Osborne - Step Off

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  • Ann Arbor fixture Todd Osborne's shapeshifting abilities are well-documented. On this three-tracker for Kentucky label Acoustic Division, he traverses various styles of off-kilter house with characteristic aplomb. Step Off moves from focused and succinct to woozy and elongated, with the title track being, by a clear distance, the most floor-geared of the bunch. A pounding kick sets the tone, and bouncing pianos, a Legowelt-ish analogue synth line and a call-to-arms vocal soon complete a deliriously funky brew. "House 117" occupies the ground between those two moods, with the enlivening effects of layers of jaunty keys and effects offset by lugubrious bass and drums. The nine-minute "November," meanwhile, goes for an aquatic, jazzy feel. A lingering, almost ambient workout, it pairs clip-clop percussion with atmospheric bass and keys, bringing a cloud-gazing close to a package that starts in peak-time mode.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Step Off B1 House 117
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