Browsing Tag

Othello

OTH€LLO Delivered Sonics for the Soul with His Smooth and Sensual LP, Miss Mayotte

Posted on 24 November 2023

In the ever-evolving realm of modern hip-hop and afro-fusion, OTH€LLO emerges as an icon of raw individualism, candour, and undeniable sex appeal. His latest offering, “Miss Mayotte,” is a journey through the heart of a true artist. Born in Montreal’s vibrant culture and honed in the Bay Area’s heat, OTH€LLO’s transformation from a street busker to a hip-hop sensation is nothing short of remarkable.

“Miss Mayotte” kicks off with “Her Soul Speaks,” a track that effortlessly blends jazzy neo-pop with R&B, setting the stage for an album that’s as much a conversation with the soul as it is a musical experience. Each of the eight singles is a chapter in OTH€LLO’s story wrestles with societal norms and emerges as a bold statement of personal evolution.

OTH€LLO’s lyrical introspection is a masterclass in storytelling, with his voice dripping like honey over mellow instrumental arrangements. The production is deep and sonorous, creating a tapestry of scintillating textures that are both soothing and exhilarating.

“Afterglow,” the second single, is a fiery blend of salacious imagery and mellifluous melodies, wrapped in afro-fusion rhythms that redefine the auditory landscape. The album crescendos with the title track, “Miss Mayotte,” a powerful anthem that confronts misogynoir and celebrates the strength and beauty of the unseen queen. OTH€LLO’s journey from cynicism to belief in love’s true form is palpable in every note, making “Miss Mayotte” a symbol of hope and resilience.

OTH€LLO’s music is deeply rooted in his Congolese heritage, with influences from gospel and secular soukous tunes. His journey from performing in musicals in a conservative Edmonton high school to honing his craft in Toronto’s streets and church choirs has audibly imbued his music with intoxicatingly unique authenticity.

With over 84,000 streams on Spotify for his debut single “SZA 4 NGAZ“, which also features on the album, and critical acclaim from The Source and This is 50, OTH€LLO is not just an artist to watch; he’s an artist to experience. “Miss Mayotte,” available for streaming from November 24th, is a testament to the power of music to transform, inspire, and transcend.

Miss Mayotte will be available to stream on all major platforms, including SoundCloud and Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: OTH€LLO introduced the future of Afro Fusion with his debut single, SZA 4 NGAZ

Posted on 17 July 2023

The Montreal-born, Harlem-based Afrobeat innovator OTH€LLO took gospel out of church and implanted it firmly in his ethereal dream of an Afrobeat RnB debut single, SZA 4 NGAZ.

Fittingly, after his music journey began by being introduced to Congolese gospel and secular soukous tunes by his Congolese immigrant parents, the sensuous single, which celebrates staying true to your roots while practising radical acceptance, finds plenty of room for religious imagery and tonality.

After a sensuously ambient RnB intro complete with saturated in warm delay indie guitars, SZA 4 NGAZ starts to tease hip-hop elements with the fiery canter of his verses before winding it all back down in the dynamically versatile hit that reached the pinnacle of Afro-Fusionist authenticity.

SZA 4 NGAZ is a sublimely promising start to OTH€LLO’s career. His carresively pure vocal lines paired with his down-to-earth lyrical style are enough to kickstart a new revolution in soul.

In the words of OTH€LLO:

“This song is an exploration of how growing my dreads again after cutting my first set was like falling again. It sonically narrates the process of self-love and self-acceptance through a fiercely Afrocentric and sexual perspective.”

After releasing SZA 4 NGAZ, OTH€LLO is back in the studio orchestrating his debut EP. If the forthcoming material is as arcane as his debut, you’ll want to save plenty of room on your radar.

SZA 4 NGAZ was officially released on the 1st of July; hear it on Spotify and SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Drood bring the ritualistic catharsis in ‘It Must Needs Wither’.

Posted on 30 January 2022
The Drood

The essence of The Drood’s latest single, It Must Needs Wither is a captured ritual. An invitation to cherish the memories of the many lives lost in the years leading up to this Shakespearean release that took inspiration from the tragic play Othello.

For their ritualistically cathartic release, the Denver, Colorado-based electronic duo, used post-rock, Eastern psych and industrial for their dreamy textures. For the vocals, they opted for an ethereal quiescent timbre to rival the harmonic ambience in the dreamiest Beach House and Slowdive releases.

The haunting explorative progressions carry cynical lament while light transcendent textures bring comfort to the affirmation that for all of our artifices, we’re still the same primal creatures. Primal creatures plagued by the vulnerability of mortality and the psychological afflictions that drive us to acts of madness that are all too easily romanticised in our minds.

It Must Needs Wither will officially release on January 25th, 2022. You can check it out for yourselves via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast