Adelaide-born artist ~ (who listeners may previously recognize as Ridgy) makes music that feels less like a product and more like a personal notebook on faith, perspective, and personal evolution. He picked up guitar and piano early on, naturally transitioning into rap and production as he grew up. Since dropping tracks under the Ridgy moniker in 2020, he’s built a solid footprint in the underground circuit, collaborating with names like MAVI and Camden Malik, while staying tapped into the creative collective Hidden Renaissance. With his shift to ~, he’s leaning fully into the unknown, using his sound to document his ongoing search for meaning and self-discovery.
His latest LP, Eyes to See and Ears to Hear, puts that mindset on full display. Wrapped in psychedelic samples, textured grooves, and warm, atmospheric layers, the project balances deep emotion with a clear, uplifting spirit as it tackles spiritual growth, endurance, and finding your way through hardship.
The record sets its tone early with “The road I go,” drowning layered samples in lush reverb and anchoring them with a rich bassline that lets ~’s hypnotic flow take center stage. “I’ll get to where I’m going,” featuring KAYEMJAE, balances ethereal sounds with grit, featuring sharp, deliberate verses about resilience with the warmth of gospel-tinged keys. On “Techniques,” Wakai steps up over a bouncy, spacey production that feels light on its feet while giving both rappers room to deliver clean, focused lines.
As the album progresses, the pace drops into quieter territory. “We’ll make it out again” wades through inner tension before landing on a sense of hope, while “Love’s silent dawn” relies on hazy, vibrant sampling and driving rhythms to carry vivid lyricism. “A walk in my mind” brings a glitchy, off-beat percussion track that keeps things fresh behind descriptive storytelling. Toward the back half, “Jacob’s ladder” with Austin Fox stands out as an emotional high mark, building its intensity step-by-step over soulful, measured production. By the time the final track, “Brand new day,” rolls in, the air clears into crisp, ambient soundscapes, leaving space for some of the artist’s most honest and reflective songwriting to date.
Listen to Eyes to See and Ears to Hear now:
Connect with ~: Instagram
