The Australian music scene in recent years has seen a dramatic change in dynamics, what with so many genres of music all competing for the attention of youth culture. Hip-hop, by far, is the stand out.
From the moment you hit play on Smiling at Strangers until the final note, this album is packed full of irony, sarcasm, wit, funk, hot grooves and happy beats. You just won’t want to stop dancing. Working with producer Magoo of Regurgitator fame, the aim was for an album ‘heavy in live instrumentation.’ This was definitely achieved and is evident in the opening track Hey OK. With an upbeat pop feel to it, it has the makings of a great track to hear live.
In their own words, ‘some songs are unashamedly pop.’ The first track to fit one hundred percent into this typecast is She Gets Up. Clearly on the subject of girls it is amusing, witty and makes you want to shake that booty! Not short on groove, it also has some great experimentation with the turntables.
Recoil is largely a political argument against the Australian government and a semi-comical take of our very own National anthem.
Australians all let us recoil, for we have no idea
We go to war for wealth and oil
Our home is girt by fear.
It is completely different to other tracks on the album and yet it fits perfectly into the mix, in particular the feature in the chorus of ‘a huge bunch of friends and patriots (Fitzroy b. ball choir).’
I wasn’t quite sure what to make of TZU Blues (Sweet Little Hoochie) the first time round, but after a few runs through found myself grooving away with the best of them. Especially loved the sexy harmonica tune that emerges about half way through. Won’t Get Played is another track about girls and the competition between men to attract the attention of those girls, a very interesting perspective! Coming Round provides some nice sample work and In Front of Me is just pure funk. The sampling, the rap, the drums – it just works!
Back To Front includes some awesome trombones and trumpets while mixing in some hot turntable work that produces an amazing effect. Throw in a rap that is addictive and you have one impressive anthem for summer. Reminisce has an intense string section and a great trombone solo at the end. Lounge is a very interesting track. Starting of in a somewhat similar fashion to something you’d hear from the Avalanches, it turns into a very sedate and powerful tune.
With so many different sounds all combined into an eye-opening hour, this album is sure to open up many other avenues for TZU and the hip-hop scene as a whole. The making of this album has been described as “TZU and Magoo in the studio was like five nerds in heaven.” Well, revenge of the nerds is certainly no losing battle.
