There is a longstanding debate in psychology about whether certain behaviours are due to nature, (genetic causes) or nurture (that is, life experiences we encounter that might mold our future actions). Now, class, case-study: the younger brother of an internationally renowned beat juggler puts out an instrumental hip-hop album, which, like his kin’s releases, sample from all sorts of obscure sources. Overall, I don’t know if we can say that the brothers Jackson - Otis Jr. & Michael, more commonly known as Madlib and Oh No, respectively - are genetically-coded to search out & spin beats, but damn… if they don’t make a compelling argument.
Long-winded introductions aside, Oh No’s latest release (for those keeping count, it is his third), Dr. No’s Oxperiment, is his most eclectic yet. Like the last Madlib release, which found the Konducta sampling inspiration from India, Oh No also travels abroad, describing the mix as “an audio tour of Turkish, Lebanese, Greek, and Italian psyche funk”. It must run in the family.
And, in practice, it definitely works, sounding, at times, like a soundtrack to a James Bond film (which I am sure, judging based on the name of the album, is intentional) that happens to take place in the Middle East. It is some classy shit that reminds me, again, of the last Konducta release but heavier on the psychedelic rock sound. So, kind of like a hip-hop reinterpretation of Floyd’s More. It is a definite Tunes Consumed recommendation.
beats international:
Oh No - Higher.
Oh No - Bouncers.
Oh No - My Luck.
Dr. No’s Oxperiment drops July 31st via our favourite Stones Throw Records.
Recent Retaliations.