A testament to his own triumph, 360’s Utopia, is the conversation a lot of people need to have with themselves – not necessarily literally, but by taking the concept of reflection and growth that is ripe in every beat.
Delving deep into some pretty sub-surface issues, 360’s gritty, deep aussie accented vocals scream with an honesty that is hard to ignore. From the up’s of ‘Purple Waterfall’, a collaborative piece with Daniel Johns about experiencing a drug high, to the lows of ‘Spiral Down’, a track about 360’s former girlfriends battle with mental illness and drug addiction; the energy is anxious, twittering and raw.
You kind of feel like you’ve made your way inside 360’s brain and your viewing things a little different – even just for the length of the track. His versatile vocals skip from soft falcetto to scratchy, deep rap and only infiltrate your thoughts more with Gossling’s ethereal spit on ‘Spiral Down’ and ‘Price Of Fame’.
‘Man On the Moon’ is by far my favourite track. An ode to all his fans that shared their stories of self-survival, 360’s veracity and determination to go over and above to connect with the public is verbalised “And my words go and change how you think. Then I’mma make them believe in chasing their dreams.”
A man unstoppable, 360’s Utopia is beyond what a rap album should deliver, it’s a journey.
9/10
Reviewer: Marley Tinnock