Jonwayne earned a deal with Stones Throw after productions like his own suspenseful "King" and Homeboy Sandman's clopping "Rain" made the rounds. Now, the Los Angeles denizen is rapping as well as making beats-- but he's not quick-tongued like Sandman or an eccentric storyteller like Serengeti, both relative veterans in Wayne's chosen wing of indie-rap. As is evident on the new "Altitude", JW delivers his lines straight and mellow with a little bit of Aesop Rock's prolixity. "I'm trying not to take this gratitude for granted/ I know I got a heart that could be harder than some granite," he accepts over a beat that starts spacey like Wiz Khalifa's "Mezmerized" but ends up a heavy nod padded with misty Rhodes and ultra-low bass.