Allday

Indie vibe, echoes of Frank Ocean, social media impact, undeniable mic skills – it’s no wonder the official debut for Allday, hosted on Illy’s new imprint, is getting so much attention. - Rolling Stone

A 22-year-old sort-of-Daniel-Johns lookalike from Melbourne may not seem like the most likely Australian hip hop artist to crack the big time overseas but, if his debut album is anything to go by, Allday could be the first to do so.

Startup Cult isn’t your average Aussie hip-hop record. In fact apart from the accent, it’s almost devoid of any connection to home-grown hip-hop, instead taking cues from rappers like Drake, Future and Kanye West.

Tom Gaynor (a.k.a. Allday) has amassed a strong cult following on social media and in many ways Startup Cult sounds like his manifesto for youth. The 15-track effort focuses firmly on drinking, girls, drugs, aspirations and music, delivered with a youthful arrogance.

While Anything But Sober, Fuckin’ and Milligrams successfully portray Allday drunk and high, it’s the aspirational side of Startup Cult that resonates the best, with an “anything is possible” motif running through the album.

On Wolves he raps, “How can I be Jay Z?” over a bold instrumental while recalling “vibing on those videos thinking I’m rich”. He demonstrates a way of talking himself up, while also keeping himself on the level of the listener.

The biggest inspiration on the record appears to be Drake. Allday effortlessly fluctuates between singing and rapping just like his Canadian counterpart on tracks like Taking Hold and You Always Know The DJ. The latter even sounds inspired by the deep-house styling that featured on Drake’s Hold On We’re Coming Home. - MusicFeeds

"Statements of superiority are nothing new in this genre, but Allday’s debut LP is particularly impressive because it’s actually fairly convincing…. Why should we care? Well, aside from the fact that “bitches love [him]” it’s because “this shit’s all from the heart, eh”. 4/5" - Brag

"Startup Cult is an almost perfect album" - Rip It Up

Allday's energy is high but not distracting, and the crowd hangs on his every word; they lose their collective mind when he launches into Right Now, and soon we can barely hear Allday over the euphorically singing audience.

In fact, as the night wears on, it becomes clear that the crowd is what makes this gig. I’ve never seen such devotion from an audience; they crane to touch him, sing every words of every track, and wail when he stops. The result is a bit alienating to those who – like me – aren’t quite as involved, and I do wish I could hear more of Allday and less of his fans. Still, the atmosphere is electric.

Throwing in recognisable covers and remixes of Hermitude/Flume and Childish Gambino, Allday never loses his sense of humour and creativity, and as usual never takes himself too seriously. Popular tracks like Taking Hold and You Always Know The DJ prompt something close to mass hysteria from the audience, but Allday performs with skill and professionalism, keeping his tracks tight and entertaining. - Society of Sound