Beats Working – Harbour Drive

Harbour Drive – Beats Working

by Aidan Roberts

There seems to be an element of industrial reverence in this skippy debut from northern outfit Beats Working. Is this a concept album about industrial Coffs Harbour life’ Who knows. What we do have for certain here is a collection of sure-footed and cheeky hip hop anthems for the middle-class, DJ Helmy providing a platform of cross-genre breaks and (ahem) ‘funky grooves’ that seemingly keeps MC’s Handsome Dan, Mullut and JB well on their toes with their rapid-fire backyard rhymes. Capably produced by JB and Handsome Dan themselves, everything flows with a kind of tag-team confidence, right from the hyperactive opener Mad Sip with its “Fuck! I’m so hungover it hurts” sentiment. The intent of this debut is clearly to loudly announce these boys on the scene, and so we’re assaulted with a series of similarly buzzed up musings and whinges that sticks together well for its tight performances and jazzy production, despite the over-worn sub-culture ravings.

**1/2