The Music That Made Me — 3. ODDA
ODDA releases his debut single ‘Mama’ on the 15th October. In this third edition of TMTMM he tells us about the tunes that turned him on to music and still inspire him today.
Here’s the music that made ODDA…..
Pink Floyd — Money
The Dark Side of the Moon is probably what I would refer to as the soundtrack of my childhood. As one of my Dad’s favourite albums, it was regularly playing in the background on lazy Sunday mornings when everyone was home. As I grew older and developed my own love for music, Money began to stand out from the rest. I was fascinated by the use of layering sounds (for example, the cash register at the start of the song) and later used this song as my performance piece for GCSE Music at high school.
The 1975 — Menswear
Whilst at college I discovered the 1975, just before their first album dropped. At the time I was having to write essays that went into detail on music and it’s background, this is where I developed my love for the 1975. Although big hooks and pop was at the core of their music, they had a brilliant way of portraying some controversial yet beautiful lyrical content. For me, Menswear sticks out slightly from the rest. Maybe it’s the larger instrumental section, maybe it’s the cool singing rap section, perhaps it’s the combination of the two… whatever it is, I like it.
Andy Shauf — Begin Again
What I love about Andy Shauf’s songwriting is that he doesn’t follow the “traditional” pattern that so many songwriters fall into. Each part of the songs are thought through carefully, proving that stripping things back but doing them really well, can be just as effective as repetitive hooks. This song amongst the rest of the album it came from, proves that musicians can be referred too as “artists” for a reason. Andy Shauf delicately builds, moulds and paints pictures using his music. Begin Again is just one of his pieces of artwork.
Kendrick Lamar — FEEL
I love the way Kendrick Lamar approaches writing music. At a time where ‘singles’ dominate the music industry, I think it should be commended that he approaches writing albums as one entity, rather than a bunch of songs put together. His storytelling, lyrical content and structure is smart, detailed and fluid. On a bad day, driving through the rain, if I can manage to get the words out to even half this song, I feel a whole lot better!
Phoebe Bridgers — Georgia
I got on the Bridgers Bandwagon pretty early on in her career and saw her at a tiny gig in Brighton, before her climb to fame. At the gig, I experienced the strangest mix of happiness, sadness and a strong sense of belonging… it was very moving. With shamelessly emotive lyrics, surrounded by baritone guitars, she made sad songs cool. Artists want to be and sound like her, which I suppose is the real sign of success, right? Her song Georgia is one of my favourites.
Bon Iver — 22, A Million
This album left a mark on me. On my left arm, to be more precise. Bon Iver, and this album, completely changed my whole understanding of music and how ‘feel’ can contribute to a better musical experience. So, I can’t choose one song from this album. I can’t choose one song from any of their albums because to me it’s much more than just one song. The whole thing is an experience with so much substance that it will continue to influence me for many years to come. If you do something today, go and listen to this album.
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