Urthboy is at his peak, weaving tales of the city with his past and present; celebrating life with a collection of songs balanced by the tension of light and darkness. From the vibrancy of ‘Knee Length Socks’ to the emotional weight of ‘Hey Dianne’, Smokey’s Haunt gets under your skin; it should be experienced whole, with songs segued by the shadows and atmosphere they were created in. This is more than a rap record.
Hermitude and Countbounce co-produced the entire album together—the first time they’ve joined forces. The chemistry was electric; studio sessions were intense, sparked by limited time together and the buzz of worldwide attention (Hermitude had just signed a global deal for ‘Speak of the Devil’) humming in the background. It felt like the Aussie rap version of The Avengers was taking place in Countbounce’s Melbourne studio.
Guests on the record include Alex Burnett, soaring in ‘The Big Sleep’, local hip hop king Delta and some of the illest young MCs Solo (Horrorshow) and new Elefant Traks signing Jimblah. Jane Tyrrell not only appears but also handled all the artwork. The bold first single, ‘Naïve Bravado’ featuring Daniel Merriweather, was iTunes Single Of The Week— raking in over 30,000 downloads.
The playful second single ‘Knee Length Socks’ has gone further, becoming the most played song on Triple J and resonating across the board with a huge response at live shows.
Urthboy has kept a frenetic pace since his last release. Putting out 2011’s Future Shade album from The Herd; and bringing the house down with his rendition of ‘Stagger Lee’ at Straight To You, triple j’s Nick Cave Tribute concerts. He recently signed a global publishing deal with legendary Alberts Music— the first hip hop artist to join their ranks. Smokey’s Haunt is the follow-up album to Spitshine and The Signal, both finalists in the Australian Music Prize. Spitshine won the Australian Independent Award (AIR) for Best Urban Album; The Signal was nominated for a J Award.
Co-produced by Hermitude and Countbounce, Smokey’s Haunt is an incredibly produced album of storytelling, flow and melody. Urthboy is at his peak, weaving tales of the city with his past and present; celebrating life with a collection of songs balanced by the tension of light and darkness.
The album should be experienced whole: Smokey’s Haunt is a meeting place of moods that are complete when connected together. The album comes with a 28 page booklet and triple panel digipack. It’s the follow-up album to Spitshine and The Signal, both finalists in the Australian Music Prize. Spitshine won the Australian Independent Award for Best Urban Album; The Signal was nominated for a J Award.
The guests on the record all bring a vitality to their songs. Alex Burnett’s soaring beauty in The Big Sleep is a showstopper; Bobby Flynn’s haunting comfort in Hey Dianne is unforgettable and long-time collaborators Jane Tyrrell and Mark Pearl (Texture Like Sun) are stunning.
There are only a few rappers guesting: the legendary Delta shows why he’s a king in the local scene; while young guns Solo and Jimblah both deliver the greats.
Smokey’s Haunt Tracklisting 1 Stories 2 Naïve Bravado ft. Daniel Merriweather 3 Cleopatra 4 Clean Slate ft. Delta 5 The Big Sleep ft. Alex Burnett 6 On Your Shoulders ft. Solo and Jimblah 7 Hey Dianne ft. Bobby Flynn 8 Empire Tags 9 Knee Length Socks 10 Glimpses ft. Jane Tyrrell and Jimblah 11 Calling Cards ft. Texture Like Sun and Ev Jones 12 Orphan Rocker
Delta stands unparalleled as a seasoned cultural ambassador for purist hip hop in Australia. Since releasing The Second Story three years ago, the hip hop world has been anxiously awaiting his next release. Beloved for his dependable quality of production, lyricism and execution, Delta is a champion of his craft.
The first single from upcoming album Pyramid Schemes (due late 2012) is Alien, a hypnotic sample-heavy track which explores human identity outside of the rat race, among the infinite cosmos that lies beyond. Alien is introduced by a foreword from the father and original architect of hip hop, DJ Kool Herc, setting the tone for the astronomical musical journey ahead.
“In an age where it may seem that dumbing lyrics down has been embraced as the norm, the average person is left wondering whether their real-world struggles are being represented poetically, or going completely unnoticed. As an artist it is my responsibility to try share the feelings of my listeners” – Delta
With strong 80’s electronic influences, Delta’s own production creates a soundscape of equally nostalgic scifi imagery, the perfect backdrop for the subjects at hand. Alien is available through Nuffsaid & Obese Records today.
