And Now For Something Completely Different

Illy isn't a typical Australian hip hop artist. In a genre often criticised for dated trends, Al Murray has always sounded thoroughly contemporary. His longstanding friendship with producer extraordinaire M-Phazes ensured his work was blessed with cutting-edge polish from the outset. His commitment to songwriting, meanwhile – writing all of his own hooks – has kept his voice consistently distinct.  

“I honestly never had a clear vision of what I was going to do when I started my solo career,” the MC muses. “I knew what I wanted to do. I didn't have the first idea how to go about doing it, though. I've been very lucky, really. You know, M-Phazes is one of my best mates and has been heavily involved in my stuff – and he just happens to be, far and away, one of the best producers this country's ever seen. I've been very fortunate.”

Originally cutting his teeth as a member of Melbourne crew Crooked Eye, Murray's career proper began strongly with 2009 debut album, Long Story Short, and has proceeded to evolve at an astonishing rate over the subsequent years. Follow-up effort, The Chase, hit #25 on the ARIA charts, delivering multiple hit singles and eventual entries in triple j's coveted Hottest 100.

Throughout, Murray has continued to shape his own sound. Significantly removed from Australian hip hop's ongoing fascination with chopped-up soul samples and rock-inspired production, Illy's work has been defined by dextrous rhythms, cinematic arrangements and pop-friendly hooks, the MC often collaborating with live vocalists like Melbourne's Owl Eyes or Hue Blanes.

“I actually agree with a lot of those comments [about Australian hip hop],” Murray admits. “I don't think they've ever really applied to what I do. I actually think a lot of them are in response to criticisms from the other direction, though. You know, I can definitely see why some people would think Australian hip hop is stuck in the '90s – but I think a lot of those comments are really in response to older guys constantly claiming new stuff is shit.

“I mean, of course they'd say that. They were there for all of the original stuff. They experienced it. We didn't – so we have to do our own thing. Build our own sounds. It's really a stupid, horrible, fucking circular argument. Personally, I think there's room for everything. Just do what you want to do. If people don't like it, they won't get behind it. If they do get behind it, you can laugh and say 'Nyah nyah.'”

As a result, Murray's success has often been marred by backlash. Similar to 360, Murray's larger than life personality, mainstream success and contemporary sounds have conspired to make him something of a target for both Australian hip hop purists and sceptical mainstream audiences. It's a position that only becomes more pronounced as he grows more successful.

“Well, I think a lot of the stuff towards me, if you dig below the initial comment at all, there's fuck all there to justify it,” Murray says bluntly. “I say that because, I may have a couple of songs that have been on the radio, but anyone who has seen a live show knows that they're hardly the crux of the set. I mean, this album I'm working on has some of Australia's best MCs and best producers on it.

“You know, MCs and producers – that people giving me shit are probably massive fans of – are happy to work with me. I think, whatever backlash I encounter, it's usually based on people only knowing a few big songs and having no fucking clue beyond that. Any time you hear something like, 'Oh, Illy's a fucking faggot,' 'Why?' 'Oh, because he's got that fucking song.' I have forty others that sound nothing like it.”

Keeping all of that in mind, Illy's career is about to get really interesting. The Melbourne MC's forthcoming third album, Bring It Back, sees a reinvention – Murray eschewing his sculpted, pop-friendly sound in favour of exploring his hip hop origins. The album began as something of an experimental project for Murray but, as time progressed, gradually morphed into Illy's third solo album, due for release later this year.

“I've wanted to do an album like this for quite a while. I've wanted to work with a lot of the people I worked with on Bring It Back for ages. Particularly [Funkoars producer/MC] Trials. I've wanted to work with that guy for, like, a solid three or four years. It's still an Illy record. It's not like I'm sounding like Bjork all of a sudden. It's just something a little different from my earlier stuff.

“It's a lot more hip hop. It's a lot more boom-bap. There are no vocalists besides myself and other MCs. There are no sung hooks. There are a lot more DJ scratches and cuts. It's just a lot more of a rap album. I love what I do and I'm proud of my albums – but I wanted to do something different. At the start, it was a passion project. It was kind of stepping out of my comfort zone and stepping back into my comfort zone at the same time.”

It's an interesting period for Murray. In addition to shifting back to a more classic rap identity with Bring It Back, Illy is also currently preparing a sequel to The Chase. Having recently graduated from his law degree (“Yeah, man – that's what I mean when I say that people don't know shit about me,” he laughs), Murray's career is kicking into overdrive. Even he seems somewhat unsure of what's about to happen.

Talking about that sequel to The Chase the MC says, “That was initially my main priority and Bring It Back was just an idea I was kind of exploring in my spare time – but, as people started to get in touch and songs started to come together, Bring It Back went from being this random project to actually being able to stand on its own two feet as a record.

“All these plans started falling into place and we kind of realised that Bring It Back was actually happening and it was going to sound fucking dope. As a result, everything to do with The Chase sequel got put on the backburner while we gave Bring It Back the attention it deserved. It's weird, man. Since finishing uni, I've just decided to throw myself completely into music and see what happens.”