I don’t purport to know a ton about the Spokane hip-hop scene, but every so often a record from there pops and catches my attention. That’s certainly the case with Alone By Choice, a stellar 2017 seven-song EP from Jango. The first track, produced by RicandThadeus, has among the best opening 20 seconds of any song I’ve heard all year, and the whole EP only gets better from there. (Actually, I want to shout out to all the wildly talented producers who contributed to this record. What a group who’s assembled here.) On “Alone,” Jango raps about his defiance from the haters who want him to fail. “Invitation” is reminiscent of Dave B’s finest work, while also pushing that sexy sound in new directions. Centerpiece “Nobody” is the song you’ll sing along to when you’re on your own, holding all those emotional beats as you emote, “Don’t let noooobody tear you down…” It’s a song that recognizes the strength we all have inside, that no one can ever take from you. And that’s worth celebrating.