This Is How We Never Die is the refreshingly on-point third instalment from prestigious Sydney producer Chasm. Joined by local and international artists; Chasm approaches beats like a learned artist with a brush, building on classic principles to create evolutionary new music.
aahh: This Is How We Never is the title to this absolute masterpiece of a production album. Explain to us the concept behind the title of the LP and what the you wanted to accomplish with this album? Chasm: The title is taken from a Currensy line I heard on one of his latest tapes, ‘Real music lasts forever, this is how we never die’. I just really like the phrase and I have always loved that idea with music, that it’s a legacy, something you can leave behind when your gone and people can hear it twenty, fifty years later and still feel it.With this album, I was just making music that I was feeling, I was just interested in working with MC’s that I loved and respected and making good soul music, that’s it.
aahh: When did you begin developing the concept to this album and how long did it take you to complete from start to finish? Chasm: I sat down with my manager and kinda said ok let’s do this now, maybe eight months ago, something like that. Before that I just had a verse done here, a verse done there and had a bunch of beats I knew I wanted to use. But I was busy with other projects so it was just a matter of organising a timeline and making the whole thing happen, but once it got underway it came together quite quickly really. For this album I used the MPC 5000, Logic, Maschine, records, a bunch of soft synths and a Moog Source. That was the artillery.
aahh: The emcee’s featured on This Is How We Never Die reads out like a who’s who of hip hop. We’d like to ask you about all the artists involved, but can you just give us a little background on a few of your favourites and how the relationships came about. Chasm: I had a great session with Guilty Simpson and Phat Kat when they were in town, such humble good dudes and we had a dope studio session. Both were inspiring to be in the lab with. Also to collaborate with Lazy Grey, Delta and Brad Strut was for me a huge thing. All legends of the scene and crazy talents so to have them bless my joints was killer. Gappy Ranks was another highlight, he came down to my studio when he was on tour out here, he just vibed on that beat in the lab and wrote and recorded it on the spot, another inspiring session watching him work like that.
aahh: The first single from the album is titled The Truth and features The Tongue, Hau and Dazastah. Tell us a bit about the recording process with this one we hear it was knocked out pretty quickly by the MC’s? Chasm: Yeah Daz had a day booked at 301 studios here in Sydney. He was out here on tour, and had a day in the studio finishing off collabs I think. So he had invited a few people down to work on stuff and asked me to pass through. So I took my MPC down with the original of ‘The Truth’ just chopped really simply on the sampler. When I played the tune those guys were all vibing on it and the energy in the studio was ill that day, just a good creative vibe, so they all ended up writing that afternoon and recording later that night. It was dope. Hau put down the chorus a couple of months later.
aahh: Your no stranger to the music scene in Australia, you’ve released albums with Astronomy Class through Elefant Traks and also solo work through Obese Records including numerous other side projects. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep producing music? Chasm: I just love music and I love being creative so it’s just something I always will do, even if I get frustrated and sick of the industry, give myself a few days off and I’m excited again to get in the studio and make something. I guess mainly its just hearing music old or new that is inspiring that gets me pumped to make more music, and just life, things in my life motivate me to express myself through the music.
aahh: What was one of the hardest challenges you faced on producing an album like this, especially with its international artists? Chasm: It was just time-consuming organising everyone, making sure I got all the parts back when I needed them and making sure everyone recorded when they said they would.The hardest thing though was the different microphones and booths that were in the mix! For one track you could have two or three different recordings so there was no consistency with the mic and room sound for all the vocals which made it tricky when it came to mixing. Trying to make it all sound cohesive was a tough one.
aahh: You launched This Is How We Never Die at the GoodGod Small Club in Sydney earlier in the month with a host of local names plus a special guest in DJ Neil Armstrong. Tell us about that. Chasm: It was a great night, all my people’s showed up so it was a nice vibe man, I appreciated the love that was shown from the crowd and all the rappers that jumped up with me, it was a mad night, I had a ball. We busted out a bunch of Astronomy Class tunes which is always fun, having Ozi Batla and The Tongue and Sir Robbo on stage and Thundamentals fellas got up and did some older joints that we did together which was cool.
aahh: Four dates have been announced in the This Is How We Never Die tour, are there any more dates planned and do you have any details you’d like to share on that? Chasm: Through July I’ll be touring the country in support of the album. The show will be a sound system style show with Hau on the mic to hype the crowd for me, should be a lot of fun. Will be having guests jump up at certain shows too!
aahh: What’s next for Chasm? We know you have many side projects, will we see say a Dr Don Don album soon? Chasm: Yes Dr Don Don album is pretty much done so gonna drop that after a couple more singles. Astronomy Class are hopefully gonna do an EP this year too and I have some ideas for the next Chasm release so hopefully will begin that too.
This Is How We Never Die is the refreshingly on-point third instalment from prestigious Sydney producer Chasm. True to the quality displayed throughout debut album Beyond the Beat Tape (2008), and Move (with Vida Sunshyne, 2010) Chasm proves himself once more as a consummate composer.
Joined by local and international artists; This Is How We Never Die features USA underground vocal heavyweights AG (Showbiz & AG), Guilty Simpson (Stones Throw), Vast Aire (Def Jux), and Fashawn (One), New Zealand’s Dave Dallas, and Blak Twang (UK). Not to mention an assortment of Australia’s top lyricists including Solo, Lazy Grey, Mdusu, Delta, Dialectrix and Brad Strut.
Chasm approaches beats like a learned artist with a brush, building on classic principles to create evolutionary new music. The collection of beats chosen for the album vary from old to new, moving through down tempo, blunted soul, up-tempo funk, and reggae. The This Is How We Never Die Tour will consist of dates throughout July and August. Chasm will be joined by various contributors from the album in their respective states, and Hau will be onboard for the whole tour!
Tour Dates: Fri 13th July – Mojo’s – Perth Fri 27th July - The Laundry, Melbourne Sat 28th July - Republic Bar, Hobart Fri 3rd August – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane More TBA
This Is How We Never Die is the refreshingly on-point third instalment from prestigious Sydney producer Chasm. True to the quality displayed throughout debut album Beyond the Beat Tape (2008), and Move (with Vida Sunshyne, 2010) Chasm proves himself once more as a consummate composer.
Joined by local and international artists; This Is How We Never Die features USA underground vocal heavyweights AG (Showbiz & AG), Guilty Simpson (Stones Throw), Vast Aire (Def Jux), and Fashawn (One), New Zealand’s Dave Dallas, and Blak Twang (UK). Not to mention an assortment of Australia’s top lyricists including Solo, Lazy Grey, Mdusu, Delta, Dialectrix and Brad Strut.
Chasm approaches beats like a learned artist with a brush, building on classic principles to create evolutionary new music. The collection of beats chosen for the album vary from old to new, moving through down tempo, blunted soul, up-tempo funk, and reggae.
The new clip for the track Smokey lifted from This Is How We Never Die and is produced & directed by Bryce Hooper & Tristan S Edouard.
This Is How We Never Die is the refreshingly on-point third instalment from prestigious Sydney producer Chasm. True to the quality displayed throughout debut album Beyond the Beat Tape (2008), and Move (with Vida Sunshyne, 2010) Chasm proves himself once more as a consummate composer.
Joined by local and international artists; This Is How We Never Die features USA underground vocal heavyweights AG (Showbiz & AG), Guilty Simpson (Stones Throw), Vast Aire (Def Jux), and Fashawn (One), New Zealand’s Dave Dallas, and Blak Twang (UK). Not to mention an assortment of Australia’s top lyricists including Solo, Lazy Grey, Mdusu, Delta, Dialectrix and Brad Strut.
Chasm approaches beats like a learned artist with a brush, building on classic principles to create evolutionary new music. The collection of beats chosen for the album vary from old to new, moving through down tempo, blunted soul, up-tempo funk, and reggae. Lead single The Truth with its eclectic sample combinations, fuses Latin piano loops with brass accents and futuristic synth solos. Bringing a new shine to the art of braggadocio, the track features emcees The Tongue, Hau, and Dazastah.
Vast Aire and Dialect team up on the sample-heavy Intergalactic. The two brilliant rappers attack the beat as it slams alongside an eerie drone, while delicate piano flourishes glint throughout. I Am Legend features the masterful AG and Delta riffing over classic boom bap teamed with driving keys. Lyrically the track is a soulful reminisce to hip hop’s greats and the legacies left and lived by. This Is How We Never Die is certain to be a historical cornerstone reflective of the unifying strength hip hop inspires. A testament to the power an accomplished producer possesses, bringing the most diverse of artists and fans together.
