Ohbliv - Lewse Joints V

Of all his collections of loosies, this has gotta be my favourite. From what I know about Ohbliv, at some point in the late 00s and early 10s he and Knxwledge were tik-takking back and forth dropping a full beat tape a day. In interviews I’ve heard him saying how practice was one of the most important things about this style of music; getting those quick ideas down on paper so to speak, not ruminating on them and dropping before moving on to the next. By about 2016, I think this kind of repetition and undying passion comes through wholeheartedly, where even a compilation of loose tracks ends up sounding more cohesive and original than most beatmakers’ official tapes. I still find his beats almost indescribable, but it’s in these beats he finds a balance in estalisticity and precision; both untethered and deeply locked into a groove. The kick patterns on ‘Manifest.ival’ and the hihat patterns on ‘Remedy’ feel so free-hand but perfectly placed, like they exist inside the sample almost every time, making it really hard to decipher what was from the original and what was added. I think his sensibilities as a visual collage artist come through just as much in his music, samples shining through on glittering soulful moments like ‘Autochthonous’ or blasting you across the universe on ‘Magnetic Aura’ in all its twisted atonal synth leads and emotional vocal chops that keep looping bar by bar. The whole thing doused in that 404 warmth, the tape ends feeling whole and almost pre-concieved despite being a bunch of strays, track-for-track stringing together cosmic sounds as a sign of just how much Ohbliv had mastered his craft at this point.

KEY BEAT: The Main Thing Is… - sadly one of the shortest, this beat that only just scrapes over a minute is a perfect example of his connection to the cosmos, kicks rolling and snares echoing out of the ether, beautiful dazzling chords rushing like clear water underneath.