The Sun Never Sets (CD)

After two years of touring and consolidating their name amongst the top few hip hop groups in Australia, The Herd release their third and strongest album to date The Sun Never Sets through Elefant Traks/Inertia.

With terrorism and increased conservatism casting a global shadow, it's time to get reacquainted with The Herd, one of the more insightful and consistently relevant groups in Australia. Through an honest, bling-free attitude of vibrant originality, The Herd cast aside Eminem clones, bypassing the clichés and formulaic expectations of what a hip hop group is.

The Herd weave colloquial tales of ghostly country towns and world-weary urban dwellers, celebrating raucous highs and reflecting on the more sombre moments. Darker commentary on social upheaval converge with a sincere respect for war veterans and disillusioned peacekeepers. The same group that cried, 'Wake up this country needs a shake-up' is more than capable of delivering subtle, multi-layered observations.

The musical platform shacks up in perfect synchronicity with the vocals; slide guitars sunbaking under heavy bass backdrops; snares cracking like burnt eucalypt branches; accordions shaken and stirred by the thump of kick drums. Gatecrashing The Herd party are colourful and unconventional samples: bellowing trumpets, percussion and cello, juxtaposed with double-timed, multi-syllabic, multi-lingual dialects.

Fittingly, the only guest rapper is Braintax, the UK rapper and label head of Lowlife Records (Mystro, Skinnyman), a revered veteran whose first release came out in 1992.

This is a special album from an unpredictable and exciting live Australian outfit, one that is still going from strength to strength, and one that’s rocked packed houses at major festivals and venues across Australia.