Review Summary: I would love to be the one to walk you home.
I’ll start by saying, Solo the MC half of Horrorshow, is potentially my favorite MC, ever. I know to most that is probably a ridiculous and dumb thing to read, but that’s ok because I never claimed to be intelligent.
The first thing that struck me when I decided to take a plunge on ‘Inside Story’ was the quality production and strong bass driven tracks. By bass I am not talking about DUBSTEP bass drops I am talking about funky, jazzy, and intricate bass lines which I credit completely to Adit, the producing half of Horrorshow who himself is a very qualified bass player. Horrorshow’s beats and instrumentals are all very chilled, with the lads choosing to use real instruments for the most part and not relying on overpowering beats and HUGE production drops to drive their tracks, rather they rely on Solo’s lyrics and wordplay and Adit’s basslines and little piano lines to carry what is, an outstanding sophomore album and what could be one of, if not the best release in the Aussie Hip Hop scene, to date.
Whilst the beats and instrumentals connected with me at first, due to coming from a ‘metal’ background I was more than impressed to hear actual instruments being played competently. It wasn’t until I took note of Solo’s words though that I really took a step back and appreciated what I was dealing with.
Horrorshow have been compared to the iconic Hip Hop act Atmosphere in the past, now whilst that may seem crazy to compare such a huge and almost timeless act like Atmosphere to a little Aussie act, I think it’s a fair comparison. Musically they do align with the use of real instruments and relatively laid-back backing tracks but it’s the storytelling and self-reflective lyrics that really connect the two. Like Slug, Solo is not afraid to tell you exactly how he feels about himself and the world around him. His voice is calm and collected, not really rising past his monotone murmur of delivery he does however dip his toes into a bit of singing here and there and it sounds pleasant.
Solo touches on a huge number of topics on ‘Inside Story’. Tour life and the Australia Music scene is looked at with ‘Neighborhood Hit’, ‘Inside Story’ and ‘The Show’. He pokes fun during these tracks, but he also lays down some hard truths that still to this day hold very true not just for the Aussie Scene but for all of the current Hip hop scene. ‘Found’ is a great track about my hometown Sydney and the feeling you get returning home from being away. Solos stand out moments come when he looks at himself and the world, not just from the musical standpoint. Tracks like ‘Truth Be Told’ and ‘Itchy Feet’ not only are great tracks, but they also made me take a deeper look at myself due to Solos eye opening take on himself and the world around him.
Every track on the album contributes to making this album special, but there are two tracks that I find really stamp Horrorshow as Aussie Hip Hop icons. ‘In My Haze’ with a nice feature from Jane Tyrrell is a pop track with an incredible simplistic but cutting verse from Solo who also produces some really nice singing. Jane really holds the track with her outstanding and calming vocals complimenting the monotone nature of Solo. ‘Walk You Home (This Day)’ might be one of my favorite Hip Hop tracks ever. It takes a look at a relationship, and before you roll your eyes it’s a beautiful and tragic take on being with and losing the person you love most. The chorus with Solos calm vocals get stuck in my head and the repeated banjo (maybe) hook is catchy and adds something a little bit special into the track. There is a nice change of tone with the beat half way through which hits perfectly with the lyrical message. Solo has some great moments on this track that made me remember what it felt like to be in love:
And the lyrics of a 1000 songs couldn't paint her picture
So beautiful, she had me from my first conversation with her
See, nobody was ever as clever
And I still can't figure how they put her together
‘Inside Story’ is an experience that ideally you listen to from start to finish. Solo and Adit combine to produce a spectacular release and they would continue to do so until 2022 when Adit unfortunately decided to call it quits. No matter what becomes of Horrorshow now, at least I have this album, and really all their releases to hold onto and caress as if they were my very own hip hop children. ‘Inside Story’ won’t be on the top of everyone’s best Hip Hop albums, won’t even be in the minds of most people. But to me, it sits just behind Atmospheres ‘When Life Gives You Lemons’ as being my personal favorite hip hop album ever.
