Album: Pez - A Mind of My Own

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In the wake of 360’s impressive debut, What You See is What You Get, the other half of dynamic rap tag team Forthwrite, Pez, emerges from Melbourne’s increasingly crowded (in a good way) Hip Hop scene with the sparkling album, A Mind of My Own. Without the aid of Lleyton Hewitt-centred media coverage, Pez gets the job done with clever and informed lyricism, coupled with lush instrumentation.

Setting expectations high from the get go, the one-two punch of Ain’t Got Time and Lost paint the picture of a determined young artist who is willing to work his way up from the bottom and is disillusioned with the politics that come along with making music. Multi-instrumentalist Matik, who handles production on all 14 tracks here, does a tremendous job of creating a consistent sound and compliments Pez’s energised vocal style perfectly.

The wonderfully uplifting I Wanna Go (uplifting themes in modern Hip Hop, who would have thought?!) puts an organic spin on the soul sample, as the 24-year-old MC thinks back to his formative years, when life was as simple as going to school, writing rhymes and waiting for Santa Claus. Continuing on a reminiscent tip, The Festival Song pairs Pez and his partner-in-rhyme 360 with talented singer Hailey Cramer, as they fondly remember their wild music festival experiences. It also gives unaccustomed listeners the opportunity to hear the chemistry between the Forthwrite duo, as they bounce clever rhymes off each other.

Displaying a vulnerable side on cuts like the aforementioned I Wanna Go, Pez takes it one step further on the emotional closing track Heavenly, as he does something that some artists may shy away from, paying tribute to his parents. The sincerity that is approached in delivering track take away any notions that the subject matter may be used as a heartstrings-tugging gimmick.

Transitioning from upbeat (This Sound) and down-tempo (Take One) to positive and (Shine) melancholic (The Light), A Mind of My Own, is an incredibly well-rounded affair, bridging the gap between traditionalist boom-bap and live instruments. Considering that this is his debut offering Pez has nowhere to go but up, dispensing quality music that goes beyond ear candy.

Available through Inertia/Soulmate Records