With roots planted very much in the early jazz and soul influences of his formative years, A Man With No Past Originating The Future is the latest album from Osunlade, one of the most creative and versatile producers and artists of his generation.
Osunalde is a true visionary; a veteran of 25 years professional musicianship. Perhaps better known in the electronic world for his dancefloor-focussed productions – and for his acclaimed label Yoruba Records – Osunlade has in fact forged a highly eclectic path during the course of his long and respected career.
From working with mainstream artists including Jazzy Jeff, Roy Ayers and Patti Labelle to producing underground hits in the vein of ‘Mirror Dance’ and the more recent ‘Envision’, Osunlade is valued by fans and peers alike. However, to truly the breadth of his creative vision, Osunlade should be experienced through his albums. This is where he pours his heart and soul, whether that be the song-heavy melodies of Rebirth (2009) of the raw, tribal power of his ‘last house album’ Pyrography (2011), and this latest endeavour is no exception.
Released earlier this year on vinyl (twice sold out following an initial repress) but now seeing a CD and digital release, A Man With No Past Originating The Future has been a long time in the making. Recorded over the course of three years, the project originally started out as an “ambient experiment” but changed direction over the album’s incubation.
“The initial influence of the album was my love for ambient music” says Osunlade of the project “putting textures together that were ambient based. But of course soul and jazz came into play during the making of it. The premise of it was just to make something that was a bit more ethereal and ambient in sound, but it took another turn as I started working on it.”
That turn was prompted when Osunlade started working on the track ‘Eclipse’ – arguably the song in which his jazz-funk influences can be heard the most keenly. “After I made that record I thought ‘Okay, now it’s going to be an album and not just a few songs. I focused on following through with more of an instrumental thing, similar to my Aquarian Moon album.”
As a complete album, it’s difficult to sum up its ambience; as overt as some of its influences at times are, it’s also a completely unique listening experience, each track contained therein bearing Osunlade’s unmistakable mark. His voice – as ever – has a strong role to play, whether breathily harmonious (‘Quiet Departures’) or subtly, mechanically manipulated (‘Human Beings’) it is as distinctive as ever, and lends a cohesive quality to the whole.
“[The album] was definitely in that realm of just trying to push my own envelope” Osunlade admits. “I want to always try to do something different and something that I think is a proper evolution of my music.”
A Man With… is just that; the next evolutionary step in the musical career of a true original and further proof – if any was needed – of Osunlade’s seemingly endless creative talent.
A Man With No Past Origination The Future is out on CD and download 16th June - order from iTunes
Camera Shy Remix EP with mixes from Andres, Oskar Offerman, Justin Imperiale and Alex & Chris is out now on 180 gram 12” vinyl. Human Beings Remix EP with mixes from Luke Solomon and Isolee is out mid-July.
Tracklist:
1. The Realm Of Difference
2. Eclipse
3. Human Beings
4. Quiet Departures
5. Sour The Plan
6. Luna Moth
7. Camera Shy
8. Vessel
9. Satellite Beneath The Stars
10. Goddess
11. Conversations With Myself
12. Looking Through The Crowds
