The slow but steady rise in the local Brisbane hip-hop scene is one that has us almost clapping for joy. Focusing on intelligent lyrics, unique beats and a fostering of a “family” scene means that local artists are encouraged to be different. By pushing themselves and each other, changes are starting to appear in the local hip-hop world, and artists are starting to really establish themselves.

One group in particular has well and truly grabbed our attention, and they go by the name of Astro Travellers. The seven piece, jazz-infused hip-hop band have been busy cementing a firm reputation around the city with their intergalactic jams and out-there tunes, and have collected a loyal fan base along the way (this writer included). So, when it was revealed that one of the two MC’s in the group was set to release some more solo material, we jumped at the chance to bring that to you today.

ALI the GREAT makes up one third of the vocal element in Astro, and is a formidable force to be reckoned with on the mic. He spits impossibly quick rhymes, showing off his vast experience and natural skill with his intoxicating and effortless flow. Responsible for some impeccable lyrics, quick wit and razor sharp tongue, he brings a certain energy to the crew, and the Brisbane scene in general, that hasn’t been heard before. He carves a place out for himself in his band’s songs, and now he is set to step out on his own with Trophy.

Now, ALI is hardly a stranger to the solo scene. Having made a name for himself over in Canada and the US back in 2008 and 2009 with his mixtape This Is All Imaginary, ALI toured his native country extensively. He has now set his sights on Brisbane and beyond, and Trophy stands to reason that that is a very achievable goal.

Spitfire lyrics over a staggering percussive line, ALI demonstrates just how much he is capable of with Trophy. Looking dapper in a suit beside the Brisbane river, he lays it down over the eclectic beat, almost impossibly fitting in as much as he possibly can into his verses – an immediate juxtaposition to the almost droning hook. The visually stimulating clip captures various scenes around his new hometown, stunningly filmed and aesthetically popping. The combination of the bright, buzzing visuals with ALI’s cutthroat rhymes creates an all-round powerful experience, and one that would probably convince even the strongest of sceptics that ALI really does have it going on.

Trophy is the latest single out off ALI the GREAT’s EP, Earth, which was released by Astro Travellers’ label, Green Chimney Records. You can catch him supporting none other than Oddisee on November 26 at Brisbane’s Woolly Mammoth, or with Astro Travellers at Jungle Love Festival on November 27.

Is it Friday already? Who knew that seven days was enough time to release so many goddamn good videos. This week we present our homegrown edition, with a killer line up from a whole lot of stellar Aussie acts. We didn’t need to look any further than our own back yard to get your afternoon started off right. Happy weekend!

Holy Holy – A Heroine

It’s no secret we are big fans of Holy Holy. We have eagerly followed the release of their debut album When the Storms Would Come, and have caught them live at every opportunity. The latest clip to track A Heroine is a stripped back, highly polished recording of the song being performed at Howler in Melbourne and gives a taste of just what these guys sound like in the flesh. When we caught up with vocalist Tim Carroll, he told us how the song was inspired by Melvin Bragg’s In Our Time podcast. “I was just riding my bike around once and he was doing one on ancient China and I was really struck by these repeated tragedies and the rise of emperors, and the collapse of empires, and love and loss and all these different things that repeat themselves again and again up until now.” To watch Carroll belt out those notes with all the pain of all of history inside of him is transcendent. You just gotta do it.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0mYWwfRk_M]

Feels – Jungle

New kids on the Aussie hip hop block, Feels, are landing with a bang with their debut single Jungle – out this week. It’s a downbeat number featuring minimalist electronics and flowing lyrics that evoke all the, well, feels. Vocalist Dane Kennedy unleashes softly sung verses, complimented by Ryan Jordan raps lamenting the loss of someone close. The moody clip splices together black and white imagery tracing the journey through an emergency room as the pair plead for “one more day.” It’s pretty heavy, but it’s touching and a strong taste of what is to come on debut EP due out in 2016.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGK98EcoVlM]

Matt Corby – Monday

Just wow. Who knew that sweet sweet voice of Matt Corby could get any better. Put him in a cabin in the woods, set him up with a microphone, and record in one take and the results are a little mesmerising. The clip for track Monday was shot in the same cottage in Berry, NSW where the song was recorded. With peeling paint, mismatched furniture, and just the right amount of light, it looks like the perfect setting for contemplative moments and creative grandeur. The track is taken from his forthcoming debut album due out early next year, and we are now more than a little excited to see what it holds.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPnA-Vs5ATU]

Crayon Fields – Love Won’t Save You

The latest clip from Melbourne four-piece Crayon Fields for track Love Won’t Save You might make you feel like busting out those disposable 3D glasses that you “accidentally” stole from the cinema. Set against a white backdrop, lead singer Geoffrey O’Connor is silhouetted in neon auras that warp and fade with the lilting pop melody. The clip centres on inanimate objects like a vase and a bunch of bananas in a celebration of still life that bears tribute to the ordinary and the constant, as the title line is repeated over and over and we are reminded of the chaos of love. These guys are about to embark on a couple of shows in Sydney and Melbourne, so be sure to check out the details here.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sgmQKIuK1w]

GL – Number One

Sultry synth-poppers GL translate their bright and romantic sound perfectly with their latest clip. Symmetry ties together scenes of non-sequiturs that thread together to create a surreal story that turns making pancakes and eating a peach into a visceral experience. The duo really summed it up best themselves in a recent interview:

“We wanted to make something that had a slightly surreal narrative. Colour and movement are very much a part of the story. Many great moments were captured by chance, like when brothers Rhys and Louis were chasing the family chicken on the tennis court and Annelise decided to film it because the chicken matched their hair colour. I felt like we were in some sort of Edward Scissorhands suburbia. The song is kind of about idolising perfection, the video is like a visual dream sequence interpretation of that.”

