Andrew Veeder on January 14th, 2014

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Last month, Melbourne, Australia-based beatmaker Dizz1 signed to the U.K.-based Tru Thoughts label, and on Feb. 17, it will release his new “Everyday Grind” EP. The title track stutters forward with a heavily-distorted rhythm, off-kilter drum beats, and sinister synth wobble that sounds like a NES bad guy laughing at you, in the vein of Clams Casino but brighter and less woozy. Vocalist Aloe Blacc hangs up his tenor singing voice and instead spits hard, socially conscious rhymes like, “I am an American nightmare / Black with a degree and a couple of ideas,” and, “Talking about the lobbyists, and the dirty politicians / Corporate executives pushing for globalism / Who need to extend the vision and focus on the people / Otherwise the whole of their enterprise is evil.” His raps are clever and commanding, with lines like, “This is me, I be on my grind / Lyrics for your mom / Poet for the deaf, dumb and blind,” and, “Death to the salesman, live long the farmer / If you don’t agree, invest in body armor,” that beg the question of why he isn’t rapping more. The EP also features “Real Bad Gyal” with Warrior Queen and “We Go Ridin’” with Om’Mas Keith, as well as instrumentals and remixes by Royalston and Stereotyp.

||| Stream: “Everyday Grind” feat. Aloe Blacc