Mr Nice Guy

Chance Waters - aka Phatchance - is a young MC from Sydney who’s been honing his talents for some time now. After what seems like an eternity, his debut album, ‘Inkstains’, dropped recently after being picked up for distribution by Obese Records.“The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive,” Waters says upon being quizzed in regards to the album's reception.

He goes on to describe the phenomenon of polarisation invariably generated from bold artistic forays. â€œThere have been some mixed reactions though. I guess when you do an album that's different to a lot of Australian hip hop, a lot more personal, you're opening yourself up to some criticism. There are always going to be people who don't dig it and people who it really appeals to.”

The personal nature of ‘Inkstains’ is perhaps the most prominent characteristic of the release. Waters crafts verses that candidly discuss all manner of distressing circumstances, from an alcoholic parent to the bitter demise of a 'first love'. So does he agree the introspection is the cornerstone of his lyricism? â€œDefinitely. I like the idea of doing stuff that is relevant to me personally. I think with a debut, it's very easy to talk about experiences that have brought you to the point you're at when you're creating that album.”

Waters is frank when explaining the nature of the album and the potential consequences of pursuing such a style. â€œIntrospection is a very big part of my work. There’s going to be some people who will want to connect to you personally and there will be some people who will find it self-indulgent - that's the difficulty of doing a release like this.”

It’s refreshing to encounter a youthful artist with the capacity to view their music from a reverse angle with a well-founded perspective. Many would struggle to take that step externally; to give commentary on the impact of their nuances as a recording artist.

Though Waters is not always completely self-assured. Tracks like ‘I Don’t Know’ communicate an insecurity about the craft, no doubt a product of the long wait preceding ‘Inkstains’ release. The MC displays further intuitiveness in articulating the post-release experience. â€œThe more something is exposed to the public, the more bad criticism and the more good criticism you'll get. You're really just looking for people who want to connect to the energy you're putting out.”

‘Inkstains’ is available nationally through Obese Distribution.