Erik Odsell's new album 'Human' is a poignant journey through human life in all its shades. Join us as we take a close listen to the album from start to finish...
In 2016 Erik received a prestigious Hollywood Music in Media Award, for the title track from his debut solo album Searching For Lost Boys Island, in Los Angeles, California. It was also in LA Erik started working on a new album. An album that in the beginning revolved around his feelings and thoughts about the state of the world today and his experience being in LA just days after the 2016 American Presidential election, when Donald Trump, with his rhetorics, was elected President. The album was originally set for release in 2018 but then a lot of personal stuff happened in Erik’s life.
"In 2018 me and my wife became parents. We moved and at the same time my father got very ill in cancer. It’s the old Lennon cliché: ”Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans”, says Erik.
Erik's 8-track album is a stand-out collection of masterfully crafted tracks. Opening song 'When We Were Beautiful' is an epic ballad that would fit on a cinema soundtrack very easily. We love the haunting, ethereal synth riff too, which meshes gorgeously with the profound, narrative lyrics. Erik is clearly a master at vocal arrangement too, which is clear from the very start. The chorus on this song is so infectiously catchy and memorable - good luck if you don't already press replay on this one before reaching the second track! Around the 3 minute mark, there is a climactic bridge with dramatic rock guitar, before erupting back once more into the chorus.
The second track on the album 'Human' is a synth-pop masterpiece with subtle piano used in all the right places. Erik's vocal is brooding and highly descriptive in its lyrics. We feel a real sense of possibility with this track; the chords and the build up from the verses into the chorus feels empowering. The half-time groove accompanied by suspenseful strings also adds a super-dramatic feel that is sure to make your spine tingle. This track leads seamlessly into the next, which offers up a delicious synth soundscape as an introduction. What becomes noticeable by this point, is that this is an album which is hugely relatable. We love this pop-style third track with its flawless production (as is the case throughout the album), and it's groovy rhythm. It has a funky baseline and sawtooth synths creating so much richness and warmth. The middle eight of this one goes into something a little soulful and Erik is clearly a master craftsman when it comes to songwriting! This song will have you dancing, that's for sure.
The self-deprecating lyrics; 'you're better off without me' reflect the vulnerability that is offered up on this album. The fourth track 'Full Circle' is no exception - this melancholic ballad is sure to tug at your heartstrings and appeal to listeners young and old. The nostalgia in the lyrics is reflected by the mellow musical arrangement too. Our personal favourite track on the album is 'Love Riot' with it's mega-catchy synth and vocal melodies which intertwine so effortlessly. The verses tease us with their build-up of tension, and by now, halfway through the album, we are right to expect an epic drop into an equally incredible chorus! And indeed, that's what we get - it's killer trust us. Just when you think you're getting everything you thought you could on Erik's tracks, they keep getting better - a chorus melts into a double chorus with a choral chant: 'Love Riot' before a synth riff steals the show, and then a return to the chorus we fell in love with! You need to hear this - it's a lesson in great songwriting for all those budding songwriters out there too.
'Getaway Car' and 'The Music' are equally as soul-shaking, with their cinematic quality and typically brilliant musical arrangement. We particularly like the closing track 'Too Late' though, as it has a gentle piano part first half of the song, before the track evolves into a beat. Erik's music has whispers of Depeche Mode, U2 and other greats, and Erik really seems to belong in the same league as these.
Stream 'Human' here:
You can watch a short documentary about the making of Human here, in which Erik shows you around his studio and talks a little about the journey of making this album and his own story in his own words...
Human is released as a CD and at a wide variaty of digital music platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal etc. The album will also be released on vinyl, preliminary, on September 24.