Saint Ripley sets out to sea on The Ferryman. Blending elements of psychedelic rock, boom-bap hip-hop, R&B, and even punk into his 4th project, the EP is a divergence from his 2020 pop-rap EP, Girls, and industrial-based 2021 LP, GOD COMPLEX – which received an AOTY nomination in the Chicago Reader. On The Ferryman, Ripley yet again proves his ability to weave between different styles of hip-hop while standing out from the crowd by spreading a simply implied message: that we all have the innate ability to find joy and solace in the here and now.   Inspired by, and containing passages from, Herman Hesse’s 1920s novel, Siddhartha, Ripley’s newest installation tells the story of a man who finds a deeper understanding of life after decades of searching. On its opening track, “River Way Down”, Ripley embarks on his seaward journey, embracing the artist he has become.   Recognizing that these lulls are not to be resented, but rather, recognized and faced as a part of life, Ripley breaks the cycle to uncover peace within the madness and becomes one with the ebb and flow. He has found the ferryman within.