For almost a decade now, Melbourne producer Skomes and California-via-Adelaide MC Cazeaux O.S.L.O have ventured on a creative partnership, blending together evocative neo-soul production with thoughtful rap verses under the title SO. Crates. The project, which unites their distinct musical identities while often calling a rotating third party into play to “complete the creative trinity of the Crates”, has seen them drop a string of acclaimed releases with some of Australia’s best. However, on ‘Stars’, the first taste of their pending debut double album, we hear the duo pushing further, inviting guests Whosane and Pataphysics to join them as they craft some of their most intoxicating music yet.

Built around an enthralling groove as waves of gentle piano chime and tasteful trumpet swirl together, ‘Stars’ unravels around O.S.L.O’s rich rhymes and guest vocalist Whosane’s radiant vocal hooks. The accompanying press release notes how ‘Stars’ is able to masterfully balance the “joyful and the melancholy”, and these contradictory moods create a whole new atmosphere together - there’s a starry-eyed, serene quality to the track that makes it all the more blissed out, elevated by the vibrant trumpet solo that rounds the song out.

Speaking about the track, Skomes shares “I've forever been on a mission to make music that sounds as close to the sounds in my head as possible; however, I've recently come to realise that the sounds I've been hearing are not sounds at all - they’re feelings. I remember hearing certain records throughout my life and feeling something profound. I want to feel that with the music I create and for that feeling to translate to other people."