Sixo is the latest artist to join the Fake Four roster, and this EP is our introduction to the Texas producer. I wish I could tell you more about him, but that’s about all the information that’s been made available at this point. That’s fine, though, because it forces an unbiased look at what really counts - the music.

It’s an interesting EP, and aptly titled. Over the course of these eight songs, I definitely found my perception of Sixo shifting as he gradually changed styles and expanded his sound. His style doesn’t hit you immediately, especially since he’s working with so many talented artists who can overshadow a more subtle style, such as Sole, Ceschi, Onry Ozzborn, and Awol One, amongst others. However, the more I listen, the more I appreciate everything Sixo is bringing to the table. As the EP begins, it feels that Sixo is more of an indie-rocker that happens to have some rappers on his tracks, with gentle guitar-driven music without very noticeable bass or drums. When we get to “Dance With Stars” with Sole, though, we get song that is more drum-driven, with a short guitar lick used to accent Sole’s lines. It’s upbeat, with a bright tone, which makes all the shit talking that Sole does on this track seem much nicer. “Calculated Trust,” with Cainam, Poindexter, and Onry Ozzborn is the best dialogue between producer and emcees, opening and closing the song with samples or discussion about the state of the economy, while in between laying down a really melancholic tone, relying on a Rhodes to play the melody. “For the Blind” shows us that Sixo is more than capable of laying down some instrumental material that can stand on its own, and it’s a really beautiful effort. It brings in a touch of sixties folk guitar and strings played over some fantastic drum work, which then lets keyboard take over the melody, shifting the tone ever so slightly to a more modern sound. “Cop Gods” is the most typical hip hop track on the EP, and it also has Sixo picking up the mic, and he ain’t bad. Plus, I always appreciate an good song questioning authority.

While there isn’t one point on the EP that I can direct people to, there is so much happening below the surface on Tracking Perception that his talents slowly unfold and grow on you. Not everyone has to throw down some huge horn hits and overpowering drums. Some hip hop can tend toward a quieter, introspective sound, and Sixo does that very well.