The new album from Victoria collective CFC is one of the more impressive hip-hop efforts Canada has produced. The beats are straight out of the Cypress Hill / De La Soul renaissance of the early to mid-1990s, the rhymes are tight, with the lyrics representing a global and political awareness boycotted by most current mainstream examples of the genre. Actually, that may be both the album’s greatest strength and weakness. Not Even Funny is so immersed in the underground rap scene of the previous decade that it could easily mingle in their ranks undiscovered, while today’s discerning market needs a little more of a breakthrough for real impact. However, it’s easy to forgive the CFC (which stands for a Philip K. Dick reference, Crap Fartists Cru). Not Even Funny is too perfectly retro not to enjoy and the messages are crucial for the survival of the human race. I can see CFC fulfilling all the squandered promise of Swollen Members and their beleaguered Battle Axe Records within the next few years if they keep at it. They’re already half way there.

• Multiple songs MySpace