You can just taste the blood, sweat and tears when listening to Otem Rellik’s new album, Elephant Graveyard. Finely tuned and long awaited, this indie Hip-Hop album by Toby Hendricks drips with emotion.
The album’s mood reminds one a bit of Radiohead – emotional and depressing, but very beautiful.
Even though Hendricks constantly sounds out of breath, for the most part his style is smooth. While listening to the album, Hendricks’ incredible amount of hard work is not only heard, it’s felt.
The best things about Hendricks are his intricately poetic lyrics and his creative use of instruments (random finds in the basement which he then turns into awesome noisemakers).
Each song is strong, but when listening to the entire album they start to blend. Even though there’s a lot of talent all around – lyrically, vocally, instrumentally – the album fails to take us on a journey because the mood never changes.
Of course, there are some exceptions, such as “Comfortable Creatures” and “Empty Coffins.” Also, Danielle Ate the Sandwich lends her voice to one of the best songs on the album, “Structural Integrity.” None of these songs necessarily break away from the overall mood of the album, but they offer the listener catchier melodies, making the listener yearn for more.
Even though the album flows a little too much sometimes, it’s clear that Otem Rellik has what it takes to make music that makes you feel something – which says a lot in today’s music world.
Thanks!