Midnight Gallery, the Kiwi Hip Hop trio from up Auckland ways, have just released their self-titled debut. As well as touring the country with P-Money, their music has been doing the rounds on the local student radio station here in Palmerston North, Radio Control 99.4FM, becoming album of the week last week (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by0VL6hIN6Q).
I applaud the originality of Midnight Gallery's music. Any assumption that Hip Hop is someone rapping over a remix of someone else's music is proven false by the trios unique mix of rapping and singing, the singing provided by the band itself, as opposed to a guest sampled in.
The one track where the singing takes precedence is Pillow to Pillow, which is perhaps the most sexual track on the album, and definitely my pick for stand out track.
I have to admit this isn't a genre I'm familiar with. My only experience with Hip Hop and R&B are reverberations from my brothers' bedrooms when growing up, and my flatmate's stereo during her weekend drinking sessions.
That said, I found Midnight Gallery comfortably listenable and I found I could relate to the words they spoke, even if though those words weren't delivered in the mode of transmission I'm used to.
One other thing I really like about the group themselves is their support for other artists in the local scene. As mentioned on the Midnight Gallery Facebook, each of the ten tracks on their album had a different artist provide art to represent the track. Each artist was introduced on the Facebook and as extra recognition, and a celebration of the Midnight Gallery release, an art exhibition was held showcasing the art provided for the album. That's what I like in a band. Artists helping artists, instead of the selfish climb to the money at the top of the pyramid of hopeful "Next-Big-Things".
You can find Midnight Gallery's self-titled debut on iTunes (http://bit.ly/1q8ALvf) or hit up the group on Facebook to find out where the physical copies are available (https://www.facebook.com/midnightgallerynz).
Midnight Gallery is Adam Fuhr, Edgar Mahon and Tyla Pere.
Offering accomplished synergy between rap and singing, lyrics paint the pictures of real life, sketching experiences on a variety of musical canvases.
Midnight Gallery’s original approach to composition sees a balance between live instrumentation and digital programming.