Description

1LP Vinyl – TC001

Adelaide rap veteran Claz returns with his third studio album 'The Son of Lilian', his most personal body of work to date.

Having been solidified in the scene for a decade now, this latest offering marks the start of a new era in his career, propelled by the bumpy roads of adversity. In early 2020, his constant swash-buckling battle with hyperacusis, a debilitating disorder that increases one's sensitivity to sound, reached its peak after a slew of live shows. As he gradually began to return to recording, with the aid of custom earplugs, news of his mother falling ill rallied more troops in the enemy territory of struggle. Even as he slashes with the sword of his emotions, the frontline of anxiety, vices, and impending hardship strikes back with crushing blows.

However, this didn’t end in Claz going out on his shield, it merely spawned a change in weaponry, as he dropped the sword, and returned to the pen. The goal? To celebrate his mother, cement her legacy, and create a path to giving her the life she deserves.

The result is a collection of 10 songs that dive into the highs and lows of the feelings and memories Claz channelled throughout the recording process. Tracks such as ‘Life is a Beach’ were inspired by his times walking along the shoreline of Semaphore Beach with his mother, engaging in conversations about life, and motivating him to emphasise her importance through lyrical soliloquies. Others like ‘Chiaroscuro’ hearken back to June 2021, where Claz and Lilian embarked on a road trip to Uluru, with the track’s title symbolising the enjoyment of the light, as you travel beyond the dark. Lilian herself is even featured on the title track, singing the hook on a deeply-personal cut that highlights her life story, and using her own lyrics from a song she would sing Claz in his early years of life.

The heart-on-sleeve content of the album is conveyed through the versatile sonics of house, lo-fi hip-hop, and soul-infused boom-bap. Producers like Rela, Kirby, and Jay Orient all contribute to the myriad of sounds, while back up vocals from Adelaide songstress Ruru help enhance the album’s story. It’s a direct evolution from the sounds of Claz’s previous albums 'Before I Forget' and 'The Beautiful Distraction', showcasing him at his best as an emcee, and as a storyteller.