About 10 years ago, a great live music scourge took over Melbourne.

It all started when too many VCA improvisation graduates discovered hip hop. No longer content with playing the jazz scene and making some cash with wedding swing bands, they switched from Coltrane, Schofield, Rollins and Monk to NWA, Dre, The Roots and Talib Kweli.

The change happened concurrently all over Australia and the result was a thriving scene of whiteboy funk and quasi-hip hop, often with a dash of reggae. When done badly it was insufferable... On any given night 3 or 4 of these bands would be grooving away on Brunswick Street Fitzroy. The results sometimes weren't pretty.

But as time went by, the cream rose to the top. Only the stayers remained. Some of these bands crossed over from fad to world class musicianship and brilliant songwriting. Illzilla, True Live, Fizard and more started to match the likes of established quality Australian acts like 1200 Techniques and Koolism wh'd come from a more traditional hip hop background..

Melodics are a band whose members came out of the whiteboy/funk/jazz/hip hop early days. They saw the writing on the wall, moved away from the jam band aesthetic and wrote tight, catchy, perfectly structured pop songs with great rhymes. They mastered synths, lost some horns and got to writing some sweet arse electro hip hop.

MC Jeremedy is sharp, hooks abound, the rhythm section is funky and water tight and the synth lines give Australia's Modular electro royalty a serious run for it's money.

These days, the guys have more in common with  The Presets, Dexy's Midnight Runners or Madness than Jurassic 5.

On Friday night, with barely any advertising, they sold out the Hi Fi Bar in Melbourne to launch their debut album.
With an upcoming national tour and an electrifying live show, they're set for big things.

Watch this clip... it's kinda kitsch but the music talks for itself.

Melodics Album 4D is out now. www.myspace.com/themelodics