ODDISEE “PEOPLE HEAR WHAT THEY SEE” ALBUM REVIEW BY YUNGUN

Whether you know it or not, you probably already love Oddisee’s music. Deep diggers may know him from his early production credits on Jazzy Jeff’s Magnificent LP. But since then he’s been hard not to bump into, with his crew Diamond District, on production for the likes of Olivier Daysoul or on his many solo singles, EPs and instrumental albums. It’s somewhat surprising, then, that “People Hear What They See” is tentatively billed as his official solo debut. It’s certainly not his first rodeo but it may just be his finest hour – “People Hear What They See” is undoubtedly one of the albums of the year.

There’s a real sense of a musical coming of age here. The production has a solid hip-hop backbone but, where lesser artists fail to move beyond predictable boom-bap territory, Oddisee adds live strings, keys and horns in constantly evolving arrangements. Die hard heads won’t be disappointed but equally the sound will appeal to people from many different musical walks of life.

So yes, he’s strong behind the boards, but what about on the mic? Well, the subject matter is varied and the observations insightful. The flows and patterns are complex but not so much as to detract from the message. There’s plenty here to ensure that repeat listens are not merely justified but also thoroughly enjoyable.

The album was written as an experiment in observation. It is inspired by real-life events and emotions, not just from Oddisee’s own life but from those of others too. Hence “People Hear What They See”. Well, if this album is anything to go by, we can expect to see big things ahead for Oddisee. And I for one can’t wait to hear them.

Yungun (a.k.a. Essa) is one of the UK’s most highly regarded Hip Hop artists. Check him out at www.yungun.com and look out for his #FRMX2 EP, the latest instalment in his recent series of free download projects. Twitter: @YUNGUNakaESSA.