Adelaide trio EAST AV3's rise has been so sharp, you'd be forgiven for missing the hype train. Now is the time to get on it. Nic Flare, Kane Trop3z and YOURPAPASENSEI have released their second song of the year Olympics switching up the atmosphere of predecessor Do It All Again and proving their versatility.

This set of releases comes after a big 2020. Despite the pandemic, they have pushed on, making waves with their debut EP RUGRAT$ which presented as a mission statement. Their raps are honest, confident and charismatic while their beats are genre-bending and experimental. People have positioned them somewhere between rap's experimentalists like Brockhampton and dance music's trap purveyors like RL Grime. The result of that is something fresh and ever-changing. 

If you need to catch up, here's a trip through their most essential songs yet. 

Riding Through The Fire

"Devil on my mind / Think it's showing now / Pray to good I make it out of this alive."

It's not often that you catch the internet's attention on your first track but that's exactly what EAST AV3 did with Riding Through Fire. The intense, relentless song immediately caught triple j's attention thanks to its bold beat and cascading bars that never cease. Immediately comparisons were made to Brockhampton due to their ability to bridge the experimental with the classic. Since then, they have just continued to expand their sound, challenging the comparisons and carving their own land. 

Le Labo

"City on the map, now we / Runnin' the atlas."

Le Labo felt like a leap forward for East Av3. They have had a certain braggadocious confidence since the start but Le Labo ups the anti. It's one of their most classic hooks, sounding like their theme song - the sort that will bring fans together at a gig. "EAST AV3 slapping / Their hands are clapping," they rap in the hook over a glitchy, danceable beat that matches the lyrical charisma they bring on the song. The music video is well worth a watch too, it's going to make you wish that you were part of their trio.

RUGRAT$

"EAST AV3 RUGRAT$ raising all the havoc."

If you're going to write a song named after one of the most beloved children's shows of all time, you better bring the heat. Thankfully, the title track of their first EP does exactly that. It's a high-energy cut with an alarming beat that makes it sound like they're rapping for their lives. The trio are causing havoc all across this beat and it's exactly the sort of energy we've come to expect from them - a mix of the playful and the intense. 

rosé & sashimi

"We about to drop the bomb."

2020 continued to be a big year for the trio with the release of rosé & sashimi. It's one of the hardest cuts the trio have released, trading dance beats for industrial, hard-hitting sounds forcing a confident lyrical performance. "We about to drop the bomb," they rap in the hook foreshadowing what's to come from them. The song was written after a meal with their label A&R and reflects on how their life has changed since EAST AV3 has taken off. As always, the visuals are on point. They wild out in museums and gas stations using their unity and chemistry as an undeniable power. 

Do It All Again (Feat. George Alice)

"We came here to get it so grab the sky with your hands."

Do It All Again is the first time EAST AV3 have invited a featured artist onto the track. It's triple j darling George Alice who does the honour, adding a honey-soaked hook to the song. This is a different beat for the trio, moving into a more electronic sound reminiscent of producers like Kaytranada and Disclosure. As a result, their raps are more groove-infused channeling the work of Mac Miller or Anderson .Paak. The result is their most accessible track to date - a bop from start to finish.

Olympics (Feat. Raj Mahal)

"I might buy a plane just so I can get away."

With their versatility on display, East Av3 have moved straight from their most accessible track yet to one of their steeliest. Sydney rapper Raj Mahal has made a name for himself with hard raps and he brings that intensity to the hook. His presence is undeniable as he gives a performance that's chill-worthy. EAST AV3 match that in the verses navigating a beat that's somewhere between RL Grime and Baauer. In many ways, it feels like a triumphant celebration of Australia's new wave of hip-hop. An inventive and exciting collection of MCs and producers.