News / / 21.10.13

OM UNIT

THREADS (Civil Music)

15/20

 

London-based producer and DJ Jim Coles first came to light releasing hip-hop oriented bangers as 2tall, and a combination of footwork and jungle as Phillip D Kicks. Under his consistent and distinctive Om Unit moniker he’s maintained his versatility with tracks such as Neptune and collaborations with Kromestar and Machinedrum. That history of experimentation and subsequent ability to craft whatever sound he turns his hand to pays off throughout Threads, his debut LP under the OU name. Rather than being a showcase of dabbling, it is a matured arsenal, referential without being derivative. Utilising sampling, deep swells, twinkling trebles and a medley of percussion and sound tied in a dubby ribbon, the album flows as a rich narrative. Sharp and intelligent vocal content, such as Jinadu’s soulful input to The Silence and Patients, enlightened by MC Jabu’s spoken word, adds to the character of the album. Heavier instrumental tracks like Governer’s Bay maintain a spookily euphoric, textured sound, welcoming comparisons to Falty DL and Kode 9, right through to 2562, Flying Lotus and even Photek. In a UK canon which has been defined by being indefinable, Threads is a coming-of-age for a distinguished beatmaker and sound sculptor, provoking a rethink regarding the parameters of an increasingly blurred template.

 

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Words: Claude Barbé-Brown

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