Mathematik is an emcee and producer from Toronto who made a splash back in 2005, when he released the album No Division. Since that time, he’s remained relatively quiet, with only a couple of singles here and there. Now he finally steps back into the spotlight with his official follow up album, ReAL/iS-HiM.

While there isn’t an extensive catalogue to fill in the fourteen year gap between albums, ReAL/iS-HiM does sound like the work of a veteran who has been doing this for years, and who knows exactly what they are about. For Mathematik, that means a solid foundation of East Coast boom bap, with a few modern updates here and there. There is the occasional banger, such as the opening track, “Painted Thoughts,” which will get you moving with the bright horns leading the way, but the majority of the album falls into a mid-tempo groove. This allows Mathematik to hop on the mic and spit at a casual pace, as he relates personal thoughts, philosophies, and stories. There is some clever wordplay and dense lyricism spread throughout, but for the most part it comes down to this easy-going style on the mic that makes it feel like you’re catching up with an old friend, one who just has a lot of great stories to tell and tells them with some great imagery and perspective. It allows him to get political and start dialogues about social injustices without becoming too preachy or corny. We do get a couple of guest spots, with Saukrates, Solar C, and Es all adding some nice flair to the album, but this is really about one artist, Mathematik, having the vision and passion to make such a mature album that is also fun to listen to.

It’s been a while since we got a proper release from Mathematik, but he made the wait worth it with ReAL/iS-HiM. It’s expertly put together, with beats and rhymes all lining up to make some hip hop that immediately feels fun and familiar, and with the depth to reward upon repeat listens.