T.I.M.E. has Come Today

There are few things that I look forward as much as a new instrumental Anticon affiliated release. And as my luck hasn’t been the greatest as of late, the pending release of the T.I.M.E. Soundtrack may be able to change that.

I’ve written a great deal about Odd Nosdam for this site – and probably will continue to do so. As a producer, there are few others at work right now that possess such a distinctive and original sound.

In a comparison I wrote about this man and label-mate Jel, I sighted a great many similarities. But the work that the later performs is more focused on realistic, organic sounds than Odd Nosdam. That statement about Jel probably couldn’t be made in a discussion about producers spanning all of hip hop, but here it’s appropriate.

Odd Nosdam, though, incorporates industrial sounding grinds, clinks and bass hits on damn near every track represented on T.I.M.E., which is due out mid-February. His last full length, Level Live Wires, ratcheted up distortion and droning background noise in a way that hasn’t really been done before and on this sound track, he mysteriously does just the opposite.

Apart from being a good producer, this deejay has to understand that the music makes has to be considered work for his audience. And while every track on here has a noisey element to it – most notably “We Bad Apples” and “Ethereal Slap” – there’s an added element of melodicism not as prevalent in some of his other work.

“Root Bark” isn’t too much of a departure for Odd Nosdam, but it is an exploration of his disparate interests. Skate videos can’t be all punk rock and hard hitting hip hop beats. So this track serves to relax viewers. One would imagine that during the section of the video that this music accompanies is either in slow motion or includes some stunningly beautiful camera work.

Another departure, stylistically, for the producer comes in the form of “Top Rank.” Reggae and hip hop have a pretty similar background – Kool Herc and KRS One helped to join to two genres as well. But this track is easily the most overtly Jamaican production that Odd Nosdam has thrown down. It’s not quite readily noticeable, but after a moment of listening, the drum program is so dub influenced, it’s hard to miss.

This man’s career can claim any number of summits. And to say that this soundtrack, clocking in at thirty some odd minutes, is amongst them might garner a few raised eyebrows, disputes and refutations. But the consistent high level of work from Odd Nosdam points to an individual, aural Anticon aesthetic. Early releases from the label that were rap-centric were really the beginning of something new. And if that’s the case, than Odd Nosdam is this styles main exporter. After about a decade, this style might be considered an old one, but one that deserves its due deference. So let’s all just hope he keeps this same level of output for another decade.