Album Review: Sky’High - Forever Sky’High

Broadly speaking, hip hop fans outside the States can be separated into two groups – those who rate and support their local artists, and those who don't. To the casual listener – drip fed big names and slick production from across the Pacific – perhaps the home town homies can be hard to adjust to. Frustratingly, rappers like Maroubra's Sky'High don't make it any easier.

Sky'High's style owes a debt to the British grime scene, from the double time hi-hats and industrial grind that, for better or worse, will be what this part of hip hop's sonic history is remembered for, to the Ralph Lauren polo and straining Pitbull Terriers in the video for Look At Me Now. Her debut album has energy to burn, and at times is just visceral and raw enough to draw the listener in to the point of absorption.

Her background is compelling, the skills are definitely there and her connections are top drawer (the album was produced by P-Money). When she shines, she sparkles. It's a real shame then that too much of Forever Sky'High is derivative brag-hop by numbers, and when the rude-gyal schtick wears Rizla thin, it's often left to her producer to paper over the cracks. She uses her powers for good in the Super Cat-sampling Don Dada, and the big beat and horns of opener Let's Just are well suited to her upfront vocal. Overall though, Forever Sky'High is too much rough and not enough diamond, making it one for the purists only.