Sound Unlimited
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| Sound Unlimited | |
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 A Postcard From The Edge Of The Under-Side album art
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Westside Posse Sound Unlimited Posse |
| Origin | Sydney, Australia |
| Genre(s) | Hip hop |
| Years active | 1990–1994 |
| Label(s) | CBS Records |
| Associated acts | Renegade Funktrain |
| Members | |
| Rosano (El Assassin) Martinez Tina (T-Na) Martinez MC Kode Blue Vlad DJ BTL |
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Sound Unlimited, formerly known as Sound Unlimited Posse and Westside Posse[1], were an Australian hip hop group from Sydney, Australia that was known for being the first Australian hip hop act signed to a major label (Sony BMG) during the 1990s.[2][3][4] The band's members were: Rosano (El Assassin) and Tina Martinez (who were brother and sister), MC Kode Blue and Vlad DJ BTL[5]
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[edit] History
Westside Posse originated from the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia in the Burwood subdivision in 1983. Their first semi-successful album, called Down Under by Law, was released by Virgin Records in 1988. Later in 1989 the group would become the Sound Unlimited Posse.
The group had members of Russian and mixed Spanish and Filipino origin[6] and released several singles from an album called "A Postcard from the Edge of the Underside", among them "Kickin' to the Undersound", "One More From The City" and "Saturday".[7]"A Postcard from the Edge of the Underside" was the only Australian rap album to be released by a major label (Columbia Sony) in the 1990s.[8] This "breakthrough recording deal" was negotiated with the help of Public Enemy.[9]
The group's origins in Sydney's western suburbs impacted the music they produced. The western suburbs of Sydney are "traditionally regarded as working-class, underprivileged and crime-ridden," and have substantial immigrant communities. These suburbs have significantly less access to the cultural and social capital of those in more affluent, serviced suburbs, creating space for a different cultural form, that of underground hip-hop. Sound Unlimited publicly declares their underground status in their album title, "A Postcard from the Edge of the Under-side."[10]
Despite major label support, the group initially received some criticism from the Australian hip hop community[4] as their music was said to be "slick and heavily instrumental" and also because of claims by the band to represent Sydney Hip Hop.[11] They have contributed to the Australian Hip Hop scene due to supporting several other bands. The group supported acts such as Public Enemy, New Kids on the Block and De La Soul during their Australian tours, including opening for Public Enemy during their 1992 Australian tour.[12] They also performed at the Big Day Out Music Festival.[13]
The group split up in 1994, with Rosano and Tina forming the UK-based acid jazz band Renegade Funktrain with Tina's husband, Derek Antunes (a former drummer for New Kids on the Block's touring band).[14]
[edit] Discography
| Album Information | Track Listing | |
| Down Under By Law[1] | Released: 1989
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| Peace By Piece[16] | Released: 1990
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 Unity[17] |
Released: 1991
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 Kickin' To The Undersound[18] |
Released: 1992
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 A Postcard From The Edge Of The Under-Side[19] |
Released: 1992
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| Saturday Night[20] | Released: 1992
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[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b Mitchell, Tony. "Indigensing hip-hop: an Australian migrant youth culture", Local Noise. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.
- ^ Pollard, Mark. "Australian Hip Hop", Stealth Magazine, 2003-05-10. Retrieved on 2008-03-12.
- ^ Australian Ministry magazine, "Australian hip hop", April 2003
- ^ a b Colman, Tim. "The Great hip hopes", Sydney Morning Herald, 2005-04-08. Retrieved on 2008-03-12.
- ^ Discogs - Sound Unlimited (2)
- ^ Global Noise: Rap and Hip-hop Outside the USA - Page 273, by Tony Mitchell, (Google Books)
- ^ "Soundbuzz", Soundbuzz Australia, 2004-02-06. Retrieved on 2008-03-12.
- ^ "Australian hip hop as a 'glocal' subculture", The Ultimo Series Seminar, 1998-03-18. Retrieved on 2008-03-12.
- ^ Maxwell, Ian. "Sydney Stylee: Hip-Hop Down Under Comin' Up." Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA. Ed. Tony Mitchell. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2001: 268.
- ^ Mitchell, Tony. "Australian hip hop as a 'glocal' subculture." Presented at The Ultimo Series Seminar. 18 March 1998: 5. <http://www.cia.com.au/peril/youth/>
- ^ Phat Beats, Dope Rhymes: Hip Hop Down Under Comin' Upper - Page 49, By Ian Maxwell (Google Books)
- ^ Maxwell, Ian. "Sydney Stylee: Hip-Hop Down Under Comin' Up." Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA. Ed. Tony Mitchell. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2001: 268.
- ^ Big Day Out - Past Lineups, 1992
- ^ Mitchell, Tony: Indigensing hip-hop: an Australian migrant youth culture, Local Noise (Australian Research Council).
- ^ Musical Visions By Gerry Bloustien (Wakefield Press 1999) page 88 ISBN 1862545006
- ^ Discogs - Peace by Piece
- ^ Discogs - Unity
- ^ Discogs - Kickin' To The Undersound
- ^ Discogs - A Postcard From The Edge Of The Under-Side
- ^ Discogs - Saturday Night
