Since forming in 2010, Lion Mountain Studio has been working with Sydney’s Sierra Leonean community to make beats. And they sound awesome.

Named after Sierra Leone (meaning Lion Mountains), Lion Mountain Studio runs out of a custom-built cupboard studio at Marrickville Community Centre’s Skid Row Radio. Each Sunday the cupboard opens its doors to members of the newly arrived and refugee African communities, holding workshops and one-on-one sessions with members of Sydney’s electronic and hip hop communities, including Seekae, Killaqueenz, Thomas William and members of the ONEOFOUR Collective.

After two years of skilling up on songwriting, beat making and production, Lion Mountain Studio is proud to unveil the release of Sounds of the Lion, a compilation showcasing the finest Sierra Leonean sounds this side of the Indian Ocean. Mixing English with the native Krio, Sounds of the Lion stylistically borrows from rap, hip-hop, grime, moombahton, dancehall and dubstep to create a unique mix of sounds, influence and experience. The album coincides with the debut release from Lamtech, a single that’s part retro rap à la The Cool Kids, part gangsta blap, all swagger.

To celebrate the release participants and volunteers from LMS will be performing at the Red Rattler, Marrickville on Saturday March 10. Perform? We mean party. Join The Sierra Sisters, Lamtech, LL Bock, DJ Funzo, 48/4, O Squid, Sounds Revolution and morein what will be one very sweaty night.

Tracks from the forthcoming Sounds of the Lion compilation are available to download at http://lionmountain.bandcamp.com/

Lion Mountain artists Lamtech, Alpha, LL Book and Sierra Sisters performed at the Marrickville Festival last Sunday. They sang their group song and then each artist did a solo performance which got the crowd dancing on their feet. The festival was banging with live entertainment from local performers.