Hilltop Hoods just released their latest album, Drinking From The Sun, on March 9. This is the event that happens every few years that sort of determines what Aussie hip-hop heads will be listening to for the next while. Granted, the scene has grown so fast that their juggernaut status may be getting a run for its money amidst artists like Bliss N Eso. Nonetheless, we are now Drinking From The Sun and loving it!

The title track is up first after an intro track, with tense strings that are both orchestral and high energy – vintage Hilltop. Thirty seconds in, some chunky drums explode that will no doubt get crowds bouncing. ‘Rattling The Keys’ comes towards the end of the album and is another high-energy party starter that sees the Hoods firing through verses, double time in parts. Complete with an inbuilt ‘hill-top, hill-top’ chant, pity the fool that unwittingly finds themselves in a mosh for this one.

The already-platinum single ‘I Love It’ (featuring another Adelaide artist, Sia) chronicles the rise and presence of the ‘Hoods and hip-hop culture, while ‘The Underground’ (featuring Classified & Solo) compliments this sentiment, starting with Suffa spitting acapella at his finest.

Black Thought (from The Roots) and Lo-Tek make an appearance on ‘Living In Bunkers’, showing that hip-hop is truly a worldwide movement. Charli 2una (from Jurassic 5) makes an appearance on ‘Speaking In Tongues’, where the three MCs rap over a big fat smiley beat. One to add to your Sunday session playlists.

There are three tracks named ‘The Thirst’ – I’m not entirely convinced they work beyond a conceptual level. It’s a good idea to bookend the album, but alone the tracks are generally short and unsatisfying.

Drinking From The Sun is a little shorter, a whole lot livelier and more instrumental. The latest release from the Hilltop Hoods – what more needs to be said: it is predictably excellent. Not a revolution, just another dose of Hilltop.

4/5

By Jakub Dammer.