You wouldn’t be remiss at thinking that you were listening to an entirely new lineup when popping on Millions Of Moments, the latest effort from Melbourne five-piece TZU. The booming electro-funk opus is worlds away from the modest, down-tempo Aussie hip hop that this writer and many others initially knew them for with 2004’s Position Correction and its follow-up Smiling At Strangers.
If you have followed the band’s transition into poppier sensibilities, which began with Computer Love, it comes across as less of a drastic leap. The album could be considered TZU’s 808s & Heartbreak moment, which also came out in 2008. There is no rapping to be found, unless you count the slightly spoken quality that can heard in some of the vocals from front-man Joelistics. Samples are another thing of the past, replaced with synths, guitar and drum machines. The more straight ahead social commentary gives away to vague universal generalities about love and oppression.
One element that does remain is their rebellious hip hop spirit, which comes across on efforts like the up-tempo, military-esque Criminals And Murderers. The equally as up-tempo Nowhere Home wouldn’t feel out of place on a Van She album and could surely become a club anthem. Joelsitics and co. even explore dubstep on the dramatic Beautiful. While still missing something, Millions Of Moments is a defining statement from an ever-evolving band.
BY ANDREW ‘HAZARD’ HICKEY
Best Track: Criminals And Murderers
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Pursuit of Happiness VAN SHE, Hyper Paradise HERMITUDE
In A Word: Bold
