Self-taught producer and songwriter Orish learnt his craft from YouTube – and if that in itself doesn’t impress you then just take a listen to his latest EP. Ma’Orie II is the second installment of an ongoing series of hip-hop releases, and brings hard-hitting 808’s and a myriad of expertly mosaic-ed synth textures into play as he flexes his engineering prowess.
From a contextual perspective, there’s nothing inherently groundbreaking about this release – but from a production point of view, Ma’Orie II shines through the noise. Opener “Transit” features K.Keed and dives right in with a visceral, liquid synth line. Lyrics move effortlessly between English to isiXhosa and back again, while a pulsing, fibrillating bassline bolsters it all.
“iCephe”, which dropped several months ago, follows on with equally shadowy production – echoing its predecessor with a snappy, heady beats. It’s peppered in synth texture and unexpected audial transitions. But it’s closer “Andikho” which really flexes Orish’s production appeal. Taking a lighter tack to wrap things up, it’s a little more organic, a little prettier, and a little more R&B leaning – all chiming production and juxtaposing lyricism (“Two sides of the story/ yes I’m Gemini”).
Orish may not be breaking a whole lot of new ground here – but every inch of this EP is as slick and captivating as the last.
Feature pic supplied by artist
