Ron Coutour & Factor

Relentless music machine Moka Only resuscitates long-standing alter ego Ron Coutour for one more tour of yeoman's duty on new disc Saffron, a banging 30-minute workout that is just as efficient as the mastermind behind the curtain. Saskatoon, SK-based beatsmith Factor proves an indispensable force here, contributing a wide range of tight, exacting backing tracks that draw their many interesting, sampled influences from all over the map. The wily producer infuses the classic rock groove of "Confused Nougat" with a brisk head-nod rhythm then conjures up a reflective mood for single "Glad" before invoking images of the Wild West on the aptly titled "Prairie Wind." Over these backdrops, Contour's malleable linguistics survive, owing more to his flow than to the content of his largely disjointed lyrics, though his well-placed delivery does play a large role in sustaining the album's quick pace. While you'd expect that, at a three disc per year clip, Moka would eventually show signs of an emptying tank, Saffron confirms there's simply no slowing this man down.