Humility isn't always such an easy thing to come by in hip hop, which makes Atherton And Sire refreshing before you even hear what they sound like.

The Ottawa pair's debut album, A Different Way Of Doing The Same Old Thing, is blatantly honest from the get-go. DJ Atherton and MC Sire are realistic in admitting, before even making a noise, that they aren't doing anything groundbreaking; but they don't use that as an excuse to be boring, as the duo's approach is novel and keeps a listener on their toes, not knowing whether to expect a rollicking big-band piano or a whining klezmer violin.

Lyrically, it's okay if you want to just sit back and enjoy the music without worrying about catching the words: DJ Atherton's flow comes across naturally, with the ability to smoothly dissolve into just another layer of MC Sire's beat. But that doesn't mean there aren't lyrical gems to be found. Seriously, how many hip hop acts can reference 80's synth pop and get away with it?

And despite what their album-title may claim, they do possess some pure originality: the four prominent words making up the delicious hook of ATM have never been uttered in the history of mankind... or something.

See Atherton And Sire as part of the DMC Canada DJ and MC national championship festivities, performing Sunday at the Live Graffiti Expo.

DOWNLOAD
From Atherton & Sire's 2006 debut, A Different Way Of Doing The Same Old Thing:
--->ATM (please remove your socks to allow for maximum toe-tapping flexibility)
--->Audio Oxygen
--->Roland Orzabal (yes... that Roland Orzabal!)
--->Deep Blue


Atherton And Sire on:
myspace