Lester recruits fellow creatives for debut EP ‘Lost and Found’
Lester breaks new ground and demands your attention with his debut EP Lost and Found. Following release of the title track featuring south Auckland popstar, FABLE, Lester assembles fellow creatives Silas Futura and Shellä, The Soul to aid in his story telling of the everyday and mundane. Almost five years on from Lester’s single Scene, which made waves in the lo-fi hip-hop community and featured on Majestic Casual, his Lost and Found EP is set to earn the burgeoning rapper a place in everyone’s favourite playlist.
Lester teams up with fellow creative popstar-in-Manix, FABLE, Tamaki Makaurau creative stalwart Silas Futura and French-based neo-soul singer Shellä, The Soul to deliver his comprehensive debut 6-track EP. Illustrating the personal as universal through clever rhyme schemes and Kiwiana colloquialism, Lester offers up indelible lyrics and a sharp portrayal of his own lived experience.
Dark and moody themes of the title track, Lost and Found, sets the pace with the combination of rap and singing vocals from Lester and FABLE, encapsulating the yin and yang of being lost, and subsequently found. This continues in Growing Pains, with Silas Futura leading the way on a reflection of growth from the Poynton Studios affiliates. Silas’ distinctive production style, featured again on the final track of the EP, lays the foundation for Lester to place the listener in his shoes. A break from the traditional structure, and an ode to David Dallas led initiative ‘Red Bull 64 Bars’, Super Saturdays is filled with “more bars than town and Mt Eden (prison)”. Sultry sounds from Shellä, The Soul cut through the noise on lovesick perspective shifter Ease, with Lester’s perspective switching from past to present. Arrival speaks to the trope of both arriving to a destination externally, as well internally – the mantra of ‘making-it’ is repeated through chorus, again sandwiched between verses of different origins. Closing track Sacrificed, featuring, and produced by Silas Futura, is a masterclass in quick flow, rhyme and delivery. Showcasing the sweep of his talent, Lester closes out this EP with an introspective reflection of what it means to be.
Tāmaki Makaurau based MC, Lester, has been releasing music independently since 2017. The gifted rapper is also known as 1/5 of retired neo-soul collective Round Buddah, who made the stages of Kiwi summer classics such as R&V and Tora Bombora. Lester has collaborated with the likes of psych-hip-hop group Keith, masters of rhythm & soul, Molly & the Chromatics and rap collective, Boombox Eulogy. Lester’s debut solo project Blunt Tape released in 2016, was his first with underground beat-maker, Camo. The two have collaborated on many projects since, including his three most recently released singles, centred around the stream of consciousness and everyday monotony. Standout track, Scene was picked up by renowned label Majestic Casual who featured the song on their Music to Feel Better To playlist.2023 will see exciting things for Lester with his collaborative debut EP release.
