Orlando Turner, better known as Big O, is an American hip hop record producer, recording and mixing engineer and DJ resides in London, United Kingdom. He began to make beats at the age of 13 and has been creating music ever since. He has worked with artists such as L.O.U., P-Rawb, Skyzoo, Bizarre Ride and Maze Rockwell to name a few. A traveler from a young age, Big O has moved between Atlanta and Birmingham, before transferring to Orlando to attend college at Full Sail University. He eventually got promoted to The Bay Area in his audio job and then made the jump to Los Angeles to work on and independent film titled time titled “Love, Art & Celibacy”. Big O has appeared in various media publications who have followed the evolution of his releases.
The project “Now You See Me”, is the second EP from Big O. Led by the single “In the Rain”, it contains 9 tracks. Two of the tracks on the EP are performed by rappers Loki Loko of Los Angeles (Neva Change) and L.O.U. of Southside Jamaica Queens, NYC (Isolated) along with vocals from singer Frannie EL. The project also has a special guest spot from UK DJ G-Man on the track “Neva Change”. The instrumental versions of the aforementioned tracks are included as bonus material on the EP.
“Now You See Me” contains some very strong Big O material which, when untethered by any emceeing, succeeds in establishing its very own presence. And that’s a mean feat by any serious beat maker. The EP features top notch production from Big O across the soulful and creative 9 song track list.
The recording, to put it simply, completely refashions the accepted notions of how to construct an instrumental hip-hop album. To use a cinematic analogy, Big O takes footage like a film director, which he stitches together in an attempt to tell coherent narratives. Except these are hip hop instrumentals.
The key strength of this volume lies in the way that Big O has once again harnessed his scattered ideas into a cohesive train of thought; “Now You See Me” can be played as background music but rewards close listening. It’s a relative linearity that has caused this perpetually focused producer stoned to constantly make listenable beats, deftly juggling his styles and influences without losing his own fingerprints.
“Let’s Start the Show (Intro)” rolls in on a slow and funky backbeat, featuring warm keys and deep resonating bass line, before relinquishing its space to “Neva Change” (feat. Loki Loko) (Scratches by G-Man) – a track that maintains a steady beat and a melodic flow from Loki Loko.
Grooving in scope and hypnotic in their broiling rhythms, “Take a Walk With Me” and “Into the Shadow” are mood-altering explorations into their sonic textures. Isolated (feat. L.O.U. & Frannie EL) has a futuristic backdrop which is supported by some excellent vocals and rap verses.
As you slide through “In The Rain” and “Time 2 Say Goodbye”, before encountering the 2 bonus tracks, it becomes clear that while some producers go strictly East Coast and others go strictly West Coast, Big O proves to be one of the more adventurous beatsmiths, strictly satisfying his own wandering muse, wherever that may take him from beat to beat.
It is to the producer’s credit that these tracks sway charismatically between styles while never losing sight of a central underpinning logic. “Now You See Me” offers up a set of beats that demonstrate the inventiveness of Big O, without overwhelming the listener completely.
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