In the middle of the country in Alice Springs, surrounded by the ancient and devastatingly beautiful Central Australian landscape, live two best mates: Skank & Shake.

Constantly creating and collaborating on new sounds, the duo have become the much-loved heroes of NT Hip Hop in Alice, Darwin and beyond. After sharing the stage with Aussie luminaries the Hilltop Hoods, they know full well that hard work and determination are crucial elements in becoming all that they can be.

After the success of Skank’s debut EP I’m Only Hugh… Man, Skank & Shake set out together to create an LP, The Long Road Ahead. But they soon realised the pressures of existence can easily outweigh the dream. The LP loomed on the horizon, a monumental task awaiting to be tackled. Months trickled by, they became a year and life eventually got in the way. A metaphorical road block appeared.

Image credit: STS Photography

The Long Road Ahead grew longer, the twists and turns of life more dangerous and the rest stops few and far between. It was the end of winter 2015, spring came and with the new season, everything began to change.

Skank & Shake decided that this form of self-expression does not have to be contained within a pre-determined structure; they unashamedly admitted that flowing into a saturated market is hard, especially when you’re in the middle of the desert. Skank & Shake agreed that in order for them to stand out, it was imperative that they didn’t fit in.

Thus, a new idea was born. Seven songs selected from their inventory of emotion. Heart and soul strung throughout a soundscape directly influenced by their home, Alice Springs: the centre of creation.

Billed as an Australian first, Skank & Shake have decided not to contain their creativity into one LP, but to document their constant learning and growth through an album with no distinguishable finish.

Available now through Bandcamp and iTunes.