Photo by Jack Gobbe
Australian hip-hop is having a moment. It is undeniable. Last year marked a considerable rise, with artists like Kwame breathing new life into the genre. One such artist is Arno Faraji, a consistently strong Perth native who has carved out a sound influenced by the likes of Goldlink and Kaytranada. In celebration of his recent single ‘Sneakers’, Faraji embarked on his debut national headline tour, a tour that showed signs of an artist truly honing his live and studio sound into a force to be reckoned with.
Brisbane punters gathered at the intimate Black Bear Lodge for what became a preview of what’s to come for Faraji. “I know you all don’t know my discography too well, so I’m treating tonight like a listening party,” proclaimed Faraji as he arrived on stage, a statement that set the right mood for the night. Old cuts, popular tracks and even unreleased material alike all turned the night into a celebration of how far Faraji has come in a year, and his irrefutable potential for the future.
Armed with the relentless vigour that tends to possess younger artists, Faraji’s flow stood out above anything else. While comparisons to Goldlink may be all too frequent, I use it in the best of ways. Snappy bars that bounce along the future bass production of cuts like ‘Bless’ mark Faraji’s individual flair. While tracks like ‘Bless’ and ‘Tree’x’ highlights Faraiji’s dominant wavy sound, he possesses considerable diversity in a tight discography. The previously mentioned ‘Sneakers’ is the latest from Faraji, and features a considerably moodier sound than anything he has released before.
On the other hand, unreleased tracks found Faraji embracing a heavier trap sound, to great effect. With a mixtape set to be released towards the end of the year, the unreleased material played throughout the night displayed the Perth rapper finding his feet. As we sit back and watch the rise of Australian hip-hop, expect to see Arno Faraji rising with it.
