After a short break, Australian hip hop icons Hilltop Hoods are back with a brand-new track, “The Gift”—a soulful, nostalgic collaboration with Larrakia-born artist Marlon.
The song is the first taste of their upcoming ninth studio album, set to drop later this year. It’s been a long time between full-length releases for the Hoods—their last album, The Great Expanse, came out back in 2019—but if “The Gift” is anything to go by, it’s been worth the wait.
Teaming up with Marlon just made sense for the Adelaide trio. His smooth, rich vocals—bringing to mind Leon Bridges and The Weeknd—add serious soul to the track. Plus, they already had a connection through producer Trials, making the collab feel totally natural.
As always, the Hoods bring the bars, but this time, they’re getting extra deep. Suffa lays it all out in one particularly powerful line: “My dad used to put on the blues, I could hear his head banging on the wall in the next room / And now after he had passed, I realised it was music he had passed.”
Discussing the meaning behind the song, Suffa explains how ‘The Gift’ explores the relationship between family and music. “I grew up in a house filled with music. My dad played guitar and was an avid record collector, my mum was a music teacher, and my brothers were musicians,” he says. “I know that this informed my love of music as a kid, and for me, that’s the greatest gift that my family ever gave me.”
The song comes with a stunning video directed by Richard Coburn (1955, Cosby Sweater, Exit Sign), which brings that nostalgia to life. The clip dives into the memories of growing up surrounded by music, capturing the way a love of sound is passed down through generations.
“We’ve collaborated with Richard Coburn on a lot of film clips, but for me, this video might be the most special—it just has so much heart,” says Suffa.
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Coburn agrees. “The clip deals with the Hoods remembering the music their parents and families, neighbours and friends exposed them to that helped form their love of music,” he says. “Beautiful vignettes that tell the story of the influence of growing up in an environment of music. It’s a nostalgic look at how our parents’ love of music is like a gift that they pass down to their children.”
Even though they’ve stayed busy over the years with singles and tours—including 2020’s “I’m Good?”, which went triple platinum and raised over $608,000 for Support Act’s Roadies Fund, and 2023’s “Laced Up”—“The Gift” officially signals their return to album mode.
The new record is almost done, and according to Pressure, the extra time has only made it better. “We’ve had a long time to work on the record and expand on ideas,” he says. “It’ll be six years since The Great Expansewhen this comes out, but it will be a stronger record because of the time taken.”
If you’re itching to see them live, you won’t have to wait too long—Hilltop Hoods will hit festival stages across Australia and Europe this year, with confirmed performances at Bluesfest Byron Bay and Switzerland’s Taubertal, Openair, and Lakelive festivals, with more shows still to be announced.
Hilltop Hoods’ “The Gift” is out now via Island Records Australia/Universal Music Group.
