Reviewed by: Tobias Handke

Published:  20 October 2011

lp: sound the horns

Ever since Adelaide hip hop trio Hilltop Hoods burst into the mainstream conscious in 2003 with their surprise hit ‘The Nosebleed Section,’ Australian hip hop has steadily grown from a niche genre to a national phenomenon that doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.

The 'Hoods paved the way for hip hop crews and collectives Australian wide, with the likes of Pegz, Funkoars, Phrase, Drapht and Murph & Plutonic among a handful of artists to make their mark, and now it’s time for another local act to have their share of the spotlight, our very own Mase N Mattic.

Although forming almost 4 years ago, the lads have only just got round to releasing their debut effort: the upbeat, head bobbing, lyrically smooth ‘Sound The Horns’.

The album's playfulness is asserted from the first track, with ‘Set It Off’ announcing the arrival of hip hop’s newest superstars. Mase N Mattic spit rhymes over a banging beat featuring the explosive sound of horns, a staple of many of the tracks on their debut. Similar to American act Dilated Peoples' album opener ‘Live On Stage’, the track is a fist-pumping, beer-swilling anthem that you can imagine sending crowds into hysterics.

The party continues with the motivational ‘Live For This’, the summer vintage of ‘Nights To Inspire’, finding the lads rapping about chasing the dream, and the ego laden ‘Hype Track’, a joint infused with humility and bravado. Along with opener ‘Set It Off,’ the stand out track on ‘Sound The Horns’ is ‘Know By Now’, which features the vocal talents of Alisa Fedele. The old school beat matches the duos lyrical flow, held together by Fedele’s amazing voice on the chorus.

Fedele is just one of many guests to make an appearance on the album. It seems no expense was spared on the albums creation, and it shows. Trials (Funkoars) and Debate (Hilltop Hoods) join Mattic handling production on the album, while DJs Adfu, Flagrant and Hacksaw all provide scratching and cuts on more than half the album tracks, adding an extra dose of authenticity that gives ‘Sound The Horns’ much greater scope.

Lyrically both Mase and Mattic are tight and flow cohesively together, although they travel fairly standard ground with their raps, discussing their start, how thankful they are for success and the usual MC boasting. That said, if they rapped about gangsters and bling they would fail miserably, so while the subject matter is nothing new, it suits the overall feel of the album, making ‘Sound The Horns’ one of the best Aussie hip hop releases of the year.