Project Description

DRAPHT

@ JACK RABBIT SLIM’S

04/08/2018

(Live review)

Reviewer: Vicky Hebbs 

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Following the release of his new LP, Arabella Street, Drapht is touring Australia in a series of sold-out shows. He sold out super quick; partly due to the recent success of his single with Indoor Fins, The Come Down Was Real and partly because after fifteen years of releasing music, Drapht is now a household name in Aussie hip-hop.

Back in 2008 he released album Brothers Grimm, featuring the now legendary Jimmy Recard. He has produced a whole discography of hits since then including Rapunzel, Mexico and Dancin’ John Doe as well as the deliciously soulful single All Love.

He spent 2017 travelling across the West coast of America writing songs for the new album, which he is releasing in chunks of songs to minimise the pressure of releasing singles that don’t necessarily as he puts it “represent the album as a whole.” A unique approach, this is great for the fans, who get to digest more than just one single at a time before the final release date.

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Bright block coloured overhead lighting that changes every song and a simple black screen with white writing fill the space behind Drapht and his entourage at Jack Rabbit Slim’s.

It is so refreshing to see a rapper attract such a diverse audience at their show. Drapht has a mix of older and younger concertgoers, a testament to his ability to flit between genres and the amount of time he has been killing it in the music business.

Brass and wind instruments, as well as beat-keeping drums, are always a feature of Drapht’s concerts that make him so unique as an Aussie hip-hop artist. The saxophone is a highlight of the night that provides a distinctly jazzy flavour to new song, What’s the Problem Norman. On a song like this where he is rapping alone, his talent is so obvious. He drops lines fast and hard and never loses the full attention of the crowd, while on numbers with backing vocals and other distraction, he balances the focus towards and away from himself so it is never greedy and always shows the skills of those onstage.

Emperor’s New Clothes is a smooth number with cool lyrics, again heavily featuring saxophone, with a hard-hitting message about pretending to being something you are not.

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The Comedown Was Real is insane, showcasing Drapht’s ability to stray into singing and not just pure rap. He is a multi-talented artist who commands a confident stage presence and puts all his effort into his shows.

Hearing Gravity live segments the song as a highlight of the Arabella Street release for me. It starts off stripped back to just Drapht’s voice and light music, and then rises to an emotive chorus line that has a kind of dramatic urgency to it.

Bali Party’s chorus is electric. Drapht calls out the refrain we “We party, party, party” and the crowd jump to the beat.

A Drapht concert is an explosive hip-hop experience. With thoughtful lyrics and an energetic persona, he is endlessly captivating to his audience and after many years in an ever-changing industry, shows no signs of slowing down, instead reaching for even greater heights.

The new LP is a well-selected, tantilising sample of Drapht’s new music, that smoothly blends genres and offers a glimpse into an ongoing musical evolution. Drapht is clearly moving ever forward, only going up in the hip-hop world, and after 13 years that is incredibly impressive.

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