3 out of 5

Producers: Matthew Lambert, B. Francis, M. Veraquth

Label: “Independent release”, according to wiki

Somewhere between the pop-rap smarts of Tribe and the rolling delivery of Jurassic Five comes this early album from Hilltop Hoods, and Aussie hip-hop group I was introduced thanks to director Nash Edgerton’s directed music video.  The sound is so slick, frankly, that it can pass through the ears without much notice.  A couple tracks rip you down to Earth in the best of ways – the title track has a wicked stop/start beat that cues you to listen to the DJ’s mixes a bit more intensely.  These are good beats, not just standard tracks, with some truly unique flourishes and layering of samples to make for a warm and rich sound.  But again, it’s almost too rounded – reminding me of Atmosphere in some spots, with the old school vibe, but our MCs, when laid-back, don’t have the common man vibe that Slug puts out that just gets you listenin’ to whatever he’s saying.  However, the tracks where the Hoods duo get amped up – some of the regular “I’m the best” tracks like “Immortal MCs” but also some inventive word-wrangling on more thematic / story-based tracks like “I Believe” and “Tolerance Levels” – the juxtaposition of their concise and energetic delivery with the well-timed scratches and grooves really nails the formula.  A really well-rounded early album that already carves out a recognizable group sound overall (if not distinct track-by-track), and not just ’cause of the accents.