In 2001, 1200 Techniques were at the forefront of the burgeoning Australian hip hop scene. Specialising in funky guitar riffs and live drum beats, their energetic styles played a vital role in popularising a genre that was barely acknowledged at the time. After nearly a decade without a release, the band has foregone the intricate jokes that peppered its earlier albums in favour of a heavier, more introspective sound.
New EP Time Has Come operates as a manifesto for the new 1200 Techniques vision. They maintain the rawness of their original material while reflecting on their time as hip hop pioneers. The songs which follow the funk-rock formula of Choose One can feel a little stale, but the inclusion of DJ Peril’s remix of ‘Move On’ demonstrates that 1200 Techniques are still on point. Through clever use of distortion and electro melodies, he reinvigorates the lyrics with a freshness that reminds us why the DJ is still king in hip hop.
Along with other notable banger ‘Switch’, it makes clear that 1200 Techniques still have styles upon styles to explore. For now the EP provides fans with a nostalgic reminder of the past and an exciting glimpse of what’s to come.
3/5.
Time Has Comeis out Friday January 23 through Rubber Records.
