The worst thing about The Elixir EP? It’s only five tracks long.
Melbourne based rapper Jeremedy continues to defy any sort of genre pigeonholing, for the simple fact he manages to work all of his influences into one incredibly effective sound. Not quite hip-hop, not quite rock and not quite electronica, the Grey Ghost sound is nothing if not endearingly unique.
The follow up to last year’s self titled EP, The Elixir maintains in boisterous spades the same urgency that his debut had, but there is less space age dreaminess and a newfound maturity here.
Tracks like ‘Long Way Home’ have a warm but reflective rawness – crisp percussion, stabs of electro dance elements and an irresistible chorus make for a killer stand out. Lead single ‘The Elixir’ kicks everything off and while it rails against society’s obsession with youth and staying young, it keeps to the Grey Ghost ethos of keeping it catchy but suitably left of centre.
Perhaps what continues to set Jeremedy apart from the rest of the hip hop herd is his ability to switch between a dextrous rapping tongue and actually singing; it’s a point of difference that makes this all the more enjoyable to keep on repeat.
Having brought back Matik on production duties as well as Styalz Fuego and Jan Skubiszewski (who has produced for Owl Eyes and Cat Empire), the broadened aural palette this time around certainly helps.
Elsewhere, ‘Dynamite Love’ is an explosive closer. All the heartache and pain really swells around his mouth and is spat out with the conviction of a man whose heart has clearly gone through the meat grinder that love can muster; there are some insanely dizzying verses that are built and executed here and his command of words as a rapper is truly something to behold.
3.5/5 stars
BY MARISSA DEMETRIOU
The Elixir EP is out now through EMI.
