I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Bliss n Eso and listen to their upcoming album “Running on Air”. Those who know me, know this: I’m totally sick of Aussie Hip Hop. I’m bored by it. I’m bored by everyone sounding the same, “rapping” about the same shit, and trying so desperately to fit into the Hilltop Hoods category. What they should be doing is taking chances, be daring with their music and stop assuming their listeners are only interested in a set formula. Thankfully, Bliss n Eso are an exception to this frustrating trend.
While at times they do appear to conform to Australian Hip Hop stereotypes, the gold selling and ARIA award winning album Flying Colours proved one thing: they while might pay a visit to “show ’em all how it’s done”, they’re never going hang with the pack. They want to be original. Daring. Providing Australian Hip Hop with a more internationally acceptable sound. The album featured Debaser and a 20 piece African Zulu Choir, it was recorded over three continents and took the artists on quite the rollercoaster ride: They became the first ever Australian hip hop act to tour America, while selling out a local tour which broke box office records for the genre. Indeed, listeners approved.
And now comes their eagerly awaited follow-up, Running on Air (to be released July 30th). From my first listen, it feels like a highly considered breath of fresh air – a new direction for Aussie Hip Hop that will force the industry, and its stars, to rethink their lyrical and musical approaches. Put simply: if this is the direction Aussie Hip Hop is heading, I think I like it. But that said, it’s almost difficult to call this album Aussie Hip Hop at all. Rather, it’s an amalgamation of the international sounds of hip hop, all blended together to create a sound that hasn’t really been done before. At last! A group who looks to their contemporaries – Tribe, Wu Tang, Jurassic 5 etc. – and asks not how do we do that, but rather: how do we set the benchmark as they did before us?
We’ll have a full review of the album when we receive a the polished version, but from the taste I received last week, I can bring you in on some of the highlights. Firstly, there are the guests. They may surprise! Xhibit features of “People Up On It”, UK MC Jehst features of “I Can”, Mind Over Matter feature of “Where The Wild Things Are”, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson feature on “Late One Night” (seriously!) and the one and only RZA appears on “Smoke Like a Fire”. If that’s not a beautifully eclectic group of musicians, I don’t know what is!
Unsurprisingly, the tracks themselves are as diverse as the artists that appear on them – a Wild West esque saloon piano is heard in “Family Affair”, a Kasabian/Muse vibe is felt in “Where the Wild Things Are”, while classic Wu Tang beats are transformed over a freestyle chorus in “Smoke Like A Fire”. Then you have the the integration of country in “Late One Night”, which not only is wholly impressive, but is possibly the best track on the album – a true testament to what these boys are capable of. But in the midst of all this, they still feel like they’re sticking to
their roots lyrically, so they certainly won’t isolate any long time listeners –
they’re just taking more chances musically – a trend they began in
Flying Colours, and have perfected here.
Running on Air has the potential to place Bliss n Eso not only firmly at the top of the Australian music stage, but up there with their international heroes, too. I have a feeling this just might be the album that all future Hip Hop artists in Australia are judged by. Well I certainly hope so anyway. I’m looking forward to hearing the final product, and we’ll be sure to give you the full breakdown then. Get excited!
