Spit & Mac : The Hourglass
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Spit & Mac : The Hourglass

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Geelong, not only home of “the greatest team of all,” but also the stomping ground for some of Australia’s most promising up-and-comers – case in point: hip hop duo Spit & Mac. This debut LP has been five years in the making, but thankfully, the attention to detail in terms of production and sound mixing has paid off. Much like prominent Aussie hip hop groups Hilltop Hoods, Thundamentals or The Herd, Spit & Mac combine catchy instrumentals with insightful lyrics.

The string section behind intro I Know You Dig It immediately echoes that of Hilltop’s The Hard Road, a clear influence throughout the album. There’s a real country-bogan twang to their sound, but the lyrical structure of their music is much more sophisticated. The back and forth banter between the duo is fun and brings an element of competitiveness that really pushes the tempo.

Opening track, Remember, is a big start, packing a powerful punch that’s bound to get heads moving. It’s quite a bold statement, considering the song is rubbing up their own egos, but it works. The Devil Inside, featuring the enchanting vocals of Zoe Starr, offers an old-school beat, layering piano and strings to good effect. Fire and Ice may sound influenced by George R.R. Martin’s popular series, but it’s a harrowing account of ice addiction.

The range of instrumentals used throughout the album is impressive, Sacrifice is backed by a rolling guitar and strings section, while title track The Hourglass incorporates piano and tambourine. With 17 tracks in total, it’s a lengthy debut but luckily there’s enough diversity in the delivery to maintain interest.

BY CHRIS BRIGHT