Album Review: Milwaukee Banks - Deep Into The Night

Melbourne duo Milwaukee Banks has produced something special with their debut album Deep Into The Night.

It's a hypnotic combination of introspective hip hop, post-R&B and electro-soul that's the product of ambition and maturity. Dyl Thomas (Polo Club) provides lyrics and vocals, dropping references to The Matrix, Anakin Skywalker, Stargate, male hubris, existential dread and stoned visions. His cadence, pace and clarity keep the ideas flowing smoothly without pushing the production out of the way. Producer Adrian "Edo" Rafter flexes considerable muscle, exploiting a minimalist palette to maximum effect. Weed-infused clouds of minor chords and reverbed percussion create a dense nocturnal atmosphere. First Light and In The Air up the ante with male/female vocalists providing gorgeous segues into the slower moments of Grimes or The Weeknd.

Deep Into The Night boasts a versatility and depth few recent skip hop records can claim. While other acts bludgeon the listener with overwrought tales of the 'battler' lifestyle, or try to win you over with brute force via heavy production or over-instrumentation, Milwaukee Banks steps back and invites you in. They provide a rich gallery of contemporary styles they execute with impressive panache, and you could easily find yourself popping this on while drifting off into outer space (Never Coming Down), striding down Lygon Street like a boss (Gold Rush), or getting fired up for a job interview (Reincarnated).

Milwaukee Banks have produced a great record existing on the cooler, shadier side of the spectrum. It's got the hallmarks of an outfit really pushing themselves and focused on doing things right, not fast and cheap.