Breaking Tradition

"I still can't believe this is even a possibility,” Mantra suggests humbly of his budding career as a hip hop artist. “When I started, I had no intention of ever trying to make it a career. I didn't think it was a possibility at all. And that wasn't even a priority for me; I just did it because I loved doing it. I didn't even really know that Australian hip hop existed when I started getting into it. I enjoyed it, so I figured that's what I wanted to do. There was never really a point where I decided I need to do this in a serious way; I just gradually noticed that Aussie hip hop was becoming a really valued genre.”

Three albums in, Mantra reflects on the person he was on releasing his debut. “I think it's very clear on this record that I've learned a lot of things musically and really honed in on those things that I had signs of early on. This is definitely my most mature-sounding album, but I don't really know if I've matured as a person – I don't want to grow up and my credit rating will probably vouch for that. I also lost my wallet at the venue last night. I went to the front to put some names on the guest list and went, 'Oh, shit, I have to go and get my wallet, I think I left it on the table!' and she said, 'No, someone handed it in at the bar; yours is the one with no ID and no money in it, right?' So yeah, I went and got the wallet, but then realised that when I'd gone to talk to the door girl I'd left my laptop sitting on a couch in the same venue with my whole fucking set on it!”

His first album for new label Ten To Two Records, Telling Scenes has already spawned two successful singles – radio anthem, Loudmouth, and the darker Break Tradition – but it's the album as a whole that best showcases how Mantra has raised the bar. “The tracks are all really different. We thought Loudmouth would be a good first single because it's light-hearted, funny and taking itself a lot less seriously than some of the other songs. Then we decided to release Break Tradition, which had a different response. The message is strong and I believe it quite firmly, and it's also a very literal song – I was really happy that I could sum it up so concisely. I think people are really into it for that reason. It's a message that people can relate to very easily.”

About to embark on a massive national tour, Mantra is excited about heading west. “I love Perth and Freo, so I'm really looking forward to that – we've got a strong and loyal fanbase there and I don't get to head over too often so I'm really looking forward to that. And on a really selfish level I'm also looking forward to just chilling at the beach.”