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Omni - Batterie: Album Review |
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Written by Michelle Cavanaugh
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The diversity of this young well-traveled emcee is displayed track-after-track on his debut solo album Batterie, which was recorded in its entirety in Australia.
The title track, “Batterie,” opens us up with an early hip-hop break beat. Omni’s lyrical speed is reminiscent of Blackalicious, who he recently shared the stage with on tour. “We Are All We Have” is a chant directed towards everyone, everywhere to stand up against forces who are destroying justice, freedom, and humanity.
The organic sound of flamenco guitar riffs and gypsy violins carry the rhythm in “Bang The Drums,” making it impossible to sit still. On the other side of the spectrum, “Crazy In Love” mixes dancehall and electronic blips with jungle bass.
“Be Careful” is a romantic ballad featuring the stunning Draupadi, whose vocals might remind you of Sade. Her soothing voice fused with Omni’s deep articulation leaves a lasting impression. The vibe bleeds into “Gully Rocks,” a confessional about a missed love. Omni sings “Love me when I’m gone/Never do me wrong/And when we get it on/It’s like the sweetest song” over a chill-ass melody.
Bringing it back to his Cali roots, he teams with Aceyalone in “Golden,” as in the Golden State. The dreamy jazz tempo takes the listener in yet another direction, another state of mind. “Boost” is an upbeat, euphoric personal journey through Omni’s travels.
Batterie is as spontaneous as they come. Omni refuses to follow any pattern, which allows his audience to remove all expectations and, literally, go with the flow.
Download: Entire album
To
purchase CDs, click on the cover art or title link. To legally
download, click on the iTunes logo. If you do not have iTunes, you can
download it here by clicking the "download iTunes" logo above.
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