Like Coca-Cola, hip-hop has a global reach. But whereas Coke tastes the same in Moscow as it does in Montreal, rap has a different flavor in every city, melding the urban imperative of its American origins with the intrinsic features of its eventual resting place. This globalization effect is gloriously audible on Lost in the Real Sky, the first full-length from Australia's eccentric Curse ov Dialect. This defiantly based fivesome waxes lyrical on multiculturalism, shamans and genocide. Even when they're delivering fierce denunciations of their country's racist past, these emcees present their views with some flair, sounding like Anticon gone Down Under. Sonically, the stew is strewn with spices from every corner of the global bazaar, sampling sunny reggae riddims on "Vertical Ascension" and wheezy polka vibes on "Upside Down Frowns." Throughout, these Aussies come off like idiot savants, divining hip-hop's destiny as the globe's greatest folk form. From here, the possibilities seem endless again. - Urb |