Brisbane hip-hop favourites release their long awaited debut, THE TROUBLE EP. Formed in 2002, THE SERENITY cut their teeth hosting weekly hip-hop jam sessions during their 2002/2003 residency at Rics nightclub. Their style is an earthy mix of hip-hop featuring beautiful flute melodies, dope Aussie raps, fresh cuts and scratches, A-grade beat-boxing, keyboards and samples, live bass and a funky drummer. THE SERENITY have just released their debut CD, THE TROUBLE EP, which is an excellent studio recording that captures the live elements the band has become well known for. Here is the link for our track "Birds" from The Trouble EP http://www.sideways8.com.au/Birds.mp3 Recently reviewed by Scene Magazine, TROUBLE is described as: An awesome representation of the Brisbane hip-hop scene right nowK The lyrics on the album are freaking amazing and they don't drench the instrumentally focused tracksK The rhymes, beats, and the entire final result is melodic, occasionally mellow, and musically spot-on. Check it out. THE SERENITY is Bezza on flute, Nick 1 on raps & production, DJ Returnagain on the decks & mic, bassist Siesta and drummer El Pedro. THE TROUBLE EP also features special guests including renowned beat-boxer Tom Thum, Champion Freestyle MC Robby Balboa, MC Sammsonite (The Optimen) and singer Kel. Local favourites, THE SERENITY have supported Butterfingers on their most recent Queensland tour, and have played various venues from Newcastle to Mooloolaba including the Big Day Out 2005, The Woodford Folk Festival, The Valley Fiesta and The T.I.N.A. Festival. International supports include Time Machine (US) and Blade (NYC). *** The Trouble EP is available now through MGM Distribution, checkoutwax.com & sideways8.com.au *** For bookings or more information please email serenityism@hotmail.com or call Nick on 0417 315 803. *** CD REVIEWS - THE TROUBLE EP Crowd favourites at the recent Woodford Folk Festival, Brizzie hip-hop five-piece The Serenity have pulled together one of the slickest and most exciting independent releases heard in a long time. The Trouble EP features an organic mix of laid-back rap and addictive dub with beautiful flute melodies and interesting cuts and scratches. Also appearing on the album are top guest artists, including Tom Thum and Kel. „I„I„I„I. The Sunday Mail 16-01-05 "Between The Serenity's songs, Tom Thum's beat-box, Robby Balboa's guest rhyming and Sammsonite's production and guest raps, 'Trouble' is an awesome representation of the Brisbane hip-hop scene right now. Track 4 'Birds' is so slamming. The lyrics on the album are freaking amazing and they don't drench the instrumentally focused tracks. The feel of the bands live set is captured nicely but the hip-hop feel also isn't lost, a tricky balance. Sammsonite's production is getting so righteous it's ridiculous. The rhymes, beats, and the entire final result is melodic, occasionally mellow, and musically spot-on. Check it out." Scene Magazine 27-10-04 Local live hip-hop outfit The Serenity have produced a very classy EP of down-tempo tunes, with tight rapping and great hooks. The Serenity are obviously bringing a lot of different musical ideas to the table, with a dub and reggae feel throughout, something Brisbane audiences will no doubt lap up eagerly. There is an abundance of familiar hip-hop samples (Dopeman, please can I have another hit?) and some sweet scratching which all helps complete the package. Robby Balboa and Sammsonite add some great touches to the track Birds, which almost takes on an angry vibe when compared to the rest of their chilled-out set, and the disc also features appearances by Tom Thum and Kel. Also (maybe) the first group ever to have an aerial shot of someone firing up a bucket bong printed on the CD. Inspired stuff, really. Rave Magazine 09-11-04 Out of the hellishly hot Brisbane hip-hop scene comes The Serenity, a combo confident enough in its sound to allow a flute to infiltrate the mix. The move is unprecedented and wise, lending a whispery treble thread to funky-beyond-belief bass-and-scratch beats. Add its sharp, compelling lyrics, and The Serenity's Aussie blend is export strength. Download.Com, May 2005 What picture to stick behind the disc in the CD sleeve? Its the eternal question. The Serenity have gone for a bucket bong and thats as good a place to start this review as any. Even through the apparent haze, The Serenity have thrown together one of the most innovative and exciting hip-hop releases in a bloody long time. Huge live, electronic and beat-boxed rhythms clear the way for an