The extensive journey from a supportive, yet vexingly restrictive, hometown scene to cutthroat hip-hop Mecca NYC has clearly paid artistic dividends for Toronto, ON natives Eternia and MoSS. But long-time fans can thank the ice-cold city of Winnipeg, MB for the meeting that sparked what could be considered the most comprehensive material of their storied careers. Marking the first time either has worked so extensively with a single artist on record, the relationship felt on At Last is almost one of coach and fighter, with MoSS's raw, menacing beats playing the driving workout regimen that pushes Eternia's biting lyricism to unforeseen limits. The unrepentant wordsmith gets off to a characteristically ferocious start, but it's the record's midsection that holds her most memorable moments. Cuts like "Past That" and "The Half" find her dealing with issues of religion, distant half-siblings and a seemingly destructive father with unchecked realism, while eerie centrepiece "To The Future" matches a cycled series of sonic convulsions and desperation with verbal revelations that will have many mouths hitting the floor. Though the producer's ominous overtones remain fairly constant throughout, there's enough rhythmic and instrumental variety here ― from unsettled guitars to wailing keys and cinematic strings ― to match the musical impact with the words they accompany.
What's the biggest thing you think long-time fans will take away from this record?
Eternia: I think it's the strongest kind of sonic branding I've ever done. People who have followed me know I can rap, but when it comes to my sound, like, "what does Eternia sound like, what is she the best at?" I think this album with MoSS displays that strongly. It's kind of like a coming of age or "now we've found ourselves" project. It's comfortable, it suits me and it's up my lane. So, pervious to this, it's not to say that I didn't make good music, but it was all over the place a little bit when it came to vibes and sounds. But this is the first time that it's literally been like, "this is Eternia's sound, and this is the kind of music she makes."
MoSS, what was it about the track "To The Future" that made it your favourite?
MoSS: There are two things. The first thing, and I'm going to sound like a bit of an ass for saying this, is that I really like the vibe of the beat and it's different for me. It's one of those things where it fits into what we were doing, but it's kind of a step back from what people would normally expect from me. But more so, the reason why that song is my favourite is because of Eternia. I mean, the beat by itself is just a piece of music, but she made it a song and changed the way I'll forever listen to that music. She really went very personal on the track and exposed herself, and let you into a lot of things in a way that a lot of people don't do nowadays.
(Fatbeats)What's the biggest thing you think long-time fans will take away from this record?
Eternia: I think it's the strongest kind of sonic branding I've ever done. People who have followed me know I can rap, but when it comes to my sound, like, "what does Eternia sound like, what is she the best at?" I think this album with MoSS displays that strongly. It's kind of like a coming of age or "now we've found ourselves" project. It's comfortable, it suits me and it's up my lane. So, pervious to this, it's not to say that I didn't make good music, but it was all over the place a little bit when it came to vibes and sounds. But this is the first time that it's literally been like, "this is Eternia's sound, and this is the kind of music she makes."
MoSS, what was it about the track "To The Future" that made it your favourite?
MoSS: There are two things. The first thing, and I'm going to sound like a bit of an ass for saying this, is that I really like the vibe of the beat and it's different for me. It's one of those things where it fits into what we were doing, but it's kind of a step back from what people would normally expect from me. But more so, the reason why that song is my favourite is because of Eternia. I mean, the beat by itself is just a piece of music, but she made it a song and changed the way I'll forever listen to that music. She really went very personal on the track and exposed herself, and let you into a lot of things in a way that a lot of people don't do nowadays.