A.B. Original, the collaborative project between NIMA Award winner Briggs and ARIA Award-winning producer Trials (Drapht, Illy, Hilltop Hoods), have just unveiled their latest single, the biting anti-Australia Day anthem ‘January 26’.
Set to drop officially on Friday, 19th August, the single is the latest to be taken from the duo’s forthcoming debut album, Reclaim Australia, and features guest vocals from fellow ARIA Award winner Dan Sultan.
“You can call it what you want, but it just don’t mean a thing / You can come and wave your flag, it don’t mean a thing to me“, Sultan sings on the hook of the track, which features G Funk-inspired production reminiscent of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s heyday.
The bouncy production is juxtaposed with biting lyrics that rip apart “the farce of a holiday” that is Australia Day. “They screaming ‘love it or leave it’ / I got more reason to be here, if you can believe it“, Briggs raps. “Turn that flag to a noose, put a cease to your breathing“, he adds.
Elsewhere, Trials spits, “How you wanna raise a flag with a rifle to make us want to celebrate anything but survival / You watching tele for ‘The Bachelor’ but wouldn’t read a book about a fuckload of massacres“.
‘January 26’ arrives in the lead-up to A.B. Original’s eagerly anticipated keynote appearance at BIGSOUND next month, when they will be interviewed by former triple j presenter and Frenzal Rhomb guitarist Lindsay ‘The Doctor’ McDougall and perform live.
The track was premiered on triple j earlier this morning and j listeners ought to keep it in mind when it comes time to vote in the Hottest 100. As the Hottest 100 is traditionally aired on 26th January, sending a song like ‘January 26’ into the countdown would be a powerful and important statement.
