It’s customary for an artist on the promo trail to talk up (or big note) how progressive their new album is. But in the two years since Clockwork floored the hip-hop world, Phrase — aka Melbourne MC Harley Webster — has completely ripped up his past by the roots. Babylon, his third album, throws down the gauntlet to any musician feeling hemmed in by a scene and longing to paint a bigger picture.
The first single, Apart, sets the stage for Babylon, as a garage stomper with guitar twists and a chorus sung by You Am I’s Davey Lane — which laments a chaotic, hungover relationship. Rest assured, Babylon retains Phrase’s trademark acerbic insights. While he’s drawn on some vintage genres when structuring the songs, on the verses he’s re-imagined the vocalist as rapper back in the day, emerging with a flawlessly blended sound that’s startlingly unique. Artfully designed to jack up your adrenalin, these tracks hum with tremolo guitar, Farfisa and Hammond lines.
The choruses (so epic they must be carved into the side of a mountain somewhere) feature gutsy vocals from an unlikely crew of special guests — and Harley singing, for the first time, himself. We hope you enjoy Phrase’s latest music video for Apart feat. Davey Lane! Make sure you check out the behind the scenes video too for a few laughs! Babylon will be available 12th of August, 2011.
“To me, ‘Babylon’ means a place of beauty and getting to a better point in life. That’s what the record represents,” offers Phrase of his upcoming album, which will include an eclectic cast of guests spanning Jimmy Barnes to Sparkadia’s Alex Burnett.
Pre-Order Babylon now and receive a signed limited edition Babylon postcard. Apart ft. Davey Lane is available now on iTunes for just $1.69
