’s Mindbender, the self-explanatory Awristoscratch, Guelph rapper Noah 23 and Anticon affiliates Restiform Bodies. Though at times too impenetrable, these cuts all share a like-minded avant-garde vibe, filled with DJ Shadow-style cinematic soundscapes and esoteric musings. Put your ear to the ground.