released: october 28, 2024

genre: electronic / jazz

from: london, uk

label: self-released

a few thoughts: oliver palfreyman has over the years carved out a reputation for himself as one of the most innovative london-based producers around. thinking now, i met oli about 8 years ago, through a few mutual friends i knew from my time in switzerland. and they weren’t lying when they told me he’s one of the sickest producers they know. from the sonic verse sines release to albums like op01 and sewer opal, he’s always experimenting with new sounds and creating music that is incredible and timeless. double vision, his new release, is a jazzier body of work with more of an focus on live instrumentation. the gorgeous keys and bassline on the opener “double vision” is incredible, as we hear incredible drumming throughout that complements the lavish composition, with blake cascao on drums, charlie ockmore on guitar, axel kaner-lidstrom on trumpet and tagara mhizha on bass. it’s an immersive listen and sets the tone for rest of the project. the emphatic bassline and guitar leads on “wait up” feature vocals compositions from elijah maja and jespfur. “drift” featuring wu-lu, with its textured, dub-influenced beat and gorgeous guitar leads is a highlight on the project for me. the jazz composition on “surely” is stunning too, with contributions from tagara mhizha on bass, jordan hadfield on drums, emma barnaby on cello, and axel kaner-lidstrom on trumpet. the moody strings. the textured, groovy and meandering groove of the track is truly hypnotic. the ambient energy of “phantom” is moody and evokes a feeling of melancholia, while the beat on “blade of grass” featuring jespfur is incredible, with its groovy bassline, gorgeous keys, and soulful vocals. “cold to touch” featuring emma barnaby is another immersive listen, with an incredible cello composition over an ambient electronic soundscape. “you decide” has the most oli-type beat, with its heavy, snappy drumming throughout, driving groove and incredible, angelic vocal contribution from astr​ø​nne. it’s a dynamic, compelling closer to a fascinating album, and one which will go down as one of oli’s most experimental and forward-thinking releases to date.

the album: