‘Raindance’ is a new album from the California-based, Detroit-born singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Odelet. The 4th full-length official album by the creator has been recorded, mixed and mastered in analog with the masterful Larry Crane. After some creative distraction caused by a recording error on the final days of the making “The Angels Album”, Odelet re-discovered her muse and released “Pisces Pie”, a shorter, lo-fi electronic EP and promptly returned to her abandoned album, fresh of creative juices. The fruits of her labor is ‘Raindance’, an intimate, poetic, and experimental album which defies what could be the further limits of the already wide, multiple genres hybrid of R&B, electronic, and soulful indie. Written, recorded, produced and performed mostly by herself, the “Raindance” release has been completed by a dub-style remix album and visual art documentary series released under the name of the artist’s “Everlasting Tape” label.
“Know It All” eases us into the album with quiet confidence and understated melodies. It creates this soft blend of minimal electronic atmospheres and muffled percussion, as Odelet floats her voice over the top, almost without effort. The lyrics have that sense of an intimate conversation, perhaps with yourself, than a performance, and “Dirge” gets heavy and moody, a deep dive into a much more emotional and somber vibe. There’s lots of texture, lots of atmosphere, ambient soundscapes, and a lot of reverb in the vocals. It all melds together in this low-fi hip-hop groove but the sadness of the vocal melody feels distant and somehow a little subdued. “Bayou” is the highlight for me, this push and pull of percussive rhythm and reverb delay on the vocals makes for a very humid, almost swampy listening experience, and it’s easy to imagine Odelet in some sultry bayou setting for this one. The rhythm and harmonies feel heavier, more southern gothic almost, and very mystical. “Up Up and Away” bring things to a bright and windy close. Harmonies float and the beat gets loose and bright, it sounds like resolution, a kind of catharsis.
‘Raindance’ is an album with the express purpose of not being confined to any neat boxes. It’s an album that is more about textures, mood, and space than a rigid adherence to a genre. It’s less about a collection of catchy singles and more about an environment for feeling. Odelet is continuing to chart her own unique path through what she self-describes as “Surrealist R&B”, and with ‘Raindance’, she’s proven that moniker is one she can own. This is a collection of understated, mood-driven music with subtle production touches, deft lyrics and a stunningly creative vision. ‘Raindance’ is emotional, atmospheric and brave. It’s an album to put on when it’s late at night and you just want to turn off the noise around you and feel something honest.
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