EXTENDED PLAY 101: 360'S OUT OF THE BLUE | A RETURN, A RECKONING, A RESURRECTION
Words by Brooke Gibbs.
It’s not often that an album feels like a full-circle moment and a brand new chapter. But Out Of The Blue, the long-awaited fifth studio album from ARIA-winning rapper 360, is exactly that. It’s project born not just from beats and bars, but from bruises, breakdowns, and breathtaking honesty.
Eight years since Vintage Modern, and over a decade since Falling & Flying etched his name into Australia’s hip hop history, Matt Colwell, better known as 360, has returned with an album that doesn’t try to recreate past glories. Instead, Out Of The Blue redefines them. It’s the sound of a man who’s fought his demons in the dark and has finally found a way to bring the light back in.
““They know me when I fall, but I get back up””
That line, from the soul-stirring lead single, Save My Soul, isn’t just a lyric. It’s a thesis statement. One of the first songs written for the album, Save My Soul is a vibrant, melodic blend of old-school bounce and crisp contemporary production, co-crafted with producer Tyron Hapi. It showcases a new maturity in both voice and vision; equal parts wounded and wise.
360’s signature vulnerability is still here, but it’s backed by a different kind of strength. Not bravado, but bravery. He doesn’t just rap about the come up or the collapse. He raps about the crawl back to consciousness. It’s raw, it’s refined, and most importantly, it’s real.
When I interviewed 360 recently, he opened up about the personal battles that nearly ended his career and his life. Addiction. Mental health. The kind of reckoning that doesn’t come with a beat drop but with a mirror.
““I thought once I went to rehab and got out, I’d hit the ground running,” he admitted. “But it was a rude awakening.””
Instead, it took five years of introspection, healing, and rebuilding physically, mentally, and spiritually.
You can hear that evolution in the music. Out Of The Blue blends the introspective lyricism of Falling & Flying with the polished intensity of Vintage Modern. But there’s something more; a sense of clarity and control that 360 himself says he never quite felt until now.
“If you listen to my old music, I can hear the flaws,” he says. “With this album, I feel like I’m finally in a position where I actually really like the music. I feel like I’m an established artist now, not someone who’s still trying to work out how to rap.”
If 360’s recovery has been a solitary journey in many ways, it’s also been marked by deep-rooted connection, especially with longtime friend and collaborator PEZ. The pair, who first captivated fans under the Forthwrite banner, are not only reuniting on the Out Of The Blue national tour this July and August, but also launching The Forthwrite Podcast, a raw and humorous look at life, fatherhood, music, and growth.
Their bond is palpable. “There’s never been any ego,” 360 reflects. “We’ve always just wanted to help each other be better in all aspects of life.”
That brotherhood is baked into the album’s DNA. Though PEZ doesn’t dominate the tracklist, his presence looms large as a sounding board, a source of inspiration, and a symbol of loyalty in an industry that too often thrives on competition.
Across Out Of The Blue, 360 wears many hats; storyteller, survivor, satirist, sage. He flows seamlessly between sharp punchlines and soul-baring confessionals, never losing sight of the emotional core. One moment, he’s dissecting his past with scalpel-like precision. The next, he’s lifting up the listener with hard-earned hope.
And he’s doing it without the desperate need for validation that once shaped his career. “I’ve finally let go of the need for others’ approval,” he says. “It’s very liberating.”
The album doesn’t rely on flashy features or trend-chasing production. Instead, it trusts in the power of truth; a refreshing reminder that authenticity still matters in an era of polished perfection.