Sometimes you find an artist on the very cusp of their ascendance, and with his debut EP Everything Can Levitate, Oshua more than fits the bill.
After garnering praise from the likes of Young Thug and Denzel Curry this year, Perth-based musician Oshua has finally marked his arrival with the just-released debut EP Everything Can Levitate.
Serving as a testament to the online community in which his artistry was born, the eight-song project enlists a swathe of producers sourced from a Discord Server, all of whom help Oshua flit between hip-hop stylings for an expansive rap manifesto.
The EP opens with the glittery synths and whirring vocal ad libs of Field Trip. Co-produced by Tdogg, the track is anchored by a snare-laden trap beat and Oshua’s acrobatic delivery.
While there might be a tendency for songs like Oshua’s to veer toward empty mumble rap, the talented musician elevates the affair with razor-sharp bars and a clear ear for melody.
In what becomes a throughline for the entire EP, Field Trip knows not to overstay its welcome, opting for dense lyricism and a brisk runtime brimming with replay value.
The opener sees Oshua pine for lost lover — an Alicia Keys type who makes him “lose my breath.” It’s a refreshing dose of vulnerability and emotion that’s not always heard in hip-hop, with echoes of the same lovelorn tales you might hear from The Kid Laroi.
Opting for more spacey sounds on second track Samurais n Shoguns, Oshua laments others’ successes atop immaculate beats courtesy of ParkerJazz and HARZ.
While there’s a covetous air to Oshua’s portraits of friends who “fly in private jets”, there’s also a sense that he’ll someday soon be among them, rapping braggadociously of having the “highest hopes you’ve ever seen.”
HARZ joins the fray again alongside OHTEE on One of 1, which sees Oshua rightfully flex his talent while also acknowledging his detractors.
It’s the kind of proclamation echoed by his rapper contemporaries, but Oshua brings freshness to the sentiment with pop-trap production that might feel at home on a vintage Nintendo game.
Those infectious glitches continue on EP single Liu Kang, which musters all the combative energy of the titular Mortal Kombat character while showcasing Oshua’s knack for insatiable hooks and punchy cadence.
Later, Oshua treds slower grooves on Weightless, the EP’s clearest foray into R&b that coasts on airy ambience and a more hushed vocal timbre.
Elsewhere, Veins finds Oshua carthatically able to “talk my shit,” waxing poetic on everything from liars to the 20-something malaise of feeling directionless.
Everything Can Levitate reaches a worthy conclusion on EP closer Mario in Wonderland, which again taps Tdogg for Oshua’s most dazzling vocal showcase yet.
In between cheeky references to Chris Pratt and celestial beats reminiscent of Y2K, Oshua finalises his musings on growing up, bookending what was a sprawling journey through both his sound and his psyche. While it is his debut project, Everything Can Levitate merely adds to Oshua’s meteoric rise in 2023.
The musician was co-signed by Young Thug and Denzel Curry earlier this year, amassing millions of streams and winning the the prestigious Triple J x NIDA music video competition for Veins.
Similar feats punctate the footnotes of rappers who are now considered icons, so it’s clear that Oshua is just getting started. Watch this space.
Listen to Oshua’s debut EP Everything Can Leviate below.
