Sometimes you’ll hear an album that is so good that there simply are not enough adjectives to describe it suitably. ‘Sub-Urb-An Files Vol. 1′ is such an album. This is a collection of tunes from Hydrofunk records; the record label set up and run by Resin Dogs’ DJ Katch and Dave Atkins. It’s a showcase of the best in Aussie Hiphop, with a splattering of the finest in UK breaks, dishing up an enormously phat serving of funk that’s so enjoyable that you’ll want to go out and buy the whole back catalogue.

Soul runs rich and deep through this compilation. Mostyn’s Rattle On starts the program, beginning with a cool little electro sound followed by a nice, deep bass, followed by a soulful jazz voice, then joined with some nice, laid back hiphop beats. The soulful beats continue with pure, a 2dogs beat-fest underneath Kowhai’s beautiful aussie hiphop vocals, given a remix by Canadian Tor. An enjoyable surprise for me was the R&B style of Mad Dr X’s Show Me, remixed by 2dogs. Typical of this album, it’s an example of R&B in it’s traditional (and best) form, more reminiscent of Curtis Mayfield and Miles Davis than of the wanna be gangsta crap that’s coming out of the US at the moment. Other highlights are the Timmy P and Isobel gem 3Planets, and Spikey-Tee’s Stand Firm. Usually I would skip these types of tunes, as they’re essentially R&B, but these, like Show Me, are simply so wonderfully composed and arranged that it’s impossible not to enjoy them.

It’s not all soul, as some tunes are so damn right funky that you’ll want to jump up and dance. DJ Foel’s Hey Hey Hey, Double Bassic’s Blunted Stylus, Double ‘R’s Do the Do (2002) are excellent sample filled scratchings of funk, hiphop, and pop culture. The addition of Katalyst’s Another Game seems almost a given considering the amount of talent this guy has, and the overall quality of the whole album. Backed up by the Resin Dogs, another Mad Dr X track, and Funkwig & Denorthwode, and you have one of the funkiest and soulful collection of tunes this side of the 70’s. When Australian produced material is this good, it makes you laugh at the pathetic excuse for music that calls itself R&B and Hiphop that’s coming out of the US at the moment.