Ushered in by a sprawling and melancholic strings intro created by his good mate Empty (aka Brian Kruger), is WA rapper Mathas’ latest offering ahead of the release of his LP Armwrestling Atlas. Already a staple of hip hop in Perth with the backing of local radio station RTRFM, 2013 saw Mathas’ track Nourishment ft. Abbe May win WAM Song Of The Year and feature on triple j’s Home & Hosed Top 10 tracks for the year.
In Stone Cold Sober, Mathas details his personal insight into the machinations of the universe, and his minor part in it. It is an existential journey that stems from a mourning young man reflecting on the pain of loss and the blissful acceptance of one’s relative insignificance. The power of Mathas’ lyricism is in the intensity of his self-consciousness; a brief moment of comprehension is followed by a lingering doubt, which Mathas seems to have overcome by embracing his place in the world.
This is masterful writing and reinforces Mathas’ position amongst those rare hip hop artists producing profound commentaries on the human condition. Having wrapped up his single launch for Stone Cold Sober supporting Joelistics on a national tour, Mathas will be supporting Watsky in the Perth area just before Chrissy, then heading to New Years Beats, St Kilda.