(Self-released, digital) Ko rabwa, for starters, means "thank you" in Kiribati. The tiny island nation in the Pacific is a big part of the story behind Topia, a singer-songwriter, part-time rapper and spookily talented producer who has been at the forefront of Burlington's post-pandemic new wave. He's a prolific collaborator and a stylistic chameleon, but for his third album, KO RABWA, he turns the spotlight squarely on himself, paying homage to his heritage, his family and his adopted community in Vermont. Since his 2022 debut album, Impulse, Topia has been a brazenly experimental artist, comfortable exploring both the limits of his own timbre and, well, genre itself. Like his local contemporaries Caleb Lodish and thayerperiod, he's a musical omnivore pushing modern studio technology to the limit. On his 2023 follow-up, No U in Topia, he delivered a sprawling 18-track testament to his range and ambition. The result was a decidedly mixed bag. KO RABWA is a very different beast: a tightly focused project with an eclectic but consistent sound. That sound alternates between ethereal acoustic interludes and massive walls of orchestrated electronica. In practice, it's an organic fit, reminiscent of how Seal's eponymous debut flowed from stripped-down demos into the most crushing club beats imaginable. This contrasting approach enhances the material, offering an intimate window into Topia's songwriting process, from rough sketches to final print. Along the way, there are some knockout singles. The relentless groove of "OWNHAND" and the cinematic chill of "THISMYFATE" are highlights, even on a lean, all-killer track list. Yet what's most impressive about KO RABWA is how effortlessly it insists upon being a singular, uninterrupted listening experience. Each track flows into the next with the satisfying click of a jigsaw puzzle. A sound this cohesive is clearly the result of endless hours of hard work and outright obsession. It's a beautiful thing to watch young artists evolve into the monsters they were meant to be. For young local talent, Topia included, the Burlington Technical Center's Make Music Club has been a key incubator in recent years. Naturally, letting the kids figure it out for themselves is a recipe for fertile creativity — and uneven sound quality. The low end on KO RABWA is sometimes so hot it crowds out the rest of the mix. Fortunately, Topia's sheer conviction in the booth commands center stage on every track. In the face of such raw charisma,…