it'll be everywhere
west coast kills it for indie hip-hop. no contest.
that said, I haven't been this excited about a west-coast rapper LP in a long time. probably not since the Lifesavas' Spirit in Stone dropped. though Omni comes from the L.A. scene, though he's caught a great deal of international attention - his first LP was released on the Belgian label B9000, he's toured all over the place, and is big in Japan (probably tall too). these tracks come from his outstanding sophomore release, Burgundy Brown, on Ariel records [buy it from Kajmere!].
Omni's flow is warm and rich, which is a perfect match for his honest, no bullshit lyrical style. almost every track on this album was produced via a collaboration with a different producer (almost Erlend Oye/Unrest style), but despite side a wide array of talent contributing to the album, all 15 tracks are cohesive, consistent, and outstanding. virtually every track (save the skits) could be a single, and the production draws on funk, Prefuse-ish sound schemes, straightforward hip-hop breaks, and electronic influences to create something that'll please every part of your musical palette. you can't help but think of Del or Jurassic 5 when you listen to his songs the first time around (the left coast sound is undeniable), but it goes waaaaay beyond previous works in both depth and replay value. I've been listening to it all week, no joke. well, a little Faith Boogie on the side - it's been a good week for hip-hop.
so: Omni [visit his website]. sick, intense head-nodding vocals, and a grab-bag of top-notch production from a plethora of different musical camps to support them. recommended. requisite if you love hip-hop.