While Seth Sentry would probably be offended by the choice of words that his music has ‘matured’, it is meant as a compliment. His latest single, the moody and vividly detailed Wrong One, marks a new point in his career that is a noticeable level-up. More controlled and crafted, the song smacks of experience without losing the irreverent charm that made people fall in love with him to begin with. So maybe matured isn’t quite the word, but as time goes on Seth Sentry sure-footedly climbs closer to the apex of being a legit grandmaster of his craft.
Each of Seth Sentry’s album’s have been marked by progression – both musically and in terms of his career. His debut album This Was Tomorrow was an instant classic, sending him on an impossible tear that manifested in a gold record, an ARIA nomination, Channel [V] Artist Of The Year and a dream-come-true appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. He earned a legion of fans worldwide, cementing himself not just as one of the decade’s most exciting new artists, but as a jaw-dropping live performer.
Snowballing this momentum, Seth’s second album Strange New Past was a monumental step forward that brought its own rewards. Defined by its honesty and introspection, Strange New Past debuted at #2 on the ARIA charts, was a Triple J Feature Album, won both an ARIA Award and an AIR Award, and spawned a staggering four Triple J high rotation singles in Run, Hell Boy, Dumb and 1969. It was an insane run, supported by endless miles of touring and spawning millions of streams and views.
Now one of Australia’s most iconic rappers, Seth Sentry is still at the top of his game and yet to peak. With elements of psychedelic rock and bluesy guitar, Wrong One’s layers run deep, both musically and lyrically. With production by friend and long-time collaborator Styalz Fuego, as well as multi-instrumentalist Carl Dimitaga, Wrong One combines crispy clean modern rap tones with the classic sounds of ’70s rock. Dig deeper, and Seth’s filmic imagination once again permeates his songwriting, adding a lyrical scope to Wrong One that conjures images of characters that fall somewhere between Leone’s Man With No Name and Boba Fett.
Letting his creativity run wild, Seth has has crafted a cinematic story with hidden meanings and Easter eggs buried throughout his trademark punchlines and hooks. “When I write I usually have a little movie playing in my head,” Seth explains. “This movie takes place in the moments before the final stand. The last shootout. There’s a price on my head, and every bounty hunter in the country is here to collect it. Surrounded by dirty lawmen with shiny gold stars – high horses and low morals – I’m not going out without a fight. Besides, what kind of man would put a bounty on his own head?”
A trickle before the torrent, Wrong One is the first taste of Seth’s forthcoming third album (due late 2019) and his first single since 2016’s Play It Safe. A song that will grab you on the first listen then stay with you for days, Wrong One is a landmark release that forges new ground – not just for Seth but for hip hop in general. Bold, creative and ambitious, Wrong One is a thrilling glimpse into the epic album to come, and one that bears a clear, unmistakable message: Seth Sentry is back!