Surplus To Requirements
By
Obselites
Recently released on Northentic Records is the debut offering from the Obselites, titled Surplus to Requirements. This is a three track EP from two guys who are arguably outstanding figures in the UK Hip Hop scene, Karlow and Lomax.
Producer and emcee Karlow, from Burnley UK, has been making waves on the UK scene for a couple of years now and his debut album, Jesus in a Jason Mask (2021), really showed his pedigree, whilst staying true to his faith and proving he is a formidable figure both lyrically and on production.
Wigan emcee Lomax has spent the last couple of years building a reputation for complex and hard-hitting lyrics with flows to match. He also stands alongside Karlow, Seek The Northener, Bruva Smokes and DJ Musicarl in the crew T.H.E.M. who have also been making a lot of noise recently.
So, with Karlow and Lomax joining forces as the Obselites, just what do they have to offer us on Surplus To Requirements? Let me take you through these three tracks…
Heavy Drums, organ notes and some tweaked vocal samples merge to carry you into the Summer Rain. There is a reflective air to this one, it’s not really dark in its overall vibe but, Karlow and Lomax, with their two different vocal styles, speak on what seems to be two sides of the same story. You get the feeling you are listening to the troubled mind of someone as they reflect on the pain and the hurt in their life. It appears this is a place where dark clouds are the norm and the sunshine only makes the briefest of appearances But, the light is still there, just waiting for the right moment to dispel those grey clouds.
Treading Water has a far more upbeat vibe that is based on drumbeats and keys. It feels like we have moved on from the dark clouds and are now in a place where Karlow and Lomax speak on doing the things that uplift us and bring the positive vibes. Music is one of those that provides an outlet for our thoughts and feelings, it helps give others a way to move past their own dark places. It may seem like we are treading water sometimes as we look to keep the darkness at bay but, there is also a scene here that Karlow and Lomax are encouraging the listener to keep going, go with the flow and keep the light our focus.
The EP ends on a proper head nod vibe of horns, guitar, keys, drums, and cuts on Off The Meter, there is real energy and real Hip Hop feel good vibes here. What Karlow and Lomax give us here seems to be focused on the art of rap. It’s all about what the music means to them and how it makes them feel. You need to move forward with your craft, giving it 100% and producing good music to keep the crowd moving. There is not much more you can say about this one as it speaks for itself as you let the music and the lyrics seep into your soul and feel the vibe that puts you in a place where everything is Off The Meter...
What I liked about this one is that there is a real sense of progression as you move through the EP. It kinda starts of in a dark place but, then gets more positive as we move through ending with a solid feel-good feeling. Karlow and Lomax may appear to have slightly differing lyrical styles, in their flows and quality of wordplay but, they bounce off each other with ease, each complimenting the other perfectly. You also get this feeling that they are about doing what they do with style and keeping the lyrics solid and with intellect, allowing their words to truly speak to the listener, even if the listener is not aware of it. Production is solid on the EP to demonstrating that progression from the darker aspect to the light and really bringing it to life in a way you feel deeply.
Overall, Surplus To Requirements is an impressive debut from the Obselites, demonstrating the impressive stable of artists that Northentic Records has and the pure quality of the music they produce. I don’t do favourites on anything I review but, I can easily see Off The Meter being on track that will be on heavy rotation with many online radio shows.
This is one you really need to jump on now, so head over and grab it…
On That note,
I’m out,
Steve.
LINKS
Get the EP from Karlow on Bandcamp Here:
https://karlow1.bandcamp.com/album/obselites-surplus-to-requirements
Lomax on Bandcamp Here:
Northentic Records on Bandcamp Here:
https://northenticrecords.bandcamp.com/artists
Northentic Records on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/NORTHENTICRECORDS/featured
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