Oddisee

Rapper/producer Oddisee's reflections on life and the people who've moved in and out of his own informed many of the memorable cuts from last year's People Hear What They See. With his latest instrumental opus, the Washington, DC, native is hoping to inspire listeners to do the same. The heavier-handed soul beats of his more recent releases give way to a far more nuanced brand of late night mood music on The Beauty In All, and it isn't before the skittery, double-time melodic breakdown of third cut "Fashionably Late" that the record's many detail-rich elements begin to move to the front of the producer's restrained compositions. Crisp, vibrant instrumental touches help bolster cuts like the bottom-heavy "Fievre" and "The Gospel," while the guitar, drums, piano and strings of "Patience at Play" combine for one of the record's more transcendent moments. However, while inventive turns like the rhythmic anchor of climatic closer "Fork in the Road" appear from time to time, offering musical segments to come back to, the quest for contemplative backdrops unfortunately results in a handful of moments and songs that don't quite grab or hold your attention. It's a commendable approach that achieves its mission, but it isn't always as entertaining a listen as some of Oddisee's last few releases.