East Londoner Ossie, gives us three gifts of musical goodness for his second outing on wax with the “Set The Tone EP” on a personal favourite of mine: Hyperdub.
Imagine the scene if you will. I am just about to get off the bus and begin my walk to work. For me, the only way to appreciate a track for the first time is with in-ear headphones and no outside sound whatsoever. Headphones in and ‘Moves’ starts the show. Hidden on the b-side, the swung sunken bongo’s bounce from ear to ear with light synths tickling at the top end, bass pulsing out at the bottom, splashed keys on the mid and strings that come in towards the end that could not be placed better. By the end of the track I am grinning from ear to ear.
I am now about half way through my walk to work. I have had a couple of funny looks but it’s so rare that a track captures your attention so much on its first listen with such a positive response, that I don’t care. In comes ‘Set The Tone’. Four bars in and there’s a distinct shuffle in my two step stride as I work my way down the road. I love this beat! Influences and sounds come from too many countries and genres to mention, but it’s clear, through the confusion, that the layout and arrangements are presented perfectly. The vocoded vocals coupled with those Rhodes chords challenge any man, woman or child to resist dancing to this beat.
Finally, at the car park, there’s no way I am going through the doors without seeing this EP through. A solid four-by-four rhythm hits deep while swelling synths roll out over that beautiful bass line, complimented by that short vocoder loop. The details in production in play here are immense. The various elements of the track sound like they are quite literally one solid sound.
Later that day, a few people asked me what I was doing earlier, and though I could not give them a clear answer, I knew exactly what I’d be listening to on the way home.
Featuring an eclectic fusion of funk, soul, house and funky casting a clever look back at the years gone by, I urge you to check out his first EP “Tarantula” on Lightworks,and if you look up at the right time, you might just see this boy heading for the sky.
Vinyl and Mp3s available from all shops worth visiting on the 20th June.
Work in Progress.......no literally, am a work in progress....
