Olesi: Fragments of an Earth

Georgia Anne Muldrow | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 22, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Stones Throw
• ASIN: B000GETA74
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,399 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Debut album of the only female vocalist signed to the Stones Throw label. 2006. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A incredibly worthwhile talent, drops one of 2006's most impressive releases...., September 22, 2006

By 

fetish_2000 (U.K.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Olesi: Fragments of an Earth (Audio CD)

This is an unusual one.....basically Georgia Anne Muldrow, is a musician/producer/vocalist, that has a slightly-off centre approach to music. Considering her influences are as leftfield as: Sun Ra, Nina Simone, & Laura Nyro, her music has a distinctly creative and organically cerebral tone to it. Having made a EP ("Worthnothings"), that mixed trippy and decidedly unique sounding beat arrangements (not a 100 miles away from artists such as Madlib, Jay Dee), that took the beat-driven basis of instrumental Hip-Hop & the Groove and mood of R&B/Neo-Soul, and sung vaguely dream-like and otherwordly songs over it. It was initially enough to attract the attention of the `Stones Throw' label (who published the EP, and this her full length). And so what you ended up with this album is something that heralds a new unique voice, with an approach to song arrangements that is at times both freakishly eccentric, and movingly delicate.

If you took some of the more soulful/funk-driven instrumental Madlib/Jay Dee tracks, and stuck a vocalist that has a freeform almost floating and dreamlike singing style that shifts in tone and moods constantly, and sings about self-improvement, Political Statements, Social commentary on the state of America's people, Mortality, and even the Water in New Orleans. And this is delivered with an album that flatly refuses to pigeon-hole itself by taking an idea and beating it to death. Instead she takes the wild experimentation of jazz pioneers, the sensual mood of Soul finest, and the immediate head-bopping beats of Hip-Hop, and the technical proficiency of funk and modern creative Jazz. Which, thanks to her ability to express her art, without sacrificing content, to appear more accessible...one of this albums strongest points.

It's a sound that is frequently dizzying and spacey, yet focused and alluring enough to catch the attention to the listener. Georgia frequently spins metaphors and soothing lyrical phrases that like unlike anything currently out there. Is it Hip-Hop?, is it psychedelic Soul?, is it creative Urban music?.....in fact it all these things and at the same time, still something originally unique to her. Words bounce around experimental Hip-Hop beats, songs are layered over earthy R&B tones, and Georgia herself sings like a free spirit, over which shuffling funk, lo-fi experimental Hip-Hop, low-slung Soul....are all draped over Georgia's gorgeous multi-tracked vocals. The Albums as a whole is impressively diverse, and because Georgia is one of those rare breed, a singer and beat maker....she isn't limited to singing over someone else's instrumentals. And this gives her free reign to construct a slightly wonky album (in the best way possible), that veers all over the place, yet displays a raft of ideas and directions that stretches and expands upon the limits of the various genres that her music touches upon, mixing poems and free-form thinking, along with catchy pop hooks, which she wails and coos with sufficient verve. Channelling anger/ Sorrow / Angst / Reflection & Searching via a vaguely connected manner. I have to admit that I love this album...as it heralds an incredibly interesting talent, admittedly probably one that will unfortunately be relegated to the sidelines, as other far less interesting acts, gain acceptance. As Georgia's music is a little bit too-leftfield, and little too all over the map & far too unhinged to make a sizeable impact. She's more likely to be one of those wonderful artists you stumble across (even by accident), and wonder how something so original sounding is frequently passed over by the buying public, for what is one of 2006's best kept secrets.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something I like, August 24, 2006

By 

Eric Kennedy (East coast) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Olesi: Fragments of an Earth (Audio CD)

This young lady is absolutely beautiful. I love her! The songs and message are right on time and now. She has a great ear for harmony. It's soulful, raw and ahead of its time. I wish her the best in her musical future. She performed and composed all the music ! Wonderful! I hope the mainstream r&b/soul/neo whatever audience steps away from the bling-bling and check this brilliant little masterpiece. Stones Throw is really putting forth some great for the ear.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Challenging but dope, January 25, 2008

By 

C. W. Hall "http://www.chriscospins.com" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Olesi: Fragments of an Earth (Audio CD)

Georgia Anne Muldrow is definitely on some next stuff. The question that each listener is going to have to answer for themselves is whether it makes her dope or takes her just a little too far out of their comfort level. She's not quite soul's equivalent to free jazz, but she's leaning in that direction.

Muldrow is easily one of the most talented women in music. She not only wrote and produced both this album and her debut Worthnothings EP, but she also recorded them herself. As such, she is a completely self-contained operation and it shows.

Her musical virtuosity means that there won't be a comfort level for most listeners on Olesi. Playing with time signatures, catchy off-kilter rhythms, and unorthodox vocal choices, are par for the course on this record. Just as you catch up to what she's got going on in one song and get the swing of it, the next will jar you into a different place.

Muldrow is just way too talented to make the kind of catchy straight-forward jams that you expect when hip-hop labels release other types of music. There's not a radio track to be found on Olesi and that says more about radio and mass tastes than it says about Muldrow.

Olesi is an album for bored ears. Muldrow is an artist for bored ears. What she does is probably above the heads of most listeners. But for those that get it, this album is a treat. Listen to it once and then listen a couple more times. If you still aren't feeling it, then listen until you are. Don't adjust your speakers, the problem is with you.