Over the years, there have been a few things that hip hop fans have come to expect every December. None are as longstanding and consistent as Vancouver emcee/producer Moka Only’s Martian XMAS series of albums. After a year of relative quiet from the prolific artist, he has come back once again with Martian XMAS 2018.

If you’re unfamiliar with the series, Moka’s not producing straight up Christmas albums, instead opting for a general December/Winter/Holidays theme. What this means in terms of sound is that he’s not leaning heavy on sonic signifiers like sleigh bells, but he is tweaking things to reflect the colder sound of winter, maybe leaning on piano a little more than usual, and adding some key samples here and there. On 2018, I especially appreciate the samples of some King of the Hill Christmas episodes, which are used to provide some humorous framework to a couple of songs on the album. Moka does go to the vaults for a few songs on the album, but it’s a testament to how consistent he’s been over the years that I didn’t realize it on the first listen through the album. Overall, you once again Moka Only playing in his wheelhouse, with jazzy boom bap beats and his melodic laid back delivery on the mic. There are plenty of stories and riffs on subject matter related to the time of year, whether it be “Morning Biscuits,” “Swiss Chalet,” or “Winter Convo.” It’s a really easy listen from start to finish, and exactly what we’ve come to expect from Moka Only after all of these years. While Moka initially planned this album to have a lot more features and to be a more collaborative project, he ended up with only one guest on the album, Dave Psy, who adds some spice to “Greetings.” While collaborative projects are fun, and I’m sure we’ll get one in the near future, Moka is more than up to the challenge to carry this album on his own.

Martian XMAS 2018 is another solid entry into the jampacked Moka Only catalogue. After a period of relative rest, he’s returned to show that he can still deliver a fresh quality winter album and give fans exactly what they’ve come to expect every December.