Noah23

While Canada is quickly gaining respect as a place for unique, interesting experimentation in hip-hop manipulation, one rarely thinks of Guelph, ON as a hotbed of hip-hop talent. However, Noah23 and his Delta Wing drones are working hard to put Guelph on the weirdness map. The word association acrobatics of the Plague Language crew might remind some of the Shapeshifters' abstract alien paranoia and high-tech wordplay, but the techno-sorcery that these individuals promote is all their own. Although I am loathe to say any track is below par (in fact, most are far above), at 23 tracks long, Neophyte Phenotype tends to blur together, making it difficult to differentiate one track from another. There are some cuts that stand out from the pack: "I Shot Andy Warhol" gets the rump moving with a reggae feel; Toyeone produces two great tracks with "Jellyfish" (featuring Treevortex) and "Tertium Quid"; "Delta Wing Commanders" (featuring KGB72) is underground jiggy, and my personal favourite, the near drum & bass of "Revolt" (featuring Mofo) is truly revolting (in a good way, you know). The hip-hop scene in Canada is mutating. Wouldn't you rather be part of this evolution than just another Encino Man trying to comprehend his new surroundings? With artists like Noah23 popping up in towns and cities all across Canada, it will be just a matter of time.