Rascalz Cash*Crop (BMG)

Canada's left-coast hip hoppers have been working hard and it shows. While some of their tracks in the past were sparsely lit and under-produced, Cash Crop is proficiently polished. Falling somewhere between Souls of Mischief, Goodie Mob and the swagger of Del, the Rascalz deliver their characteristic metaphysical rhymes on previously released tracks ("Blind with the Science," "Solitaire") and more refined new offerings ("FitnRedi," "Dreaded Fist"). Jazzy loops and seething snare drums provide the aural potency perfect for the headphone haze. With a rap-friendly major label firmly behind the group, the Rascalz disavow the notion that opening for bubble-gum dance is the only hope for Canadian hip hop. 9/10 (John Turner)

Daft Punk (Soma/Virgin)

This is disco. The newest kind. This is NOT the Chemical Brothers. Thomas Bengalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have percolating guitars and drippy vocoders coursing through their French veins, not lager and indie. Dance floors have been happily crashing with it all for the past year--thank god it's finally on CD: DP's "Rollin' and Scratchin'," "Da Funk," "Indo Silver Club" and all the accompanying the double hand claps, acid-funk, signature zipper samples and Chicago-type rolls are no longer the sole property of DJs! Rejoice! 9.5/10 (Mireille Silcott)

James Whiplash (Mercury/PolyGram)

It's been three years since the last album; gone is guitarist Larry Gott, and longtime associate Brian Eno's input is down to a minimum. Change is afoot, but Whiplash gets four songs old with same old deal: lush, glistening guitar pop with big, big themes. The next four throw you for a (drum) loop as jungle snares, thumping beats and scrappy electronica(!) back the violin before easing us back home, James. Entre deux chaises? 7.5/10 (Chris Yurkiw)

Flashlight (STOMP)

One wouldn't classify this Guelph, Ontario band as ska, but skacore it ain't either. Post-ska caffeine pop, maybe? The hectic pacing is there, anyway. Actually, frontman Matt Hughes's nasal, nerdpunk delivery of his snotty but accurate lyrics put this disc one synth short of early Dickies. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) more discs...