Long before he started Militarie Gun, Ian Shelton launched Regional Justice Center, a Seattle powerviolence band with a specific purpose. Ian’s brother Max had been given a six-year prison sentence for assault, and Ian started RJC as a way to express some thoughts about the criminal justice system. Max would sometimes contribute lyrics over the phone from prison. Now, Max is out of prison, and he’s making music as Vatican Voss.

Upon his release last year, Vatican Voss released his debut single “I’m Out.” These days, he’s living in Seattle and making music with Regional Justice Center and with his brother’s network of collaborators. On his own, Vatican Voss makes misty cloud-rap that wrestles with regret. Voss says, “I feel like I lost a lot of time and still remember that I could still be in jail. I owe it to myself to go headfirst.”

Today, Vatican Voss has come out with his short three-song debut EP Vatican Files Vol. 1. It’s a murky, thoughtful piece of bedroom-rap. Militarie Gun’s Will Acuña directed the video for opening track “Change,” and you can watch that and hear the EP below.