LSTNFND, one of the local hip hop labels in Toronto, releases the instrumental version of every track their artists put out. It’s one of my favourite things they do. The beats behind Jon Corbin’s latest EP are some of their most confident work yet.

That’s to say nothing of Corbin himself. “Spark the Flame” is, without a doubt, the best song on the track. His flow is getting better, but ultimately, his storytelling is getting better too. The lyrics are getting better, perhaps, but it’s all in the delivery here.

The guest rapper is also competent on the track, and elevates it to another level. It’s undoubtedly Corbin’s best work, and a new high note for a label that’s getting better with every release.

And ultimately, it’s hard to write about LSTNFND’s artists now without writing about the label. There are few labels so concerned with giving their artists the support they need for success, and you can hear that pay off with each release.

Hearts Set Ablaze is just an EP — it’s only six tracks, and three of those are instrumental. But you can hear Corbin grow, and LSTNFND grows with him.

Give it a listen on Spotify below:

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This new video aims to capture the attention of people who are obsessed with Pokémon Go — Orijin’s even called it “Pokémon Go Rap” on Youtube. It’s a smart move. The video’s as much fun as the song, and since it’s one of the best tracks on the new record, I have zero issues with this. The video’s great.

If you missed it, now’s as good a time as any to check out his sophomore record, Re:Percussions, out now on LSTNFND. Check it out on Apple Music, Spotify, or iTunes.

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Dreaming is a great example: Orijin raps out the coming return of Christ and the second coming in a way that would be energizing for those in the faith and challenging for those who are not.

That being said, it’s not all seriousness: tracks like Chill Out have a fantastic, laid-back retro vibe and have a ton of fun games and hilarious rhymes. But even when he’s being funny, Orijin is still trying to make a point about the responsibility rappers have to drop the braggadocio attitude, chill out, and get a little more honest.

Most of Orijin’s music lives that as a mantra. It’s not just his vocal approach, but also his beats: almost every one of Orijin’s tracks is delightfully old-school. Catch ’Em All, Don’t Wanna Know, and Last Minute all have these wicked old-school beats that sound like something RJD2 would have dropped as a part of Soul Position.

Re:Percussions is also a refinement of Orijin’s talent: he’s clearly stronger as a rapper, with a better sense of flow and lyrics that have a more clever sense of rhyme and rhythm before. It’s a mixtape that does everything right and little wrong: Re:Percussions is short and easily digestible, while still offering a lot of depth — and a natural progression of Orijin’s skills.

You can also listen to the entirety of Re:Percussions on Youtube.

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The record is basically Rodney-Hall getting inventive and exploring a little bit about what gets him excited, and you can tell he’s just happy to be making music. Compared to some of the hip hop beats you might be used to, Rodney-Hall’s will sound a little less produced (particularly at a higher volume), but this is a guy with a lot of great ideas.

What I like about Rodney-Hall is that he reminds me more of Tycho than he does of a hip hop backing track. And it’s great for him to explore this a little more fully. This album is mostly electronic, mostly inspired, and largely pretty good. Give it a listen before this label blows up.

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