Stanley Odd -‘Oddio’ (Circular)

Stanley Odd appeared towards the end of 2009 with an excellent single entitled ‘The Numbness’, which has been followed up by one almost equally as good entitled ‘Think Of A Number.’ Whilst there will be those who sneer at the idea of a scottish hip-hop act as being an oxymoron, the joke’s on them, because this is a genuinely fresh and exciting album.

Scotland’s had a hip-hop scene, it’s just that it’s underground, and by definition that means out of sight (or hearing range) to many people. But what Stanley Odd have remembered is that Hip-Hop grew out of both a party scene and social consciousness and this album genuinely keeps it real. Rapper Solareye raps in his own Edinburgh accent, and that means sounding scottish and not like he’s convinced he’s from LA, like some idiotic teenager aping Ali G without ever getting the joke. The press release remarks that Oddio is for those people that get tongue-tied talking to girls… those for whom fashion sense is an oxymoron and anyone who prefers literary figures to viewing figures. Good. This is hip-hop on a par with the socially conscious likes of Jurassic 5; Michael Franti;as far back as Gil Scott-Heron, and with a pop sensibility on its’ own terms, that sneers at the likes of bling and gets on with living.

I’ve yet to see them live, but this album’s just so much fun that that surely cannot remain the case for long. Get your ears around this collection of songs. Scottish Hip-Hop is about to go overground, and those laughing are about to have the smiles wiped off their silly faces. Bring it on -and here’s to Young Fathers too…

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Oddio is released on May 31 on Circular Records.