This is about a week late, but it wouldn't feel right if I didn't write a review for the followup of one of my favorite albums of last year. Producer Vanilla graced us with the excellent album Sweet Talk last year and a year later he drops Origin, a Japanese and Hip-Hop infused mixtape. The combination makes for quite a relaxing listen. The tunes remind me a bit of Nujabes and DJ Okawari, but it does have that distinct Vanilla flavor. Lutes, flutes, drums, and snares make up the majority of the compositions and his usage of these instruments create a magnificently tranquil atmosphere.
A few of these tracks do shy away from the Japanese sounds. "All in My Mind" is more of the soul inspired beat that Sweet Talk consisted of and it has some strong guitars and a dashing melody that makes it one of the best on the project. "That Dream Again" I can't quite label the kind of Hip-Hop sound it has, but to take a jab at it I would say it's more akin to boom bap. "Swept Away" is also another soul inspired production. It doesn't quite resonate with me as much as "All in My Mind", but it is still a decent track from a great producer. Probably one of the best tracks on the album, "Summer" has a great rendition of "Summertime Madness" by Kool & The Gang. It creates that same nostalgic summertime vibe while also providing that unique Vanilla essence to it. Overall this album is one of the best I have heard from this year vocals or not and it is definitely worth a listen.
8.5/10
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