Ozi is referring to the second installment of the Astronomy Class saga. Titled, Pursuit of Happiness, it’s a stripped back, raw example of unadulterated Aussie Hip Hop. “We obviously wanted to approach it differently to the last album and make it something unique. We wanted to make it a bit more punchy and immediately accessible. A lot of the songs are pretty short and there is no excess fat on there. There were probably three of four tracks that were really good tracks that we didn’t include on the album.”
Currently Ozi resides in outer space relentlessly performing a harrowing routine of altitude training in preparation for Astronomy Class’ upcoming tour. “We’ve been hitting the rehearsal studio and obviously had a few drinks, trying to replicate game day. It’s really coming along. A lot of the new tunes I think will replicate really well live. So yeah we are just looking forward to getting back out there. It’s been a while.”
This year Astronomy Class is teaming up with fellow Reggae aficionados, Thundamentals, for a nationwide tour. There is little issue, however, made over the fact that these two bands come from competing labels. As the dust begins to settle around the shooting of up and coming American rapper, Dolla, I scratch the back of my helmet and ask why the Australian Hip Hop scene upholds such a friendly and supportive culture.
“I think it’s probably something to do with the Australian mentality. But the main thing is that most of the key people involved all came up together and are aware that it was a lot harder to get stuff out there and get people along to shows a few years ago. Every release that came out was another building block in a way so I don’t think that the main people involved in the labels have forgotten that. Before people had any kind of success everyone was working together and playing together.”
Ozi briefly pauses our conversation to float off to the cockpit and check on his ships orbit. It’s the perfect time to take a look around. There are screens everywhere streaming sci-fi classics like Aliens and Brazil, while X-men comics bump into my side as they hover around the room. A certain source of inspiration is plain to see.
I ask how the name Astronomy Class came about. Ozi yells from the cockpit. “It just came about because of the themes that we coming about on the first album with a few of the first tracks that I wrote. Midnight At The Observatory and also Brink Of War and Exist Strategy. There is a sci-fi theme there and I am a pretty big sci-fi fan. We kept on the sci-fi theme with War Of The Worlds and a few other tracks that are on this album as well. There is a sort of Hip Hop tradition and a Reggae tradition as well of that kind of outer space theme. We just were drawing on that as inspiration.”
Aside from a love for extraterrestrials and space opera the most noticeable theme on the album is the plethora of collaborative works. Artists from The Tongue to Ash Grunwald all feature, adding their own unique vocal spice. This diversity of musical influences and creativity generates a surprising new direction for Astronomy Class.
Unfortunately the stars did not align for every collaboration planed in Pursuit of Happiness. A combination of miscommunication and a lack of commitment led to one major international artist pulling out. “We were kind of glad that it [the collaboration] did not happen.” Ozi reflects. “We just thought if it was going to be that hard and that person was going to be that difficult to get in touch with their obviously their heart isn’t totally in the project.”
As we strap ourselves in for re-entry I realise that I might not be cut out for space travel. There’s a violent jolt forwards as we go into free fall, hurtling back to Earth at incalculable speeds. The whole time Ozi is beaming. Enjoying the futuristic jaunt perhaps a little to much. So I ask a man obviously obsessed with progress and evolution what he wants to see in the future of Hip Hop. His answer: retrograde.
“The RnB, Hip Hop major label stuff it’s just soulless. It’s just become so throw away. Maybe someday people will get rid of auto tune and the same mix sounds and it could go back to beats made on SP12s and people rapping on 58s. Who knows it might go back to that raw grimey sound.”
Check out Astronomy Class's new album Pursuit Of Happiness out now on Elefant Traks through Inertia and be sure to catch the boys when they play Come Together on Sat June 6th.
Published @ www.musicfeeds.com.au 22nd Issue.
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