Agung Mango reappears with rap-rock hybrid ‘GUT’, announces debut album IN BELLY WE TRUST
PRAISE FOR Agung Mango
“Agung Mango has three things vital for success: presence, originality and flawless production”
“Undeniable knack for both writing and producing”
“Show-stopping”
“An exceptional skill for hip-hop beats and rhymes”
“Agung Mango Is Creating Greatness, The World Needs To Recognise It”
‘GUT’ is out now, buy/stream it here.
Certified hell-raiser Agung Mango surfaces with ‘GUT’, following the surprise drop of ‘Pemecutan Napoletana’. ‘GUT’ is the bold first single from the Naarm / Melbourne rapper’s upcoming album IN BELLY WE TRUST due later this year via Picked Last. LISTEN HERE.
Debuted overnight at a renegade live gig, ‘GUT’ is a valiant release from the shape-shifting Agung, who shares his philosophy on living by, or against, the clock. Opening with profound spoken word from his uncle, ‘GUT’ quickly envelopes into throbbing guitars. Darkness in raucous riffage and thudding drums juxtaposes the light in Agung’s message.
In Agung’s words, ‘GUT’ speaks to “the battle with time, and the moments of clarity that emerge from the chaos. Time can be your greatest friend or fo.” He likens this analogy to the dichotomy of heaven and hell, specifically the rewards reaped from being present and appreciating each moment, against the burden of living constantly on the edge of time running out. Visually, traditional Balinese masks symbolise these divergent schools of thought.
Produced by fellow Picked Last member Sam Varghese with guitar from Sam Cox and drums by Kanhaiya Dasa, ‘GUT’ takes cues from Paris Texas – whom he recently supported on their Laneway Festival sideshows – to N.E.R.D. Agung’s most overt rap-rock fusion yet lays the full spectrum of his cadence and range, previously teased on ‘LITTLE BUM’, outside of his R&B-jazz fusion leans on MAN ON THE GO EP and SON OF AGUNG collaboration with Nikodimos.
Consistently pushing his own boundaries, ‘GUT’ with the earlier ‘Pemecutan Napoletana’ showcases Agung Mango’s magnetic presence and fearless experimentation. The former highlighting the juggle of his Indonesian and Italian backgrounds, inspired by the prospect of the future, continues to tease Agung’s upcoming debut album.
IN BELLY WE TRUST is a deeply personal release for Agung Mango, about intuition and faith. Inspired by the brain-gut connection – the enteric nervous system – the record sees Agung tackle a breadth of trials and tribulations while guided by his roots in Bali and Napoli. Due later this year, 2024 will see the rising underdog continue to triumph as a rap sensation.
Since his debut in 2017, Naarm / Melbourne based artist Agung Mango has feverishly worked to establish himself as one of the trailblazers in Australia’s underground rap scene. Including a string of EPs in MAN ON THE GO, Son of Agung and OPENFORBUSINESS, Agung Mango’s mainstream stature has steadily risen in time, landing festival slots and collaborations including JID, Freddie Gibbs, DJ Pee .Wee (Anderson .Paak), Genesis Owusu, WIKI, Milan Ring, 1300, Lucy Blomkamp and more. Cultivating a following across triple j and Unearthed, Apple Music, NME, Complex, 10 Magazine, VICE, Acclaim, Pilerats, and more consistently praising his nimble ability to push and break boundaries or juggle melodic songs and furious raps effortlessly, Agung Mango continues to take listeners and industry alike beyond their comfort zones.
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