#drmngnow

Neil Morris is a Yorta Yorta man who raps under the moniker DRMNGNOW. On “INDIGENOUS LAND” he calls for widespread cultural knowledge regarding the history of Indigenous people in Australia and the legacy of the failed white fella policy that still affects his community to this day.

Dropping at the beginning of reconciliation week, MORRIS opens the song with some spoken word, “EVERYWHERE WE WALK UPON IN THIS WORLD, ONE INDIGENOUS GROUP OR ANOTHER HAS ONCE LIVED THERE BEFORE FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS. WE GOTTA RESPECT THE WAYS TO INHABIT THAT PLACE”. Throughout the track, DRMNGNOW delivers a tight staccato rhyme scheme brimming with skill and pace over hard-hitting trap production. His flow is impressive. Theres a bunch of sick little vocal flairs he throws in at the end of that second verse after he spits… “LEST WE FORGET THE FRONTIER WARS AND THE GENOCIDE BLUEPRINT THAT DOES LIVE ON” Aside from being musically relevant in 2018, the energy and emotional depth of this track really carries through the feeling of the words. The most powerful moments being when MORRIS raps in his native language. Here the tone and vibe of the words match perfectly with the hard production, manned by NARAYANA JOHNSON (producer from indie electronic duo WILLOW BEATS) who’s been making trap bangers on the sly as RIVER BOY. “INDIGENOUS LAND” features JOHNSON’s signature fluid style with moody arpeggios, evolving flute melodies and harmonically rich, thumping bass.