Not Mine, Carlos Truly, Cassette

"Not Mine" is a dynamic sampling of Carlos Truly's musical sensibilities. A genre-bending journey, it's the missing puzzle piece that ties together his long list of contradictory production credits (Princess Nokia, Frankie Cosmos, Mister Twin Sister, etc etc). He channels old-soul singers while vocalizing over wailing sirens or dreamy saxophone solos. Real-life brother and co-producer Tony Seltzer delivers a taste of NYC's underground hip-hop scene via off-kilter beats and wild percussive moments. Carlos sings about the limitations of traditional masculinity, growing up in Brooklyn, entitlement, true love, and the inherent difficulty in choosing a life dedicated to artistic pursuit. Intermittent interludes deliver us seamlessly from one track into the next-occasionally blurring the lines between tracks, or offering a place to rest after a particularly intense song. At eleven tracks and just under 23 minutes, it's a tidy introduction that begs to be listened to in order, from start to finish.