The question posed by the EP’s title is one the rapper clearly knows the answer to, given the confidence with which he has pursued his art. Capper (Zhang Yanzhuo) first got into hip-hop as a teenager. By the age of 21, he had founded an indie label in Xi’an, slayed in an 8 Mile Underground freestyle battle in Taiyuan, appeared in the third season of The Rap of China and triumphed in the 2021 web series New Generation Hip-Hop Project. Tapping an arsenal of trap, boom-bap and mumble rap augmented with classical and synth instrumentation, in early 2022 he dropped SwordandRose, an epic debut album full of medieval imagery and armoured braggadocio. The follow-up EP Where Is My Next Trip? leaves the historical conceit behind and arrives firmly in the 21st century to confront the reality of urban ennui and modern love. On every track, the artist raises questions and offers personal answers, from the vulnerability of opener “好吧” (“Oh Well”), a confession grounded by a throbbing bass and soulful guest vocals from XENZU, to the yearning “因为” (“Because”), whose hypnotic, autotuned “Cuz I want you” mantra recalls the hot bedroom jams of Lil Tjay and Lil Baby. Long-time collaborator Leggo co-wrote the neo-soul charged “都市问题” (“Metropolitan Issues”), a cautionary tale with a hook, “You know the city lies”, that allows Capper to flex his vocal muscles. He finally raises the big question posed by the EP’s title on closing track “还有问答” (“Answer Still”) in between the grind of jazz-guitar and organ licks. The city may be a confusing, beguiling place, but Capper declares he knows where he’s headed with an assuredness backed up by experience.