When Chester Watson debuted in the mid-2010s with verbose, technically precise music indebted to MF DOOM, Earl Sweatshirt, and more obscure artists from the stratosphere and the blogosphere, it was as if he was simultaneously from the past and future. Before he was old enough to legally drink, there were “Best Of,” rarities compilations, and .zip files floating through the ether. Whenever industry prospectors earmarked him as the next big thing, he disappeared back underground, only to reemerge sharper, leaner, weirder. Though only 26, the St. Louis-born rapper and producer has seen enough for several lifetimes—and raps as if he’s tapped into many more. But after a few years of highs, lows, and traumatic odysseys, he was able to stare straight into the abyss and conquer it. This regained confidence is exhibited on fish don’t climb trees, the largely self-produced new album that reaffirms him as one of rap’s great auteurs. While working on ""fish"", he vowed to be more true to the emotions and experiences he’d endured. Being true to those fractured, discordant feelings requires a prismatic approach. And so you get fish’s exhilarating hairpin turns: from downtempo dub (“bora bora”) to 808s rattling through a haunted house (“tourniquet”), beats that sound as if they’re molting into new shapes in real time (the two-song suite of “daze” and “grey theory”) to ones that that plunge to the bottom of a pocket (“spirits”). The album’s title comes from the maybe-apocryphal Einstein quote, about how a fish judged by its ability to climb trees will “spend its whole life believing it is stupid.” For Watson, this meant embracing the cheery first half of the quote (“Everybody is a genius”), but also being cognizant of the dark undercurrents that flow just beneath seemingly innocent misjudgments and mis-categorizations.
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
-
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Featuring a one-piece carbon fiber tonearm, precision-tuned motor, and a heavy steel platter with TPE damping, it ensures superior stability and sound quality.
-
Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaner
Thoroughly clean and restore your vinyl records, removing dust, dirt, and grime from every groove without damaging the surface
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Original Broadway Cast Buena Vista Social Club Original Broadway Cast Recording [2xLP]
Bmg
October 17, 2025 -
Nine Inch Nails TRON: Ares Soundtrack [2xLP]
The Null Corporation/Interscope
September 19, 2025 -
Leprous An Evening of Atonement [3xLP]
Inside Out Music
October 24, 2025 -
Vindicator Communal Decay
Nltm Records
October 3, 2025 -
Sunniva Hypostasis
Svart Records
September 26, 2025 -
Jasss Eager Buyers
Awos
September 19, 2025 -
Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here (50th Anniversary) [3xLP]
Legacy Recordings
December 12, 2025 -
Coach Party Caramel (Light Yellow)
Chess Club
October 10, 2025 -
Wretched Decay
Metal Blade
October 17, 2025 -
Minami Kitasono Meridian
Jet Set
September 19, 2025 -
Ghost Meliora Deluxe (10th Anniversary Neon Green) [2xLP]
Loma Vista Recordings
October 17, 2025 -
Mariel Buckley Strange Trip Ahead (Red)
Birthday Cake Media
October 17, 2025 -
Leith Ross I Can See The Future (Tangerine; Signed Insert) [2xLP]
Republic Records
September 19, 2025 -
The Bats Corner Coming Up (Blue)
Flying Nun
October 17, 2025