_Thundamentals - Foreverlution (14/10/2011)
Foreverlution, the sophomore album by Blue Mountains’ trio Thundamentals, opens with the caustic growl of a thunder storm, evoking trepidation of an impending peril. The rain is soon broken by the ominous rumble of a foghorn, further propelling this dangerous excitement. It’s clear from the beginning that this album is a hazardous rolling storm; a formidable and unstoppable juggernaut of Australian hip-hop.
Thundamentals have already made a notable imprint on the Australian hip-hop scene. Through their 2008 Best EP and 2009’s longplayer, Sleeping On Your Style, the three-piece’s mix of timeless raw tones and compelling rhymes has earned them much appraisal from fans and critics alike.
The first half of the album is a captivating roar of 1920’s speakeasy inspired soul with curiously persuasive rhymes. The verses crusade over big-band samples, transporting listeners to a retro world full of contemporary pleasures, before exploding into soulful sing-along choruses that are sure to soundtrack many a backyard gathering this Summer.
Opener, Holla, is expectedly a serious of forceful self-assertions and intimidating introductions. The combination a commanding hip-hop beat, instrumentation compiled mostly of brass instruments and an eerie organ, this track sounds like the overlay to the scene just before the big murder in a horror film. Contrasted by the strong rapping verses and chorus, it becomes a seriously interesting tune.
Lead single, Paint the Town Red, continues the big-band theme, but the faster beat and proud chorus that swings tales of avoiding personal troubles by hitting the town, making this track something that is sure to be tearing up dancefloors.
The highlight of the album is How You Been?, featuring Jase Excell. It’s a smooth tale of a broken friendship and the uncertainty of change.
It’s not just the music that hollers to the past. The lyrics seem to revolve around nostalgia and romanticised tales of the past, as well as repeated mentions of the inevitability of change and the ambiguity of the future. “I wanna work a job where my boss don’t belittle me. I wanna be chilling on the beach in the Phillipines” (Wanna Be).
The album closes with a series of laidback, old-school RnB flavoured tracks. Foreverolution is exactly what its name suggests. It’s a pleasantly potent fusion of classic, timeless ingredients and a curious and optimistic gaze into a future that is brimming with infinite potential. Thundamentals are both the present and the future of Australian hip-hop.
Lara Moates
Thundamentals have already made a notable imprint on the Australian hip-hop scene. Through their 2008 Best EP and 2009’s longplayer, Sleeping On Your Style, the three-piece’s mix of timeless raw tones and compelling rhymes has earned them much appraisal from fans and critics alike.
The first half of the album is a captivating roar of 1920’s speakeasy inspired soul with curiously persuasive rhymes. The verses crusade over big-band samples, transporting listeners to a retro world full of contemporary pleasures, before exploding into soulful sing-along choruses that are sure to soundtrack many a backyard gathering this Summer.
Opener, Holla, is expectedly a serious of forceful self-assertions and intimidating introductions. The combination a commanding hip-hop beat, instrumentation compiled mostly of brass instruments and an eerie organ, this track sounds like the overlay to the scene just before the big murder in a horror film. Contrasted by the strong rapping verses and chorus, it becomes a seriously interesting tune.
Lead single, Paint the Town Red, continues the big-band theme, but the faster beat and proud chorus that swings tales of avoiding personal troubles by hitting the town, making this track something that is sure to be tearing up dancefloors.
The highlight of the album is How You Been?, featuring Jase Excell. It’s a smooth tale of a broken friendship and the uncertainty of change.
It’s not just the music that hollers to the past. The lyrics seem to revolve around nostalgia and romanticised tales of the past, as well as repeated mentions of the inevitability of change and the ambiguity of the future. “I wanna work a job where my boss don’t belittle me. I wanna be chilling on the beach in the Phillipines” (Wanna Be).
The album closes with a series of laidback, old-school RnB flavoured tracks. Foreverolution is exactly what its name suggests. It’s a pleasantly potent fusion of classic, timeless ingredients and a curious and optimistic gaze into a future that is brimming with infinite potential. Thundamentals are both the present and the future of Australian hip-hop.
Lara Moates