- For a release covered in Glaswegian fingerprints, it's surprising to see that Vultur comes from a Colombian producer, Juan Carlos Torres Alonso. Scottish producer and visual artist Konx-Om-Pax designed the cover, and upstart label Hot Gem Tunes was founded by Clair Crawford, an experienced music promoter in Glasgow. But there's more to OKRAA's debut that ties it to the city than circumstantial associations.
Vultur, in places, resembles Hudson Mohawke's mercurial approach to pop on Lantern. In particular, "Útica"'s shimmering melodies and sugared vocal blocks recall "Deepspace," a Miguel-featuring track from HudMo's album. Alonso has a tender baritone that holds up well against the busy synth squiggles and processed voices of Vultur. On "Aalasü," he reaches across the song to create a sense of intimacy, even as melodies swell and panning loops bustle around him.
Vultur sounds engineered for a wide audience, but its curious sound design invites listeners to inch out of their comfort zones. The excellent, Amilie-led "Trianae," for example, coughs and rips pieces of paper underneath a radio-glossed lacquer, and on the occasions when Alonso strips it all away—as he does on "Vultur"—his songwriting is no weaker for it.
Tracklist01 Vultur
02 Útica
03 Aalasü
04 Trianae feat. Amille