Following up his high-quality mixtapes Things of That Nature and Nature of the Beast, the fast-rising New York emcee AWAR returns with The Laws of Nature, his first official album. It boasts production from heavy hitters like The Alchemist, Nottz, M-Phazes, Jake One, Sid Roams, and Vanderslice. Flexing an in-your-face rhyme style that's simultaneously gruff and slick, he absolutely demolishes the tracks on all 15 songs here, with a strong and balanced mix of vivid storytelling and blue-collar bravado. Guest spots come from MURS ("Until the End"), Evidence ("Never Break Me"), Stat Quo ("Take a Moment"), and Roc Marciano ("Cut Throat Rap"), but as dope as the features and the beats are, they never overshadow AWAR himself. Easily living up to the hype, this is ideal listening for hardcore hip-hop heads unimpressed with the watered-down lite rap currently flooding the airwaves. Don't sleep on this kid; check out the spooky banger "Tunnel Vision," the scratch-infused "Gambling Spot," and the anthemic "Strictly Business."