Track x Track: Mali Jo$e

With a huge 2023 under his belt so far including a pick as an Acclaim All Stars finalist, being featured on triple j’s iconic Bars of Steel and being selected to showcase at SXSW ‘23, 21 year old rap wunderkind Mali Jo$e is showing no signs of slowing down, having just released his dope sophomore EP, BREEZECATCHER.

Building on his first EP SUNSEEKER, BREEZECATCHER showcases the young MC’s evolution across seven tracks of diverse sounds including modern boom bap, spaced out jazz-hop and even jungle & breaks influences, with Mali on co-production for a few beats alongside the likes of JCAL, Otiuh and more.

The EP also features a number of guests jumping on for verses, including Sydney’s finest Tasman Keith & Kwame, Melbourne’s underground JUPiTA & Teether and rising phenom xmunashe, and of course some of his local homies, Cruz Patterson and Cam Deg.

To celebrate the release of BREEZECATCHER, Mali took us through it track by track - have a listen and get to know:

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INNERwealth

This song came to be out of sheer spontaneity during a session with another artist. I don’t want to say they weren’t interested but I don’t want to say they were 100% committed to the session so I jumped on and started working on something new. I placed the key production elements and by then I already knew where I was taking the song. By the time I finished the production side of things I already started formulating the lyrics. Within the next hour half of the song was finished. I then waited and was patient with a second verse. I really wanted a female artist on the song and a few months later I stumbled on an artist named 'Ruby Sofia’ (now going by JUPiTA). She sent back a verse I couldn’t say no to. She exactly emulated what I heard in my head and that in my opinion is a rare experience.

The song is about liberation but also self affirmation about being yourself. A cliche but dying factor within reality we find ourselves in today.

TAKE A BREATH

About 6 months ago myself and close collaborator OJC43 started working on a project that is now ‘BREEZECATCHER’ and we found ourselves in a writing block. Cool ideas were being made but nothing really stuck. Until I received a sample pack by another producer from Sydney/Eora Finbar Stuart. The sample was so good I had to call ‘43’ at 10pm on Wednesday night to come through and work. As soon as he heard the sample he agreed to a completely rogue and unscheduled session that created a song that ultimately was a big factor in the creation of the body of work.

A beautiful and elegant track infused with chaotic and fast pace drums that talk about pressing pause and finding peace within the chaos that surrounds us.

PRICE UP!

One of the best songs I’ve ever written and been a part of. Tasman Keith is one of the most professional & profound artists I’ve ever worked with. I’m very grateful for our paths to intersect naturally the way they did. He has turned into a big brother figure in such a short time and I think it’s a big testament to who he is as a human. Munashe is family. Period. I would rather not go into why we are so close only because OJC43 , Munashe and myself plan to take over the world together and it’s worth hearing our story after we win a Grammy together. But all in all - that’s my dawg.

The price is up because we have grown into incredible artists. I don’t need to justify this to anyone. The song speaks for itself.

(quiet places// burn loud)

The newest song on the project. Me and JCAL decided to have a session and made magic. The song was heavily inspired by recent work with xmunashe and my influence from Bob Marley. It’s a pleasure to watch someone like JCAL work. Very grateful to work with someone this incredible at the craft of production and song making.

To feel the music and let your soul find the lyrics - this really was all a freestyle.

KEEPup

If someone asks ‘what song best describes you?’ - I would play this song. My brother IJALE on the beat and now we’re 2 for 2 after my 2022 single ‘WUSGOOD’ being the first collaboration of ours. We knew it was special from the moment we made it. Them strings. GO LISTEN TO THOSE STRINGS IN VERSE 2!

My anthem.

BREEZECATCHER

I made this beat in Brisbane on a Monday morning. For 3 months I bought coffees to that beat until I decided to send it to Teether one day. Dude blessed me back with an incredible verse. One of the highlights of the whole EP process. The song remained an idea until myself, OJC43 & JCALl honed in on the original idea. I was a huge fan of the ‘Dogs in the Office’ EP by ALBREED member Cruz Patterson - particularly the song ‘Saint James’. His emotional singing isn’t anything of incredible technical level but what’s special is the feeling and meaningfulness he projects in everything he touches. To have him singing the hook is a little gem I love about that song.

Being a huge fan of Teether’s music it was somewhat surreal to hear his voice on my beat.

BREATHEout

WATCH OUT FOR CAM DEG! The outro for the EP. One of my favourite songs of all time is Frank's song ‘Futura Free’ and I guess without knowing (because no one seems to remember the session) - we made an emotional roller coaster of a song. Munashe on backing vocals, Cam with one his most incredible verses and Otiuh, myself & JCAL on production. As soon as I made it I knew what it was and where it was gonna go.

One of my proudest production moments as well as one of the most meaningful songs I’ve ever put out.

BREEZECATCHER cover artwork