Quan
The Amateur
Valve


It's entirely possible that, without his history as a foundation member for Brisbane avant punk troupe Regurgitator, the debut solo album by Quan Yeomans would be arriving in a blaze of hype, with glowing puff pieces here, there or anywhere. He would be being called the finest exponent of Australian hip-hop to emerge since...well, possibly ever.

So good is 'The Amateur' that it seems ridiculous that, in all likelihood, it will go ignored by many who claim that the likes of the Hilltop Hoods, Bliss N Eso and other makers of the so-called 'skip hop' genre are pushing it forward in Australia. When their successful releases are held up against 'The Amateur', they truly pale in comparison.

More M.I.A. than TZU, eclectic beats and a sense of experimentation dominate throughout 'The Amateur'. From the chopped-up sonic delights of Gimme Gimme (featuring Sydney musician Spod, Quan's occasional collaborator in radness) to some cuts with the buzz-saw guitars more familiar to Regurgitator fans, much of this debut solo release brazenly showcases its four year development from an idea to a finished product, with a variety of sounds on show.

The single guiding force is, of course, Quan himself. His verbal rhythms are amazing to hear throughout 'The Amateur', as he weaves tales of MCs battling on A Tale Of Two MCs, then loses those jokey ideals in favour of the bitter And This Is What She Said, which may or may not be directed at a certain paramour from a certain point in happier days. This album deserves to be heard by any fan of adventurous hip-hop - it may be one of the best releases in the genre for the year.

Andrew Weaver