Next Step

Over the course of his five albums, Kerser has evolved from battle-rap hero to chart challenging underdog. Here, a reflective tone and unexpected do-as-I-say lecturing displace his shock value swagger, with the enlistment of production-hire outlet, Sinima Beats, coating the tracks with a clean, pop polish. While old habits die hard – snarky jabs at local rappers (360, Allday) remain, and there are few stanzas that don’t reference his home town of Campbelltown – Next Step is a mark of maturity, dictated by its nostalgic trace of past mistakes and noble attempt to be unbound by circumstance. Not without its cliché cringes, but far and away the MC’s most complete and considered work yet.