Paul Wright makes his full length album debut with Fly Away, a Gotee project that is a marvelous work of musical art, a meld of folk surf-pop with hip hop, featuring plenty of guitar.

Yes, it sounds like a strange mix, but one listen convicts that it works well. Wright doesn't contrive the genre, and sincerity, musical, lyrically and otherwise, is a hallmark of the project. Not everyone could pull this off, so credit Wright and his collaborator Christopher Stevens along with Gotee Records visionaries for making it a huge success.

Wright has previously worked with tobymac on his Momentum re:mix album (see review), and also has had cameos with respected hip hop crews such as LA Symphony. But with guitar in hand, beautiful melodies in his pen, ministering, meaningful lyrics and an uncomplicated, honest and smooth vocal delivery, Wright truly defies all attempts at categorization.

From beginning to end, Fly Away pulls you in with its innovation. Compelling, never pretentious, the project has legitimate appeal a vast range of styles. Songs like "Rock The Show" showcase Wright giving tongue-tripping staccato lines over a groovy, laidback hip hop splashed track. It's a good-fun cut that brightens the spirit.

tobymac joins Wright on "West Coast Kid", trading lines in telling the story of the artist's recent turn of events in life. Youthful choir Sandtown joins in on the fun. "South Beach" blends surf elements with guitar and folk as Wright glories in God's creation.

A chorus of "Praise Jesus, Hallelujah" imprints into memory on "Brighter", as Wright sings of the glorious life in Jesus. "Your Love Never Changes" is all about God's faithfulness in the midst of all we are —our struggles as a result of our sin nature, and our mistakes. The song has a great back-rhythm vocal overlay from Wright, laid over the main vocals.

"Fly Away" is a groove tune about the incessant struggle that we as Christians have between spirit and flesh, the solution being to flee (fly away) from the situation or the temptation that so easily entraps. Ohmega Watts guests, adding his reggae vibe vocals to the mix.

More introspective tunes such as "Who Is This Woman" and "Mommy, Where's Daddy" reveal another side to Wright, as he lifts personal experience and turns it into song.

Fly Away is evidence of the degree to which hip hop has made its mark on contemporary pop, and Paul Wright is a bright star on the new artist horizon.