rare. Brims With Promise & Ambition Despite Its Failing

Odunsi (The Engine) / amped illustration

Moments after meeting Odunsi at the tail end of 2016 for his cover story on RADR’s February 2017 Music Issue, he instantly gave me a glimpse of his ambition: “If anyone calls me underrated on social media I’m going to block them. If you look at the so called underrated people you realise they never break out of that. Look at Jay-Z & Beyoncé I want to surpass them; that’s how far I want my music to get.” New album rare. is his latest attempt at making groundbreaking music. The sound of music on this album is from different times. Just like majority of the album, a cut like “wanted you” sounds like it will fit right into a Michael Jackson album. Odunsi’s youthfulness brings millennial energy, while its instrumentation packs the nostalgic magic of 80s pop music. Album opener “rare” is sunday morning church music as he sings “it’s my time, I told you I’m ready” over a soulful production. The commentary of Idris King speaking on how “real” odunsi is on “take me there” rolls nicely into the theme on “outcast” where he recollects troubles of his past (“...remember all the nights that mama cried”) and affirms his self-belief in realising his potential. Its instrumentation is reminiscent of the misty & cold frosty sound of Santi’s Icy.

rare. tracklist via Instagram: @odunsitheengine

Judging by the collaborative work Odunsi put in both M.I Abaga projects in recent months, a verse from M.I won’t have been much of a surprise on rare. but it didn’t happen. I wish it did and I imagine “star signs” with Runtown would have gotten a boost with a compelling rap verse thrown into the mix. It’s a soulful song with sonics that’s reminiscent of throwback Igbo highlife music. Weirdly, something about Queens native, Duendita singing on “angel” reminds me of the vintage sound of Onyeka Onwenu. The pettiness is unmatched as the pair sing “don’t worry I gotchu, in my other life I’m thinking about you” The bouncy romantic vibe of “divine” grabs the attention. It features Davido and his effort channels the magic of his trademark over the top singing voice. They croon over a tingling beat that lingers in your subconscious when the music stops playing. On “take a break” and “falling” he makes indie R&B with spacious & hypnotic sound textures. “take a break” has cult tune potential; it’s one of those songs that the hook harmonises with the beat perfectly and his singing is quiveringly soulful. Something about the strings and progression of “falling” reminds me of The Weeknd’s “I Feel It Coming”.

Odunsi’s rare. has enjoyed rave reviews from music critics in the country. Via Instagram: @odunsitheengine

rare. is a star’s creation, it is a bold album that each song aims to tell its own story without losing the plot. However as an admirer of his craftsmanship, let me be the first to publicly say Odunsi will be more equipped to go that FAR with the kind of music he aims to make if he does a bit more work on his singing voice. With rare., he aims to break demographic sound barriers, its production is stellar but his vocal delivery at times lessens the experience. Other elements like its creative direction hypes up the experience. Its artwork is grand and exhumes black excellence. Tough to agree, but Odunsi’s spirit & instrumentation, rather than lyrics & vocals, encourages one to keep listening, to join him on a road less travelled and just keep moving — to see where it leads.

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Listen to rare. on Spotify