Things aren’t going particularly well for L. Teez on The Index to My Inner Thoughts. Disillusioned, the Montreal rapper bitterly deplores the hypocrisy of love and its games of seduction, as evidenced by such evocative titles as “Pain” and “No More Love Letters”. Fortunately, the singer-songwriter, who signed with Hydrophonik Records (the hip-hop branch of the Quebec rock label Indica), offers more than just desolation on this second EP of his career. Written between Montreal, Tokyo, Seoul, and Paris, cities he visited to perform concerts for his first EP The Half Full, this one testifies to a tangible evolution on the part of the rapper, even if it’s not all that daring. An excellent introduction to the subject, “Questions” sets the bar very high with its summary but sincere reflections on the rather catastrophic situation in which humanity seems to be getting bogged down. The urgency of the text is increased tenfold by Jérôme Dupuis-Cloutier’s remarkable trumpet, which adds striking depth. The same intensity is not found in the rest of The Index to My Inner Thoughts. Although well constructed, the songs lack originality and flavour in their blend of jazz and rap. Carried by warm soul tones, closer “Hold On”, in collaboration with singer Lea Keeley (who contributes to half of the songs), ends this mini-album on a better note, both musically and poetically. Like the promise of a better day.
