Album Review: Horrorshow - King Amongst Many

Horrorshow's third record has been a long time coming. The landscape they dominated last decade has changed drastically. So, with King Amongst Many comes the question: do the words a generation of Australian youngsters had tattooed on themselves five years ago still ring true?

The answer: yes. That's partly due to Solo. When talking about eloquence in rap, what you're referring to is the impression that the words coming out of the rapper's mouth are the best expression of the thoughts in the rapper's head. Solo's eloquence is unparalleled; to hear him rhyme is to read his mind. Adit is comparable: technically adept, crisp and blessed with a neat (but not overwhelming) pop sensibility. Any doubters need only hear Listen Close, a swelling symphony on par with 2008's Choose None, but delivered with more subtlety. Epic – an adjective overused almost to the point of uselessness – is the best description for Adit's work with the vocal sample that haunts the track.

Horrorshow's sound is more consistent than most. That means highlights here will come down to personal taste. For us, Free, the searing Jimblah-driven polemic Own Backyard, the anthemic Dead Star Shine and the bouncy intimacy of Make You Proud win. Only Nice Guys Finish Last – a light-hearted romp bookended by more demanding and introspective tracks – jars a little. “To become a king or queen in hip hop is to master yourself and your craft/And to earn the respect and admiration of your peers in the process”, say our hosts on the album sleeve. In the time since we first saw them, navigating that grey space, Adit and Solo have earned their crowns.