ALBUM REVIEW | STANLEY ODD | STAY ODD

Scottish hip-hop mainstays Stanley Odd put their quirks and personality to the forefront of a record that tackles everything from using their critics as ammunition to political turmoil in a period of time where adversity is the dominant force on first record in 6 years ‘Stay Odd’

One thing that we have learned as humans over the last year is that there is beauty in everyday things when the everyday is disrupted and, with a record that embraces confidence in oddity and eccentricity, Stanley Odd tackle the turmoil of the world by offering narratives from the perspectives of people just trying to survive. With off-the wall and effective production complimented by rhymes that feel like sucker punches landing on their targets, the group add another impressive weapon to their arsenal.

Throughout the record, one has to take notice of the dry wit and effective lyricism of one Dave Hook, known professionally as Solareye, as he navigates the thematic desert of his subject with relative ease. There’s the back-and -forth verbal assault between him and Veronika Electronika, who usually provides the band’s vocals as they address how society turns a blind eye to feminist leaders by explicitly name-checking the figures and granting the listener clarity that they can be part of such an important message. There are the impressively woven stories such as the circle of life that a stolen bicycle experiences on the song ‘Recycling’, a charming ode to turning a wrong into a right and the highs and lows of a party culture, from staying out all night and being consistently half-cut to the realities of having to wake up to yourself again on the erratic tune ‘Undo Redo’. One song that also cannot be overlooked is the song ‘Where They Lie’, a politically charged and abrasive track detailing the uselessness of our political figures as they take things easy during a time where their citizens need guidance the most (‘they lie on Egyptian cotton and sleep through the night while the innocent lie awake and fear for their lives’). Overall, it can be said that Stanley Odd are nothing short of adept in their storytelling abilities with the substance of the words and the production drawing listeners in and allowing everyone to be comfortable in the oddity that is the world, whilst simultaneously making it known that there is still work to do in a world ran by corruption and deception.

To accompany the sonic elements of the record, the group have created a book titled ‘The Magic of Everyday Things’ in order to offer deeper insights into the content of the record as well as allowing listeners to fully immerse themselves in the odd world that the group have created. Anyone who is yet to be fortunate enough to stumble across the group should check out this record and allow themselves the sonic luxury of the reminder to stay odd.