Porter Ray - Watercolor: thrilling tracks from a gifted rapper - listen

That certain something in the water in Seattle when it comes to hip-hop has produced another winner.

Like Shabazz Palaces and THEESatisfaction – both of whom are represented on Watercolor – Porter Ray is more interested in following off-beam angles than adhering to a clearly defined straight and narrow path.

Again and again on this expansive and often thrilling album, Ray shows a bracing command of detail when it comes to knocking out thoughts and tracks about the big themes of life and living.

Helped by confident widescreen production assists from Dez Anthony, Kmtk, Broc, DJ El Grande and Tele Fresco, Ray fleshes out his ideas on tracks like East Seattle, Bulletproof Windows and Sacred Geometry.

There's a bang of Illmatic and Good Kid, MAAD City to how Ray rolls, but the rapper has the range and especially the potential to make such august comparisons stack up.

A naturally gifted artist taking things to the next level.

[ facebook.com/PorterRay ]