Western Canada’s best kept secret, Teon Gibbs, delivers an eclectic blend of soul, R&B, and hip hop on The Calm Before. Gibbs’ expanding artistry feels newly energized on the tightly-wound record.

The production draws to mind the renaissance of West Coast rap, while a range of new melodies and big swings with his vocal treatments leave an impression of an artist trying to stretch the label of rap at its seams.