A pre-order NOT to be missed!!

Urthboy's new album Smokey's Haunt is set to be his biggest release to date if the first two singles are anything to go by. Make sure that you cop your pre order direct through ElefantTracks.com and receive exclusive bonus' (See below for further details) Make sure to get in quick as the album is only a few short weeks away before dropping.

All pre-orders receive custom-made Urthboy Moleskine Notebook (90x140mm) while stocks last, Signed Poster and Bonus Album Song 'Orphan Rocker'.

Smokey's Haunt Pack ($20):  Signed CD + Moleskine + Signed Poster + Album song

Womens Smokey's Haunt Tee Bundle ($45): Signed CD + T-shirt (Womens) + Moleskine +  Signed Poster + Album song

Mens Smokey's Haunt Tee Bundle ($45): Signed CD + T-shirt (Mens) + Moleskine + Signed Poster + Album song

Smokey's Collection ($50): All Four Urthboy CDs (Signed) + Moleskine + Signed Poster + Album song

Tripple J - Live at the Wireless

Did you manage to make it down to Tripple J's Aus Music Month's Tribute to Nick Cave Shows? If so you will know what a performance it was. If you didn't then make sure that you tune into Live at the Wireless on Tripple J tonight at 8pm. Tonight you will hear the first half of the show and next week at the same time you can hear the second half of the show. Make sure that you also check out these photos, thanks to Urthboy who carried a camera around on tour.

"My favourite versions on the tour were Alex doing Shivers, Adalita doing Straight to You and Lanie doing Jack the Ripper. But I enjoyed every single version performed each night and I had an unreal time on the tour!" - Urthboy

Urthboy - Exclusive EP

The Elefant Tracks headquarters is filled with hundreds of stories and tracks that many of us may never know about or hear. However Urthboy has been doing some digging through the hard drives and released his "Exclusive Ep" to the Urthboy mailing list. The Ep includes 9 unreleased tracks which span Urthboy's carrear from pre Signal and post Spitshine. It features remixes from Joyride and Platoniclab. This exclusive ep is available for free download below via sound cloud. Urthboy is currently preparing for triple J's Aus music month tribute to Nick Cage.


URTHBOY EXCLUSIVES by Elefant Traks

Future Shade - The Herd - In Stores 26th Aug 2011

The Herd are due to release their new album on the 26th of August. The album is filled with tracks that draw inspiration from many different places and is underpinned by hip hop bit by no means is not contained by any genre. 

The herd have always written tracks expressing their personal and political views, something that i’ve always loved about their music. The Herd are nothing short of great storytellers and I for one can not wait to see what the new album Future Shade brings.

Pre order the album online to receive your copy of the album signed and an exclusive bonus unreleased MP3 track Like A Riddle. This track will be emailed to you within 24 (Business hours) of ordering the album. The track is exclusive and not on the album. 

Keep an eye out on The Herd's youtube channel for interviews with the members. So far we have learnt a little more about Jane Tyrrell and her fine arts, and Urthboy and what goes on behind the management of the label. We also see their personal connections from the album and their views on certain tracks. (View Below)

You can stream the album for a limited time right now here. Check it out now and support Australian Hip Hop. http://themusic.com.au/audio/the-herd-future-shade .

Urthboy's open letter to Bias B

Urthboy

I remember the exact moment I came into contact with Bias B’s Beezwax record – though I’m not sure of the year, most probably 1999. A few mates, some that I grew up with (sup Nug and Shwza!), and some that I met through hip hop (Nick, Loko One was probably there), had hooked up for one of our weekly ciphers in St Peters, inner west of Sydney.

We’d hungrily devour instrumental albums and rap all night – or Shwza would play his beats directly off the MPC. Bongs were smoked, beers were drunk, freestyles would steadily deteriorate as the night wore on. It was sick. There were no ambitions for radio play, nor live shows booked: it began and ended each night in one of our loungerooms. Usually Shwza’s cos he had the MPC and a champion bong. And he was lazier than us.

Most of the music we heard was played off CDs or 12” vinyl, and an Australian release was always prioritised. I can’t remember who brought it that night, but everyone was taken aback by the Beezwax artwork. An out of focus Bias B stood in the background with his hand gripping the mic in the foreground. It was all made to look like a still in a film reel. It could have passed for an international album as far as we knew. But truthfully, all I saw was a mad shot of a mic by a rapper from Melbourne. Shit was dope!

From the mellow straight talking of Let It Flow to the descending bassline (a staple ingredient in local hip hop for the last decade – ahead of its time) of The Rippa, it blew our fucking minds. It sounded like the most pro shit we’d heard. Then Gaseous Forms sealed the deal, it was exactly what we were doing: rowdy ciphers, only better and looking a million bucks on a professionally packaged album. I strongly believe this record and the late 90s era were the reawakening of local hip hop and getting things moving. Beezwax felt like progress. It was.

There are a long list of significant moments in local hip hop, ranging from the pioneering (Knights of the Underground Table) to the pivotal (The Calling) but truth be told, Beezwax was a little bit of both. It wasn’t the only one, but it saw in the new era that truly took off a few years later.

While it may not be a record I revisit often – it’ll will forever be one of the most important records in hip hop when people look back on the rise and rise of the genre in Australia. Just recently, Bias announced he was quitting after his latest record and his current tour will be his last. Well… damned if I’m going to wait for a better time to say it. Thanks Bias, for who you are and what you’ve done. You’ll forever hold a spot in our scene’s heart – in my eyes and in the context of hip hop in Australia, you’re a giant mate. And in language we can all understand: you’re a sick cunt.

_________
Bias B’s new album ‘Biaslife’ has just dropped through Obese. All his albums Beezwax, Been There Done That, Aerosol Era and In Bed With Bias are all available on CD and iTunes. Obese:http://www.obeserecords.com/store/cds.php?page=3

His Melbourne launch is also his final Melbourne show and it’s this Saturday July 2 at The Corner Hotel. He’s also in Adelaide July 29 at HQ. You should get there.

Follow Bias on twitter, he's quality: http://twitter.com/bias_b