 Take a walk to that strange world below.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucbK0iyA3Vs]

Ali the Great – Trophy

If you are familiar with Brisbane hip hop legends The Astro Travellers, then you are no stranger to the sharp rhymes of one of their lead emcees Ali the Great. This week Ali has dropped the clip for his lively track Trophy, and it plays out like a moving postcard of his hometown. Making it’s way through the streets of Brisbane there are familiar landscapes washed out in vintage hues, and we are introduced to a range of eclectic characters. Ali appears in a gangster suit rapping under the Storey Bridge, and layers verse upon verse of sharp lines. We look forward to checking him out when he supports Oddisee on the 26th of November at Brisbane’s The Wooly Mammoth.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3nuqfp14_g]

 

It’s that time again! Our weekly playlist getting you sorted for your new music fix! This week we have quite an electronic heavy playlist, with just a little bit of hip hop and rock. Sorry, not sorry, this was a good week for electronic music! We’ve got new tracks from Sid Pattni, Entheo, Spirals, one from my favourites Snakehips and an awesome track from Set Mo featuring Deutsch Duke. To break things up we’ve got an all out pop jam from Nouvel Age, an unreal hip hop track from Ali The Great, some Joey Bada$$, a nice raucous rock track from Mujeres and a Kindness flip of one of Kendrick‘s new songs to round things off. Enjoy!

1. Sid Pattni ft. Sophie Hopes – Love & Desire

This is the latest release from Pilerats records, so you already know it’s going to be pretty good. Sid has recruited the gorgeous vocals of Sophie Hopes for this dark disco track. Good luck getting this one out of your head!

2. Snakehips ft. Kaleem Taylor – Forever (Part II)

Snakehips slithered (lol) their way into my heart with On & On, and have stayed their ever since. With each release, it reaffirms their place as serious players in the game, turning every track into straight up fire. Also Kaleem Taylor’s vocals are sublime here. Definitely one for the dancefloors.

3. Entheo ft. Maia – Half Moon

This track is a dream. Sydney producer Entheo and Brisbane rising star Maia are a match made in heaven, with the former’s woozy dreamscapes and the latter’s unreal vocals. My one problem here is that it is no where near long enough – luckily there is a whole album on Entheo’s Soundcloud available for streaming!

4. Ali The Great ft. Puer MC – Uninvited

Ali The Great is one of the MC’s in one of my favourite Brisbane bands, Astro Travellers. This is the first track from his solo efforts, and it shows a hell of a lot of talent. His beats are sick, his flow is far superior to what I’ve heard recently, and I can’t wait to see what he does next!

5. Nouvel Age – What Have You Done For Me

This is a duo on HW&W Recordings (home to Ta-Ku and Kaytranada) and one of the members is POMO, who is also signed to HW&W and has been killing it in his own right. The combination of his production skills and the voice of Antony Carle makes Nouvel Age one of the best dance acts around, even though it has taken them a little while to get some new material out. Try not groove to this, it’s near impossible!

6. Joey Bada$$ x Kirk Knight – Perception vs Reality

We recently covered Joey Bada$$’ debut album, but I can’t stop listening to this track. For a more in depth look at what Joey is doing, read our review HERE.

7. Spirals ft. Lou Millar – Dead Ritual

Spirals are a fresh new duo, who make seriously good electronic music. They’ve teamed up with Lou Millar from Twin Caverns for this track – which will be on their forthcoming EP – to create a sweeping, swirling (spiralling, maybe?) dream, complete with fresh percussion and just enough bass to keep the groove.

8. Set Mo ft. Deutsch Duke – White Dress

Set Mo are quickly becoming one of the hottest acts in the country, and if they continue making tracks like this one, it’s only up from here! White Dress was apparently written after a week in Ibiza, which makes a lot of sense as it’s packed with summery feel good vibes! Teaming up with Deutsch Duke (who recently dropped his own single Battleground) who brings powerful vocal melodies into the shimmering mix as he paints a picture of fleeting love (with a girl in a white dress), this track is making this slightly too warm Autumn feel pretty damn good!

9. Mujeres – Lose Control

*sigh* Good old rock & roll! This new one from Mujeres is garage rock at it’s finest; full throttle, a little mismatched, impossibly energetic and totally badass. The Barcelona band are definitely going to making waves with tracks like this, and is also a great first release from new Sydney label, Digestation Records!

10. Kendrick Lamar – Institutionalized (Kindness flip)

I don’t even need to write why this is here. Kendrick dropped his third album this week, and consequently blew up the internet. Every dog and his man have been weighing in with their take on the record, but none have been quite to eloquently put as Kindness. He said on his Facebook page, “Sometimes you hear music and it triggers a musical response… To Pimp a Butterfly is such an inspired push in all the right directions. Maybe I should have kept this edit for myself, but I figured other people are freaking out about this record too, I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to share that feeling.” You’re not alone, Kindness, we’re freaking out too!