If you’ve been paying attention to the hip-hop section on HD, you’ve probably discovered that we take quite a liking to Oddisee’s work, and though we’ve yet to collectively feature Diamond District (consisting of Oddisee, yU, and XO), we’re more than familiar with each of the members’ hip-hop expertise. Ever since the trio dropped their debut album, In The Ruff, in 2009, they’ve certainly turned heads with their dusty sound and sapient, incisive lyricism shared between the three. The crew's latest album, March On Washington, will mark the their sophomore endeavor, featuring fourteen crisply produced, prudently delivered tracks. The Mello Music Group members in all honesty have outdone themselves on this album, and one of the tracks portraying the claim early on is “These Bammas”, as the emcees share verses on issues pertaining to D.C. and generally address notions on personal, significant matters. The stage set by Oddisee is more than admirable as it consists of sooty drums and classic '80s synths fenced in by haunting vocal drones throughout. “Ain’t Over” is another standout piece on the album, as funk-ridden keys and vintage acoustic drums engender a throwback setting—making room for the delivery of a wistful-heavy chorus and reflective notions. The lengthy outro consisting of tantalizing bass notes, tingling breakdowns and robotic vocal cuts adds to the evocative atmosphere, and further displays Oddisee’s maturation as a producer. The final two highlights from the album are entitled “You Had To Be There” and “Lost Cause, and they seamlessly maintain a quintessential '90s hip-hop vibe, as yU and XO continue to spew out percipient locutions and Oddisee raises the bar with gravelly percussion and luring instrumentation. Topics revolving around the the austere streets of D.C. are the focus on majority of the tracks, but more in the case of these two pieces, as sanity tops poetic value and the three make sure their true beliefs are wholly illustrated. Definitely check out our highlights below, and if you wish to delve into more of the intelligent hip-hop offerings, do so by purchasing the album on iTunes.
Diamond District