Track List 1. New Day 2. Rusty Griz Feat. Lazy Grey 3. I Am Legend Feat. AG & Delta 4. The Truth Feat. The Tongue, Hau & Dazastah 5. Soldier and a Thinker Feat. Hau & Blak Twang 6. Highs and Lows Feat. Fashawn, Solo & David Dallas 7. Ruthless Feat. Guilty Simpson & Brad Strut 8. Intergalactic Feat. Vast Aire & Dialect 9. Smokey 10. Dreamin Feat. Gappy Ranks & RuCL 11. I See You Feat. Marvin Priest 12. All Lovely Feat. Phat Kat & Mr. Clean 13. King Pin Shottas Feat. Guilty Simpson, Mdusu & Hau 14. We’ve Arrived Feat. Jeswon, Tuka, Skryptcha, Scott Burns, Rinse & Dialectrix
Chasm – This Is How We Never Die is available through Obese Records on April 27.
Chasm’s highly anticpated LP release This Is How We Never Die is due April 27th through Obese Records and features big names such as AG (DITC), Delta, Lazy Grey, Hau, Brad Strut, Guilty Simpson, Fashawn, Solo, Blak Twang, David Dallas and many more.
Chasm is one of the leading hip hop producers in Australia, signed to Obese Records for his solo work and to Elefant Traks for his work with his crew Astronomy Class featuring Ozi Batla and Sir Robbo. Having released 2 crew albums, Exit Strategy (2006) and Pursuit Of Happiness (2009) and 2 solo joints in the last five years Beyond The Beat Tape (2008) & Move, Chasm also has a stack of production credits and remixes to his name.
The Truth is the new single from superlative producer Chasm, the first instalment from his upcoming LP, featuring three of Australia’s most proficient emcees; The Tongue, Hau, and Dazastah, the track is innovative and brazen.
From the get-go the track detonates out of a vocal crescendo into its punchy, progressive party feel. Chasm with his exceptional ear for eclectic sample combinations fuses latin piano loops with brass accents and futuristic synth solos. Bringing a new shine to the art of braggadocio, the three emcees effortlessly glide through verses, each repping his distinctive style with assurance. The Tongue, Hau, and Dazastah all wrote and recorded their verses for The Truth in one day.
By Trem1 – Wow! - Another crazy turnout this time in the city of churches. A couple weeks ago saw an amazing day at Clinic 116 with plenty heads, old and new swingin thru to cop the albs, have a beer & snag, check the visuals, get some shit signed and basically join in the festivities to help celebrate the album release.
Super duper shout out to Justin & the Clinic 116 massive for hosting a great day, my mans Delts & Motions for keepin the decks in check, Vans The Omega, Palmsy, Erbs & Ironlak for supplyin the slammin opticals, Snag Master Lewps n Paws for keepin the hotplates sizzlin, Selina, Leigh & Faz for capturing the moments on cam, Derringers, Jade Monkey and of course all of you who swung thru to say waddup throughout the arvo! Good times chillin with some new friends and re-aquainting with the old!Thanks for the supreme show of support ADL, I cant wait to hit back with the liveness early next year!Heavy duty shout to the homeboy who rolled thru requesting the tags on the VN Commodore and the fresh L.C Leg tat! Much Respect!
HQ’s celebration of the local hip hop scene returns with a line up featuring some of Australia’s finest. The event will also see the return to Adelaide for hip hop legends Def Wish Cast.
Def Wish Cast return with the banger Dun Proppa, the first single from their upcoming album Evolution Machine. Also featuring on the night are Sydney’s Horrorshow, and Adelaide’s Dialect & Despair. The Tongue, who is currently on his national The Sextape tour will also be in Adelaide to share his sexual secrets on stage. Jjoining this already massive line up is none other than your rappers favourite rapper Mantra, who just released his Speaking Volumes LP, and prepares to drop a massive video clip for his second single Voodoo Music.
Another two hip hop giants set to grace the stage at Homegrown 2 is Adelaide’s very own Delta & Staen 1. Delta’s third LP Pyramid Schemes is due very soon, stay tuned for more details on that one. Also on the bill are the talented Grifters Inc along with DJ Dyems (Terra Firma Crew) and DJ Sanchez. You do not want to miss out on this one, be sure to get your tickets quick. Full line up and link for tickets below.
Homegrown 2 – Friday October 21st – HQ Complex Lineup: Horrorshow Def Wish Cast The Tongue Mantra Delta & Staen 1 Dialect & Despair Grifters Inc DJ Dyems (Terra Firma Crew) DJ Sanchez
Tickets on sale now from Venuetix, Clinic 116 & Da Klinic.
