| The West Coast is proving time and time again to be one of the most fertile musical playgrounds on earth, with waves after waves of hip-hop artists taking the step to break away from the traditionalist approach of the more commercially conscious rappers to rejuvenilise the genre. Not exactly a new comer, Omid Walizadeh demonstrates with Monolith that he is definitely a strong addition to the Mush roster. Despite Monolith only being Omid's third album, the man proudly qualifies for the title of veteran of the LA underground hip-hop scene, with a string of solo EPs under his OD guise, collaborations and production work for the like of Freestyle Fellowship and Adlib, under his belt. It is no surprise to find him leading this new project with confidence and vision. Totally at ease with his sonic environment, Omid Walizadeh sculpts his music with extreme precision. Follow up to last year's instrumental album Distant Drummer and the much talked about compilation Beneath the Surface, Monolith is Omid's first release for Mush. Featuring vocal contribution from Buck 65, Busdriver, Abstract Rude, 2Mex, Spoon, Luckyiam.PSC, Slug and many more, Monolith brilliantly combines vocal tracks and evocative instrumentals. Never taking his art for granted, Omid excels at altering the tones of his compositions to adapt to different moods, from the slow funk of "Speakers Hot" to the chaotic and fierce "Shock and Awe." The most impressive quality of Omid's music is to be found in the man's impeccable production. With a smart feel for samples and uneasy rhythmic constructions, Omid detaches himself from reality to build his own sonic world, far from the constant urban confusion. If his melodic approach prevents this album from dangerously swerving into abstract territory in part, this is however no straightforward hip-hop. In the same way Anti-Pop Consortium, cLOUDDEAD or Prefuse 73 have in their time trashed once and for all the slick hip-hop equation, Omid relentlessly pushes his music forward. Each contributor brings his unique blend of poetry to the mix, but it is well and truly Omid himself who sets the agenda. From the opening bars of "Arrival/Departure," Omid uses his imagination to steer clear of obvious comparisons, injecting this album with street-wise beats and fluid pastoral soundscapes, creating an odd, if totally fascinating, piece of work. The arrival of Omid on Mush is likely to raise his profile far beyond the realms of hip-hop, and from his past and present work, it is only deserved. Monolith is beautifully produced and Omid's song sense of composition, together with the various vocal contributions, contributes to this album being one of the best released on Mush. - The Milk Factory |
2XLP/Out Of Print