With its emotional narratives, unpredictable twists and amazing cast, Mantra's latest album – the aptly titled "Telling Scenes" – plays out like a great movie. In the director's chair: one of Australia's best and most-respected rappers.

His first album for new label Ten To Two Records (Seth Sentry, Grey Ghost) "Telling Scenes" has already spawned two successful singles - radio anthem Loudmouth, and the darker Break Tradition – but it is the album as a whole that best showcases how high Mantra has raised the bar. Epic and prodigious, "Telling Scenes" has put Mantra straight into the upper echelons of his craft.

From the delicate flamenco of Quicksilver, to the beautiful spoken-word cameo of Alia Gabres, to the album's segues and interludes; "Telling Scenes" is Mantra pushing the boundaries of hip-hop. Ranging from his most heartfelt to his most lighthearted work, the album is not so much definitive of Mantra as it is a redefinition. An evolutionary step forward in his career. While lyrics are always Mantra's predominant focus, he has grown increasingly hands-on with every element of the music-making process, having spent the last few years writing, experimenting and taking singing and piano lessons with long-time friend and collaborator Juleiaah (Kisshead).

In every aspect, Mantra has upped his game for the ambitious "Telling Scenes", and it shows.

In addition to improving his own bag of tricks, Mantra enlisted the talents of producers One Above (Hilltop Hoods, Illy), Cam Bluff (Spit Syndicate, 360), Must Volkoff (One Sixth, Retainer), and Dustin McLean (TZU, Joelistics) to help create the songs on the album and the pieces that thread them all together. Boosting the talent pool further, the album credits show an A-list of guests whose involvement takes "Telling Scenes" up another level still… Brooklyn's Louis Logic, Sweden's Promoe, label-mate Grey Ghost, Cisco Tavares, cabaret starlet Simone Page Jones, and beatboxer Tom Thum. Each player under the masterful direction of Mantra as he put together his opus.

What started out as vision and ambition, the two years of ideas, love and hard work that have gone into Telling Scenes have absolutely paid off for Mantra. In addition to a work of art he can be proud of, he has produced an album that is quite simply an amazing listen… a beat-driven masterpiece of thought provoking lyrics, irresistible music and stellar collaborations. Mantra at his absolute best.