The Very Good Agency

Omar Musa – World Goes to Pieces

Hey Peoples…

Throwing back to an earlier piece on Australian Slam Poet Champion Omar Musa, the man’s released his first studio album of Australian hip hop with a unique twist.

Always the gentleman, he’s decided to post the album online for free download for all of those looking for some new materials to chill out to this coooooooooooooooold winter! so head on down to www.obmmusic.com to take a listen.

Press release comin at ya:
Omar Musa is a rapper cut from a different cloth. The 26 year old from Queanbeyan, Australia, won the Australian Poetry Slam at the Opera House in 2008 and believes his debut album “World Goes to Pieces” sets a new standard in poetry and genre-bending in Australian hip-hop. Produced entirely in Seattle, USA, with rock veteran Geoff Stanfield (Sun Kil Moon, Black Lab) it is jam packed with chunky beats, thoughtful lyrics and outright weirdness. From the wild, industrial opening track Nomad to the luscious ode to summer and love Pura Vida (The One), the Malaysian-Australian MC brings a poetic flair to “World Goes to Pieces”. He bears down on wide ranging subjects such as Aboriginal poverty on What We See, his hometown on Raise Up, his relationship with his father on Sunshine and one night stands and “black-lit dreams” on the space age Neon Address.

An ambitious representation of a young man caught between activism and partying, love and depression, Musa says “I treated this album as if it was my last, so everything had to count.” Stanfield and Musa called in help from inspirational keys player Dave LeBolt (Paul McCartney, David Bowie), French jazz pianist Pierre Savoye, as well as Bay Area rappers Young Murph and Mighty Joe. The artwork, an original painting by Vancouver’s Ben Tour, is a testament to this perfectionist approach.

“I know Geoff was influenced by Massive Attack, Bjork and Portishead, but you can also hear the West Coast influence on there,” says Musa. “In terms of lyrical approach, I took influences from everyone from Kanye West and Ben Okri to Gil Scott-Heron. We weren’t afraid to push things a bit and I wasn’t afraid to be brutally honest about my life. Considering the cookie cutter music out there at the moment, it seemed the natural thing to do.”

enjoy

…bs

Tags: Australian Artists, hip hop, Poetry