Contributing Writer
A linchpin of the Chicago house scene, Ōsé has been making waves since 2019, with his prolific output landing him releases on labels such as Arcane, Farris Wheel, Relief, and Trick to name a few. Ahead of the release of his latest EP ‘Self Help’ on his own 5150 imprint we sat down with Ōsé to discuss his home town, baseball and more.
Hello Ōsé and welcome to Music is 4 Lovers! Where are you currently and how has your year been so far?
Howdy! Thanks for having me. I am currently at my studio working on music and enjoying the beautiful fall weather. I’ve had a great year with lots of fun music, events, people, etc… and I’m hoping to continue the trend!
You have a new EP coming out this month, ‘Self Help’, which will be released via your own 5150 imprint. What can you tell us about the record?
Self Help features two tracks, Self Help & Dave’s Rave, which I wrote while mourning the death of my late friend, Dave, whom the EP is dedicated to. My music output is directly impacted by my mood, so I typically wouldn’t think I would get much done after the death of a close friend, but I was flooded with inspiration and it felt like I was getting a bit of a helping hand from Dave throughout the writing process.
The first track on the EP ‘Self Help’ features a full vocal track. What drove this decision and did you write the lyrics?
In such an oversaturated market, being original and having fresh ideas is essential to set you apart from the rest of the noise. Since House & Techno has a very well proven formula already, you can only take so many liberties in an attempt to put your own stamp on a typical four on the floor song. I believe that your voice is one of the easiest ways to set you apart without attempting to reinvent the wheel. There’s a reason that all the most popular songs are vocal-driven: no matter how good your bass-line or kick drum is, most people aren’t humming a bass-line on their ride home. Your voice can be your most valuable asset and the best tool to separate you from the rest of the pack. That’s why every song that I’ve released up to this point with vocals has been written and recorded by me!
Both tracks have quite a distinct Chicago influence. How important is Chicago to your productions and what role do you think it plays in your creativity?
Representing Chicago and sharing its history is paramount to me. I firmly believe that the rich history of House & Techno and what it originally stood for is what makes it so special and I think that gets lost on a lot of people that aren’t properly educated on the subject. Chicago is not only responsible for House music, but other seminal moments in music such as the birth of Industrial, The Chicago blues, Drill, etc. as well as countless world-renowned acts who have graced me and many others with infinite hours of inspiration.
While we’re on the topic – Cubs or White Sox?
White Sox! I’m a southsider and have been rooting for the Sox my whole life alongside my father… Although, cheering for any Chicago sports team can be quite miserable a large majority of the time.
You’ve already had a string of releases this year, on a variety of labels. What motivates you to be so prolific with your output?
I am always creating. If I am not writing for Ōsé, I am writing for other various projects, and If I’m not writing music I try to work on something creative. My motivation is the only thing that has ever motivated me to do anything: I enjoy doing it.
Most of your tracks lean towards the darker side of house. What is it that draws you to this style?
I’ve always been more drawn to the darker, more aggressive side of music and art in general. My roots lie in Hardcore & Punk and the raw energy always keeps me coming back for more. I think both House/Techno and Hardcore/Punk, while being so sonically and stylistically different, share this same raw energy as well as ethics and morals… even if those things seem to be lost to some degree in the social media age.
This is your second release this year on your 5150 imprint. What are your plans for the label moving forward?
I hope to continue releasing forward-thinking music while building and growing the 5150 family.
Which artist has surprised you the most this year? Any artist, any genre
Probably Turnstile… To watch them go from 150 cap rooms to headlining festivals over the past 10+ years has been quite exciting to watch.
Finally, what else can we expect from Ōsé in the near future?
Plenty of releases on 5150 and beyond, brand new merch, live shows chock full of unreleased music, and much more… You’ll have to come along for the ride to see for yourself!
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