Ambitious experimentation and the pushing of boundaries has always been a feature of hip hop that helps reshape the genre's identity and keep things fresh. When it comes to breaking new sonic ground and making an intriguing statement, the debut record serves as a listener's context free invitation to see what ideas a young artist is willing to work with in order to find their voice.

The first release from Buffalo hip hop duo Network, with samples ranging from sinister to deeply souful, paired with fragmented drums and Derek Sullivan's abstract production,is everything you might expect a sonically adventurous rap album to sound like in 2013. Quinton Brock's lyrics seamlessly turn from introspective to fiery, angst filled screams on tracks like "Presents" and "Thrush." The result is a sound that brings together the poetic delivery of rappers like Earl Sweatshirt with the abstract production and dizzying flows of Shabazz Palaces.

Perhaps the album's most haunting track, "X-Files," is a stripped down, banger telling the story of the darker sides of partying, with lines about mid week drunk driving referencing the thematically similar Mr. Muthafuckin' EXquire track "Huzzah." It's this ambivalent view of the typically glorified rap lifestyle that makes for some of raps most affecting and often misinterpreted tracks (see Kendrick Lamar's 2012 hit "Swimming Pools"). Where you would usually expect a boasting, gaudy delivery, Brock maintains a dead eyed, menacing flow that helps build the song's tension, making way for a experimental breakdown.

Network continues to go deeper on the following track, "Soft Horses." Here, The Stylistics' "You Make Me Feel Brand New" is sampled and combined with hazy production and crass drums to create an incredibly affecting hip hop instrumental that stands out as one of the moments on the record where the duo's vision comes together. Dealing with heavy themes of isolation and lost love, Brock is at his most transparent here with lines like "I look like a bitch if I say that i'm depressed, but fuck it I can say it 'cause I got no one to impress," and "I'm a realist, I don't believe in love/ so instead of chasing girls I experiment with drugs." Full of thoughtful couplets and insightful lyricism that touches on the social stigma's of mental illness and the overwhelming feeling of being trapped by your own thoughts, the track serves as the album's most convicting statement.

On the more uptempo, bass heavy, "Thrush," experimental vocal samples are paired with a driving, catchy bassline and drum beat. The track features one of the record's catchiest hooks making way for an extended breakdown leading to the shouting refrain of "Don't you feel the same." The whole thing feels ready to come apart before coming to an abrupt end. Sullivan's ethereal production continues on "The Great Ice" as a piano riff halfway through the track make for a wide-eyed, optimistic feel that serves as a refreshing change of pace.

The previously released single, "Chocolate Milk," initially brought our attention to Network, with its highly imaginative video directed by James Davis. The mellow track ends the album with a syncopated drum beat and Quinton Brock's haziest, most deceptive flow, hinting at the crossover appeal that this project possesses despite the production's experimental nature.

As hip hop continues to move forward, artists continue to bring together disparate ideas and sounds that don't sound like what we've come to expect from the genre, but are an essential part of its identity. As is apparent with many aspiring MC's debut releases, the will to push boundaries and make a statement is ever present on Network, a record that while isn't flawless, is willing to take risks and possess creative moments giving a clear look at the duo's statement while also hinting at undeniable potential.