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When you think of MC Losty, what’s the first image that comes into your mind? Depending on whether you’re a Beat Fix kid or Utopia fan, or one of his dissenters from the ITM forums… there’s no denying that the guy warrants attention, whether it be for his MCing ability or his passion for speaking his mind. It’s no surprise then that the debut LP from the group he front’s – Blindhoarse – leans heavily on his raw, passionate and at times brilliant delivery. But in picking up this long player I was surprised not only by the depth and quality of the album’s musicality, but of the group’s natural maturity that feels present despite this only being their first ever published effort.
Blindhoarse are principally a live outfit, but to pigeonhole them as ‘live Aussie hip hop’ is misleading. It has all the ear marks of the genre though – a groove that relies on phat bass and educated drum for its foundation, some sparse and laid back guitar licks along with the occasional six string break out, and the requisite keyboards to provide atmosphere and depth. But somewhere along the line the group has taken the typical elements and come up with something bordering on unique. After a few listens I still couldn’t figure out what it was, and it seemed too vague to describe as ‘an indefinable quality’. Then it hit me, whilst listening to the deeply personal opus ‘Family Tree’: it was a debut hip hop album with a genuine sense of depth and passion.
It’s the lyrics that principally tell you what to feel and essentially take you where you need to go: Losty’s rapid fire delivery is backed up nicely by vocalist Davey B, whose smooth voice adds valuable maturity to tracks like ‘Driven’ and ‘Up 2 My Neck’. But in essence it’s the expertly structured instruments that provide a smooth current for the vocalists to glide on. The aforementioned ‘Family Tree’ and ‘Signs’ work beautifully because of the band’s tendency to work as a unit… It’s sparse enough that you can pick apart each instrument, but lush enough that they all feel cohesive together. Though some may not see the distinction, the nicest point of this album is that it is filled with real songs, not just tracks. Which isn’t to say that there isn’t fun to be had. The banger ‘Funky Pantz’ and the clever ‘Beer Goggles’ are high points for those who like their hip hop with a bit more bounce, but essentially it’s the darker, more educated pieces that won me over here.
In some ways the albums greatest point is in itself cause for criticism, as some will find Losty’s passion is not always matched by the music that floats around him. Because despite the album’s beautiful musicality and vocalist Davey B’s emotional pipes, at the end of the day for most people this effort will rise and fall with how much they like MC Losty. Which is shame for those who would pass it up on face value, because in essence they truly will have missed something.
