ALBUM REVIEW: "Off The Grid" by Bliss n Eso

Bliss n Eso have never really fitted into any sort of sub-category of Australian hip hop, and their newest album Off The Grid follows that trend - this time to less exciting results. Like many of the other groups in the genre of similar pedigree, Bliss n Eso have been progressively moving towards a poppier, more radio friendly sound across their albums; from the harsh underground sounds of Flowers In The Pavement and Day of the Dog, to the more atmospheric and cohesive Flying Colours and Running On Air, and the more mainstream sounds of Circus In The Sky. Despite the changing soundscapes across the group's career, they have managed to maintain a certain spirit to their music that has stayed the same throughout. Here we are at album number six, and I feel like that spirit is starting wane a little.

For me Bliss n Eso hit their peak at Flying Colours and Running On Air. Those two albums really did it for me, and Circus In The Sky became a little too polished and thought out for me. Off The Grid takes the elements of Circus In The Sky that were new for the group and goes further with them, to the point that I felt it lost the urgency and vitality their previous records had (the first two hadn't quite reigned in that aggression an rawness, but they were able to dress in it something special after that). Having said that, there are still plenty of witty one-liners and pop culture references on Off The Grid, and the handful of lead singles they released are all great songs. The shift in sound hasn't diminished their ear for a great hook, and this album is still catchy as hell. For me it's more a matter of personal taste that holds me back from really enjoying this album as much as I did Flying Colours in particular. If you like the direction Bliss n Eso were going on Circus In The Sky, or if you're just looking for some catchy tunes to put on your driving playlist, you could do a lot worse than this.

Favourite Tracks: Dopamine, Devil On My Shoulder, Great Escape and Soul Glo

Least Favourite Track: Blue

Rating: C+

What did you think of this album? Why?

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