Ready or not, Singapore music is making waves beyond the shores of the island-state. And not just regionally, but in territories such as the United States, where local hip-hop artists such as Kevin Lester aka TheLionCityBoy is receiving recognition for his work. Lester’s EP, Everything You Love, You Hate, is further evidence of the immense potential Lester and his collaborators possess and confirms his readiness to take the next step forward. As a whole, Lester’s approach eschews the hardcore-gangsta route, with song-craft taking prominence over street cred. In that respect, Lester follows Kanye West’s lead and rightfully belongs alongside contemporaries like Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco and Drake. The opening track, Danger, is a good example of this maturity and its ability to stand alone even without Lester’s thoughtful rap is always an excellent sign. Lester said Singaporean multi-culturalism informed his music, and it is evident. This thematic core runs through the rest of this EP — Here Me Go rails against stereotyping; Blue Ribbon considers Lester’s struggle to be heard; Cartoons utilises the imagery of superheroes to encourage the pursuit of dreams; and the title track has Lester conducting a relationship post-mortem. There is much to consider and savour on this well-constructed effort. Kevin Mathews