The prolific Oddisee has released a new instrumental single Born Before Yesterday from his upcoming album entitled The Odd Tape, and follows on from his first release No Sugar No Cream.
Amir Elkhalifa aka Oddisee has crafted a five minute track full of jazz leanings and heavy percussion on his return. The smooth beat kicks in around a mix of warped and incomprehensible vocals before a clatter of rhythmic drums takes the song up a notch along with cymbal crashes. The song then completely breaks down as a jaunty piano line shuffles off alongside a crisp snare drum towards the end.
“My upcoming instrumental album The Odd Tape is meant to be a “Day In The Life” piece set to audio. Each track is the theme music to my routine. Born Before Yesterday takes its title from the daily proposals I receive that question intelligence in ways that only the music industry can,” the rapper and producer wrote on his Facebook page to explain the concept behind his new project.
His new album, which is set for release on May 18th, comes just a few months after he released his EP Alwasta while his follow up to the brilliant The Good Fight is also set for release later this year.
In an interview from 2013 with Okayplayer, the Washington, D.C based rapper spoke about why he found it so invigorating to make instrumental albums as opposed to full studio releases.
“I don’t really think the process differs for me too much, other than the fact I’ll take a few more liberties with the instrumental album than I would with a vocal album because on the vocal album, the lyrics are meant to be on the forefront. And when you have no lyrics, you have that space you can fill up with other things.”
“I tend to take those liberties when I make an instrumental album and maybe use live instrumentation to do solos or interesting sequences that may not be the easiest to rhyme over,” he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJsTx7-z0EM
Image: Ambrosiaforheads
Section 8 and Ferdydurke are pulling together once again to bring Melbourne a laneway music safari of tremendous proportions for Melbourne Music Week, November 13-20.
The two bars will be blocking off Tattersalls and Stevenson Lanes from Thursday November 19 and are decorating the venue with lighting and visual integration to transform the whole space into a “zoo” for the day. ZOO will feature amazing acts from Melbourne and abroad: The Shaolin Afronauts, Fortunes, Andrei Eremin, Stellar Remnants, Strictly Vinyl DJs, Andee Frost, ESESE, Jumps, Gordy Zola with the headline act Oddisee.
Oddisee is currently touring his new album The Good Fight and will only be doing one show in each state, with the exception of Victoria where he will also be performing at the Strawberry Fields Festival.
The Good Fight was released in April and is a jazzy, electro feel to hip hop that stands out from the crowd of sub-genre hip hop being released this year. Right from the first track, That’s Love, the indie rapper takes us on a journey explaining why recognising genuine love is essential in one’s own success – and genuine love is definitely what we have for Oddisee.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjnPHjsVncs]
It will be the rapper’s only Melbourne show, and since it’s a free event be sure to get in early. For any non-Victorians, here is the list of his other shows:
20 Nov – Mojo’s Bar WA
21 Nov – Transit Bar ACT
22 Nov – Strawberry Hills Festival 2015 VIC
26 Nov – Woolly Mammoth QLD
27 Nov – Goodgod Small Club NSW
28 Nov – The Projects, Rocket Bar SA