To say I wasn’t excited for this album to be released would be an understatement. Oddisee’s People Hear What They See is the album that combines his producing experience from previous work such as Rock Creek Park and Odd Seasons, and lyrically potent raps which we heard glimpses of from other projects. Calling this Oddisee’s debut album does a disservice to his previous work, but this is a very solid effort all the way through for his first solo album featuring both his production and his rhyming.

The production on this album is superb, ranging from the lush orchestration similar to Rock Creek Park, and then bangers such as the opening track “Ready to Rock”. True to the title of the album, Oddisee is able to communicate what people see through his production. On “American Greed,” Oddisee is really able to capture the sentiment and the cultural shift that has occurred recently. This album though doesn’t just have one singular focus, and tracks like “Thinking Maybes” and “Let It Go” feature a different message. The great thing about the album though is that Oddisee never seems to be preaching anything, he is just communicating what the average person goes through on a daily basis, and the arc of the entire album fits the mood of one day with “Ready to Rock” serving as your wake up call and “Think of Things” as a wind down track.

This is everything we want/This is everything we need/Its good old fashion american greed/ so we get it how we get it and spend it how we spend it/ Cause its good ol fashion American greed

What I really enjoy about this album though is Oddisee’s ability to change up the production to fit the message of that individual song. On the opening track, you have the type of production that gets you hooked, while the next track “That Real” features some very soulful and funky production. Then there is the inclusion of some live instrumentation courtesy of a Tuba and more, and it just really adds depth to individual tracks. From the instrumentation, to the synths, and the soul/funk samples, the album is very enjoyable to listen too.

Oddisee’s People Hear What You See can be purchased on all major digital retailers and is available in hardcopy as well.