Flying Colours (Bliss n Eso album)

Flying Colours
Studio album by
Bliss n Eso
Released26 April 2008
RecordedThe Devils Playground & Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne
GenreHip-hop
LabelIllusive Sounds/Liberation Music
ProducerJonathon Notley, Hattori Hunzo
Bliss n Eso chronology
Day of the Dog
(2006) 		Flying Colours
(2008) 		Running On Air
(2010)
Singles from Flying Colours
  1. "Bullet and a Target"
    Released: 29 October 2007
  2. "Woodstock 2008"
    Released: April 2008
  3. "The Sea is Rising"
    Released: May 2008
  4. "Eye of the Storm"
    Released: 2008

Flying Colours is the third studio album by Australian hip-hop group Bliss n Eso. It was released by Illusive Sounds on 26 April 2008.

At the J Awards of 2008, the album was nominated for Australian Album of the Year.[1] At the ARIA Music Awards of 2008, the album won the ARIA award for Best Urban Release.[2]

Background and release

The album was recorded in three different continents over twelve months, and features Illmaculate (World freestyle and Scribble Jam champion), a 20 piece African Zulu Choir (The Zulu Connections Choir), Debaser (US), Hyjak and Phrase. In an interview with The Age newspaper Jonathan Notley (Bliss) explained that the band's previous albums were recorded on the fly, in sporadic periods whenever they could score some studio time, whereas with Flying Colours, the Sydneysiders relocated to Melbourne for three months of dedicated writing and recording at Richmond's Sing Sing Studios[3]

"We decided to get out of Sydney and go somewhere where we could get up every day and just focus on making the record. It was great. We weren't worried about the pressure of what people would think, or forcing it or trying to make hits" - Notley[3]

The cover of the album features artwork by tattoo artist, Steve Cross from Melbourne. It depicts a man with blazing coloured wings leaping off a cliff.

"With this album we wanted to do something a bit different than just pictures of us. We kinda wanted to go a little bit more creative and imaginative. We thought of this concept of this guy like leaping off this cliff with these flaming colourful wings, and it kind of really worked with the context of this album and obviously the title." - Notley[4]

In an interview with X-Press Magazine Notley indicated their surprise at the album's success.

"To tell you the truth it smashed any of my expectations. The reception for the record has been fantastic so we couldn't really be happier at the moment." - Notley[5]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]

It was featured as the Triple J feature album in the week leading up to its release.[7]

Track listing

All songs written by Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon and Noam Dishon, except where noted[8]

Flying Colours

  1. "The Beginning" – 1:41
  2. "Woodstock 2008" – 4:27
  3. "Eye of the Storm" (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, A. Stone, J. Stone) – 3:27
  4. "Bullet and a Target" (featuring the Zulu Connection Choir) (Clarence Greenwood) – 4:15
  5. "Happy in My Hoody" (featuring Hyjak and Phrase) (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, J McCarthy, Harley Webster, Vester) – 4:19
  6. "Destiny Lane" (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Mark Landon) – 3:41
  7. "Zion Bash" (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Mark Landon) – 2:51
  8. "The Sea is Rising" – 5:36
  9. "Gorilla Militia" (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Mark Landon) – 3:14
  10. "How to Listen, Part 1" – 3:02
  11. "Climb These Cliffs" (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Noam Dishon, Mark Landon) – 3:41
  12. "At Midnight" – 5:21
  13. "Royal Flush" – 3:52
  14. "$5 Steak" (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Noam Dishon, Etheridge, Montgo) – 5:35
  15. "The Truth" (featuring ILLmacuLate and Sapient) – 4:41
  16. "Never Give Up" (featuring Changes) (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Noam Dishon, Mchunu, Mhlongo) – 4:31
  17. "Field of Dreams" (featuring Paris Wells) – 3:24

Flying Colours limited edition bonus disc

  1. "The Dark Tower" – 5:49 (features a sample from the 1947 radioplay The Dark Tower by Louis MacNeice)
  2. "Lonely Streets" (featuring Debaser) – 4:33
  3. "Bullet and a Target" (acoustic version) (featuring the Zulu Connection Choir) – 3:58
  4. "Mexican Spit Fire" – 2:30
  5. "Choof Choof Train" – 4:09

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2008/09) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[9] 10
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[10] 15

Year-end charts

Chart (2008) Position
Australian Artist Albums (ARIA)[11] 40
Chart (2009) Position
Australian Artist Albums (ARIA)[12] 45

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[13] Platinum 70,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Edition(s) Label Catalogue
Australia 26 April 2008
Limited Edition Illusive Sounds ILL006CD
Australia
Standard edition Illusive Sounds ILL007CD
South Africa
  • CD
 Creative Canopy RSCD1048170
Australia 2009
  • 2xLP + DVD
 Deluxe Edition / Flying Colours Illusive Sounds BNE028
Australia December 2023
  • 2xLP
 15th Anniversary re-release Illusive Sounds BNE 140

References

  1. ^ "2008 J Awards". ABC. 5 December 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Major ARIA award nominations". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 September 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2008.
  3. ^ a b Murffet, Andrew (4 September 2008). "Bliss n Eso". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 8 October 2008.
  4. ^ "Bliss n Eso:Flying back in full colour". In The Mix. 20 May 2008. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
  5. ^ Hayes, Joshua (9 October 2008). "Pass with Flying Colours". Xpress magazine. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
  6. ^ AllMusic review
  7. ^ "Triple J Feature Album". Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  8. ^ APRA database Archived 8 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine at the Australasian Performing Right Association website (search each song title)
  9. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Bliss n Eso – Flying Colours". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Bliss n Eso – Flying Colours". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Top 50 Australian Artists Albums 2008". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  12. ^ "Top 50 Australian Artists Albums 2009". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  13. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2025 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
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