FOREVER SKY’HIGH – SKY’HIGH
If you’re expecting a feminine spin on hip hop, look elsewhere. Sky’High’s debut album Forever Sky’High is raw and angry with the ugly truths of Skhai Gerrey’s childhood and teenage years. The latest addition to dedicated Aussie HipHop label Elefant Traks, Sky’High was raised in government housing of Maroubra and Ultimo in a world swirling with drugs, violence and vice. Forever Sky’High is a testament of her struggle away from this unwanted world. At fifteen tracks, Sky’High has jammed a lot into one album, each track laced with a powerful vexation which eventually becomes hard to digest towards the end of the near-hour. Certain tracks like the fanning brass of Go Hard or Go Home, smooth grooves of Wake Up and the record-washed string intro of Casino begin with great, catchy samples. However, these intros are often quickly forgotten as the tracks quickly dissolve into an unvaried pairing of Sky’High’s brash rapping over sustained artificial rhythms and unvaried sample-looping–save for the inclusion of feature MCs. The tribal-like chanting of Don Dada offers a driving rhythm, but the monotonous repetition grows to grate against the swift punch of Sky’High’s explicit lyrics. While this sunglass-loving MC may have wrenched herself away from an unsavoury life, it appears it will take a little longer for an unsavoury attitude to disperse.
*1/2
