Bay Area rapper/songwriter Jthurston has been on our radar for a while now, and with more than a handful of singles under his belt, he sets off the second half of 2025 with his latest album APERTURE. The project is an 11-song body of work inspired by the inner workings of the camera and Carl Jung’s philosophy of the shadow, in which the rapper exposes previously unrevealed aspects of himself. From unresolved trauma, deep self-awareness into his hopes, fears, dreams and flaws, Jthurston takes listeners on an eye-opening journey that shows the painful process of self-acceptance and growth.

The project opens with “INTRO,” a solemn and brooding track that unleashes raw emotional floodgates. Here, Jthurston gives an unapologetic performance brimming with heartfelt lyrics that explore trauma, paranoia, and vulnerability. Lines like “Things I used to deal with, day to day made me suspicious/Too many wolves hiding in war that I done witnessed/My gaurd’s up/post and patrolling at every entrance/with lighters up just in case it comes to burning bridges” underpin feelings of abandonement, past betrayal and the effects of putting up personal walls. This set the tone for the rest of the album and the next track, “CHANGED.” The track begins with an atmospheric texture with sparse drums, and the overall feeling of space and depth adds an extra layer to the sad lyrics. Here, he reflects on toxic love and the painful experience of detaching from it as he sings in an autotune-drenched melodic voice. “HALO EFFECT” dives into the concept of self-reliance and perseverance, and sees the rapper dissecting his experience dealing with fairweather friends, fleeting love and never-ending trials and tribulations. “EVENTUALLY” explores self-worth and self-acceptance and is a revealing track that shows the rapper in his element. He doesn’t shy away from being honest about his feelings and especially his insecurities with lines like“Shining like a diamond, I’m attempting to be perfect but little did you know diamonds are intrinsically worthless/ I’m bothered by appearance, but underneath it I’m nervous/Afraid to bring the bits of my humanity to surface.”

The project continues with reflective themes and the use of varying music styles that show Jhurston’s versatility and forward-thinking approach. The next pair of tracks is a testament to this. “SAFE” is an electronic dance/future R&B-infused love track that features singer Jorden Kyle. It’s not quite what we expected, but it sure adds a different tone to the project and also changes the pacing. “I TOLD YOU SO” is reminiscent of the early to mid club-ready joints by Lil Jon, but with a modern twist. It features Dregs One as well, and both rappers trade bravado-laden bars over the thumping soundscape. The previously released track “INTUITION” takes listeners back into the solemn territory with its brooding backdrop and, most importantly, themes of skepticism, trials and tribulations. Jthurston doesn’t mince his words as he raps “I’m better off alone I can see what type of time you on/I call it intuition I call it intuition/I know something you don’t know I won’t let too many people in or I’ll feel/Too exposed I say when to go, don’t need a cue to go.” The track is an epitome of a man who is jaded by life but still has some hope for a better tomorrow. The next track, “WALLS,” fuses experimental sounds with a touch of Jersey club grooves and dark pop and is another show of the melodic side of the rapper. He sings with much passion as he pours his heart on wax, while ridding himself of an emotional weight. The track “CUTTHROAT” is a lyric-dense piece that sees Jthurston and Jorden Kyle flexing their verbal biceps. The beat has a plucky feel with a smooth bounce, and the rappers bring forward their A-game.

The last two tracks, “LET’S BE HONEST” and “APERTURE,” help bring things full circle. The former is a no-holds-barred visceral take on being candid with one’s true feelings, and Jthurston doesn’t sugarcoat it for anyone. “APERTURE” serves as the rapper’s perspective on the world through his lens and experiences. He dives into several topics ranging from assertiveness, self-assessment and more. Like the camera, he aims to expose the shadows to light and confront the difficult topics in a bullish manner. Overall, the project maintains its frame by using diverse topics and sounds and while some may be a bit off-tangent or unexpected, we believe they do add colour to the tone of the project.