Though they both have the Pacific Ocean in common, there's a whole world of difference between California and Australia. That's what makes the teaming of West Coast rapper Kokane, who has worked with everyone from Eazy-E to Snoop Dogg Lion, and Aussie upstart Traffik so intriguing on their album The New Frontier. Further adding to the pot is the fact that Traffik, once known around his home country for his R&B/neo-soul stylings, has delved deep into the roots of reggae, making he and Kokane's collaboration even more interesting. So what exactly does it sound like when these two worlds collide?
Look no further than the album's lead single, "Make Believe," for the answer. Featuring conscious lyrics about the state of the world today over a G-Funked out beat, the single finds the two melding their disparate styles. The themes of "Make Believe" are visited several times on tracks like "Family Thing," "The New Frontier" and "Head 2 Da Sky." It's not a completely serious affair, though, as they also have tunes to get at the ladies ("Call Me Up" and "Gimme Some Love") as well as get the the party going ("Turn It Up"). Along the way, they even bring some friends along. Australian emcee Damajah turns up on the title track as well as "Dirty Game" along with Cali rhymer Tha Chill. Elsewhere, you'll find features from Soopafly ("What's The Business") and Glasses Malone.
Though The New Frontier may not be everyone's cup of tea, it definitely showcases a chemistry between Kokane and Traffik that could possibly grow if future collaborations are in the cards for the pair. It definitely has its missteps -- at times the lyrics can border on the ridiculous and more thought could've been put into the album's sequencing -- but it shows the potential, with a bit of refinement, for something greater to come from their future efforts.
