PLANET URBAN REVIEW

Another good review, still waiting on the inevitable bad one from somebody : )

Okay now I have to admit I’m not big on UK Hip Hop. I respect it and its artists for doing their thing and such, but let’s just say you normally would not find any UK Hip Hop on my iPod – period. Yet I’ve recently reconsidered my stance on this upon hearing Nine High’s eponymous debut album. I feel like The Scrooge getting visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past...telling me my music collection will not be complete without this.

Comprised of Brit trio Scotty Hinds, Felony and Fraksha, the group hold the honest approach to Hip Hop, by speaking their minds, telling a story, getting your ass moving or getting your head vibing by any means necessary.

A perfect example of this is Cookout. Weaved together with low xylophone keys, this is about (yep, you guessed) cookouts, barbecues, shindigs and the like. Even if you’re a hardcore vegan, you’ll still appreciate the selection of such a cross-cultural yet rarely touched-on topic to which all can relate. The only way to define this joint is pure, unadulterated FUN!

Driff Banger contains a speedy, loud, heavy beat (produced by Driff), and it is only right that these boys rap fast over it. However, the beat itself does quickly become a chore to listen to; perhaps what saves this track is how well the first verse is executed with Bone Thug-like flow. Unfortunately, though the battle lyrics of all three emcees here are above par for hard, the second and third verses just don’t keep up with the first flow-wise, bringing an inconsistency to it which makes it skippable after the first verse.

Now, when you find sequels to artists’ songs it is usually inter-album – Nine High have broken this tradition by including Life in parts 1, 2 and 3 spread out through the album, and the real shocker is the hat-trick really works, as each one is a total win! Life Pt.3 is a personal favourite of mine, chiming in with Oriental strings sent from the Far East that carry the beat. Content-wise, this contrasts Parts 1 and 2, as it is a generally darker and a tad more melodramatic retrospective outlook on life, which only accentuates how versatile these dudes are. Also peep out the piano-laden Alone Time if you vibe with this.

Some will relate to Nine High more than others but by no means is that supposed to stop anybody from enjoying it; after all, we don’t all relate to crack, cash, cribs and Cadillacs either. Though their flow can at times seem to not lock in as tightly as you would want, if you can objectively appreciate flat-out honest lyricism, you sir and or miss, are most certainly a fan of Hip Hop and should therefore go out and cop this album.
http://www.planeturban.com.au/album_reviews/nine_high