KOOLISM – THE ‘UMU

Koolism (rapper Hau Latukefu and DJ Danielsan Ichiban), the grand old men of Australian hip hop, are in a party-for-their-right-to-fight mood on new album The ‘Umu. An umu is an earth oven, and the use of the term here suggests several things:  tradition, community, celebration, and most of all, slow burning anger.  Anger at the police for breaking up a benefit gig, a “neighbourhood shindig, ain’t nothing new/nothing major that the council must approve” (Hanz High); anger at materialistic rappers “flashing a diamond that could feed a small village” (Cash Monet), and anger at religion: on Turning Back, Latukefu describes “… a life structured around a good book that stinks of alcohol, sex & murder”. But the quicksilver delivery and consistently inventive sounds make for a joyous listen.  On Lovely, the clipped, spat rhymes and clattering snare rolls suggest a local take on UK Grime, and the ghost of Public Enemy can be heard on the funky Yeah. DJ Danielsan, with his 808 beats, electric piano and analogue synths, concocts a seamless fusion of old school and new school sounds.
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