authentically interesting dose of raps and melodies. The Serenity deserve everything they are going to get. Timeoff Magazine 15-12-04 A veritable smorgasbord of turntables, beat boxing, scratching and dope beats running under tasty raps, fat bass grooves, keys and samples. Sound enticing? Well add in a flute and youre talking serenityism. Formed in 2002, The Trouble EP is the debut outing from this scrumptious five piece. Brothers Stoney type rapping wrangles itself around a Wu Tang, Cypress Hill gang slang approach that treads lightly enough over some smooth DJ Shadow, Portishead type vibes to balance everything out potently. A live rhythm section combined with DJ Returnagains snap cuttings make for a tight, well oiled and executed realism that comes around all to rarely in Australian Hip Hop. With twists and tinges of dub and reggae spliced into the mix The Trouble EP comes up trumps. The Blurb, Issue 52, April 2005 Dope, dope, dope...the whole EP is!!! "Gawdly like." "Dopeness, originality from each emcee... I'm impressed. Like the beat transition as well, y'all changed the feel and mood of the beat. Very nicely done. Congrats on the nominations. Much respect comin from Malaysia." "This is hot!!! I like it... expect some airplay, fellas." "My god... that bassline is orgasmic. Woah woah woah, this is some real fucken hip hop... kicking me in all the right places. Quality of this track is A Grade. The production as a whole is fucking unreal... Really impressing ay. Love ya work boys, keep bringin' it." Solid shit! I thought Nick 1, Sammsonite & Robby work heaps well togetherK Mad presence. Mad shit! Killer beat. All MCs rip it up. I been sleeping on this release for too long, gonna have to pay Phat Stuff a visit. "Whoah this is rockin'." "Fucking dope." "You're gettin' recognised. Keep kickin the dopeness." "Word, killer bass line. Love the way it changes up, keeps that bass hittin' the spot, and it keeps on changing. Produced with some real musical knowledge. Props." "Dope production, really liked the sample choices and drumkits. No question a dope package." "Real nice music, MC's are good. The vibes are the highlight for me though." "Very very solid... Dope shit." OzHipHop.Com Members, 2005 Kase Won (Oz Hiphop Staff), Mr. Cross (89.7FM), Unda Dwella (BNE's Finest), Tas, Stinkylips, Jarhed, Tommy T, Accent, Skryptcha, Deece, Conseps, Trunk, MicWreck LIVE REVIEWS "Enter The Serenity. With a perfect mix of instruments, the vocal talents and energy of frontman Nick 1, an array of guest MCs, and like any good Aussie hip-hop outfit, some political messages, these guys deliver a tight set that follows the hip-hop formula while retaining an original sound. Even with the mayhem of guest MCs running on and off stage, the guys don't miss a beatK It should also be noted, if The Serenity continue along their current path, they could be the next big name in Aussie hip-hop." Timeoff Magazine - The Zoo 04-09-04 "The Serenity were outstanding, with Nick 1 spitting linguistics all over the grooving masses, and Bezza's ethereal flute solos drawing sighs of 'how's the serenity?' from the front row. Final track Stop, Start It - replete with guest stars from the audience - was so fucking good it actually hurt my feelings". Rave Magazine - The Rev 24-07-04 "Flutes, keyboards and an assortment of hats later, MC Nick One introduces the set. Their music is very open and experimental, and Nick has a great stage presence as he raps with his trucker cap slouched jauntily to the side. 'This is a song about smoking pot', he enthuses to a cheering crowd. Guest singer Kelly Timmons, a.k.a. Kel, makes a guest appearance, her jazzy vocals soaring above the mix. The flute adds an eerie, soft element to the music, and having a guy on turntables results in greater effect than the standard random scratching. He then doubles on vocals, the chick on flute also goes on keyboards, as does Nick (whew, I'm confused!). Very enjoyable." Rave Magazine - The Zoo 31-10-03 I reckon these guys are one of the best live hip hop bands in the nation, probably the world - The Serenity. Little Rascal Records V The Zoo 07-07-05 The Serenity: a five piece hip hop group complete with keys and a flute. Yes, that's right; hiphop with a flute. Led by a blissfully obscene rapper, the band's different elements melded and complemented each other and each layer of sound had its chance to stand out. The buttery bass, feathery flute... turntable, keys, words and voice. Vibewire V The Zoo 07-07-05 *** UPCOMING SHOWS Please write to serenityism@hotmail.com for more info ***