Alternative hip hop duo Hessian Renegade came together by their mutual interest in experimenting with music, all galvanised by current affairs. Based out of Glasgow, Scotland they venture into nostalgic hip hop, the duo quickly developed a far more diverse crossover sound combining core elements of hip hop with 90s inspired dance music, distorted guitars and live drums. Lyrically, subjects range from everyday observation to black humour.
Debut single “Bread & Circuses” was instantly picked up by Glasgow-based professional wrestling company ICW as the entrance theme for their former Zero G Champion Andy Wild. Now, EP Oral Spiel is released through their own in-house label, Esquimaux Records.
Oral Spiel opens with a quick intro, in the vein of those Detroit rhymsters, Insane Clown Posse, in a short spurt with “Lecturer’s Yarn”. The rest of the record brings the essence of electronic sound like Underworld with this aggressive as you hear in “Bread and Circuses”.
The heavy focus of the electronic beat is certainly for cats who love smoke machines, a warehouse and strobe lighting kicking in like it does with “Renegade”, the speed of lyricist Conor Moore gives me a Senser flashback and this is always good.
Oral Spiel is certainly a throwback to a world of UK hip hop and electronica, the flavoured Glaswegian voice isn’t hidden behind a fake accent and this makes it work even more. With “Scratchings” we get a nice sax solo which works on any level and is a favourite of mine, a tune I’d stick on my playlist while pretending to hit the gym.
The duo has hit on sound rather mental and is a throwback to the likes of Underworld, Collapsed Lung and Senser and the aggression and speed is easy to hear with UK Insane Championship Wrestling have used their tracks for wrestlers to walk out to.
Header image by Darren Morier
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