I’ll get straight to the point with this review shall I? This EP, from local Hip Hop/Dub/Electro gurus The Outlook and Mr Boinkin is, for lack of a better word, SICK.

I’ve been very partial to Aussie Hip Hop in the past, and by partial, I mean I’ll listen to it on JJJ or something and appreciate it, maybe download one song to listen to for a bit, then move on.

But, thanks to a chance encounter reviewing a local Hip Hop gig at Coolum late last year, these guys are the main culprits to whet my appetite for locally produced Hip Hop talent.

This is probably the hardest CD for me to review, being primarily a metal/rock/roots listener, but I’ll use what little knowledge I have of the genre to get out of their work what I can.

From the beginning, the intro track, ‘Synthtro’ grabs you with a snippet of soulful singing, then some serious knob twiddling, and then, BAM, the groove gets you when the track morphs into ‘Change’.

Synth bass bouncing with the big beat, and Mr The Outlook himself, Casey is rhyming fast and smooth, with words rolling of the tongue. Soulman Brett Orr is superb - he’s one of those people who oozes soulful music. For some reason, and this IS a complement, but this track actually reminds me of a Daniel Merriweather song. Loving the organs in this track too. Guest MC, Kudos matches Outlook and it all just blends and twists together.

The instrumental track, ‘Ride High’ is funkadelic. Late night driving through the Coast nightlife with mates in the back of the car, and the lights going past. Cruising music.

But it’s with the track ‘Cypher’, placed conveniently in the middle of the tracks that The Outlook and Mr Boinkin hit their peak. Easily my favourite track on the EP, it’s a mash-up collaboration featuring Kudos, MC Mesta, and the rapid fire femme fatale rhyming of Miss Karleena. It’s hard to believe that the Sunshine Coast can produce something that’s just so damn Urban sounding.

‘The Busker’s Anthem’ (which for some reason iTunes has called The Business Anthem), is a heartfelt tribute to our underground musicians. Stripped back with street sounds in the background, bright acoustic guitar, congas and rhyming all come together. The message is simple - don’t kill the music. It’s a call against those pubs, venues, laws that make it so damn difficult for musicians to perform their art these days. It’s a mixture of groove and harshness.

Ending the EP is ‘Inside Outlook’, and it’s back to the big beats and synths, with another guest vocal performance from Brett Orr. This is THE song I remember from their live performance. The big beats,synth bass, sub drops and soulful vocals just flowing through the crowd. Sweat and funk all over the dance floor. You just can’t help but bounce to this.

Best way to appreciate this EP once you get your mitts on it? Call up a whole heap of mates, grab a carton of Coronas, chuck this into the stereo, turn the lights off, light up a spliff and just lose yourself to the tasty flavours that The Outlook and Mr Boinkin are serving up.

Om nom nom nom.

Rooster.