Adelaide-based artist ~ enters a new creative chapter with Eyes to See and Ears to Hear, an introspective album that merges psychedelic hip-hop, soulful production and experimental textures into a compelling exploration of identity, spirituality and personal growth. Formerly known as Ridgy, the artist uses the project to document an ongoing journey of self-discovery, delivering a body of work that prioritises artistic expression and emotional depth over easy answers.
Since beginning his release career in 2020, ~ has built connections within the underground hip-hop scene, working alongside MAVI, Camden Malik and creative collective Hidden Renaissance. His evolution into the ~ identity represents a broader shift in perspective, embracing uncertainty and using music as a platform to examine his relationship with himself and the world around him.
Sonically, Eyes to See and Ears to Hear moves between hazy samples, warm basslines, hypnotic grooves and atmospheric production. Opening track “The road I go” establishes the album’s reflective direction, while “I’ll get to where I’m going,” featuring KAYEMJAE, introduces a harder edge through raw sonics and gospel-inflected warmth. Elsewhere, “A walk in my mind” explores more experimental territory through glitchy percussion and immersive textures, while “Jacob’s ladder,” featuring austin fox, builds into a soulful, emotionally charged collaboration.
Closing track “Brand new day” brings the project to a moment of understated optimism, reinforcing its central themes of resilience, renewal and perspective. Rather than presenting personal growth as a straightforward process, ~ acknowledges the uncertainty, setbacks and contradictions that shape it.
With Eyes to See and Ears to Hear, ~ delivers a cohesive statement that balances underground hip-hop sensibilities with a distinctive spiritual and psychedelic perspective. It marks a considered evolution in his artistic identity, highlighting an artist committed to creative exploration, thoughtful songwriting and carving out a sound on his own terms.
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