The Brooklyn rapper Ka is one of hip-hop’s greatest minimalists. He raps in hushed growls and writes chiseled couplets; his sound is ascetic and severe while still being intellectually curious. With his patient street rap, he tells stories about mythology and philosophy, most recently weaving concept albums out of samurai codes and dystopian political brainwashing.

In Hermit and the Recluse, his new project with the Los Angeles producer Animoss, he is inspired by ancient Greek myths like Oedipus and Sisyphus. On “Golden Fleece,” the standout of their debut album, Orpheus vs. the Sirens, Ka frames street survival as a hero’s journey—a lifelong quest for honor and nobility. “Each night we keep fighting, didn’t matter if you beat us/No man programmed for building, they’d rather you delete us,” he snarls. Animoss’ sinewy instrumental moves at a crawl, comprised of nothing more than a tightly wound bass line and a syrupy electric organ riff. The spare backdrop allows Ka to shine, and his stunning lines become the focus: “I want compassion from the highest/Food for the lowest/Cures for the afflicted/Rules for the homeless.” He’s a stoic, and the muscular simplicity of his words can be unsettling. Ka never says more than he has to, but he’s always saying more than he seems to.