- Omid Nourizadeh, or 16B as many would know him, is a name constantly associated with quality productions. Continually smooth as silk, his music is soulful and deep, and this album is a fantastic representation of his wonderful sound. Following a few years on from his debut album ‘Sounds From Another Room’, his latest 11 track masterpiece, ‘How To Live 100 Years’, should receive just as much praise as the delectable house cuts from his first album received, and there are many reasons why.
Some would say that putting 'Inbetween Your Choice’ as the first track on the album is a mistake, as the quality of this production is mind numbingly good. Slow and deep baselines under a lush melody and soothing beats, make this track a instant classic. It would appear that this album could only get worse! 'Escape’ follows, a track made famous by Danny Howells and Deep Dish in released compilations, equally made famous by the catchy guitar riff under Richard Morel’s trademark vocals. The baselines of ‘Keep On Changing Shape’ are complimented well with the trademark 16B riffs. ‘De-org Song’ is full of blissful melodies and bouncing baselines while the vocals of ‘Stephen’ overlay the soothing aura of ‘Doubt’. ‘Colours’ take the album to a downtempo state with subtle effected vocals and slow drum loops. The acid strokes of ‘The Room’ make for a highlight in the album which is slowly starting to regather pace, however, the minimal ‘We Will Again!’ puts rest to the charge with its alien effects, subtle screeching sounds and minutely apparent strings. The retro drums and vocals of ‘Virus’ bring the beats back, while the little uptempo tingles of melody in ‘Behind the Face’ almost bring the album to a close. That’s a job left to the ‘Reprise’ of the album, with its chilled beats, dreamy strings and delicious comforting melodies.
16B has no doubt produced one of the finest albums in 2002 with ‘How To Live 100 Years’. The music at times is so chilled and lush, and within minutes it’s sending deeply embedded baselines through your body demanding the feet to move. As Omid states; “It has taken me three years and a lot of hard work, an album that I feel draws you in”. I have yet to entangle myself from his web.
Tracklisting
1. Inbetween Your Choice
2. Escape (Driving To Heaven)
3. Keep On Changing Shape
4. De-org Song
5. Doubt
6. Colours
7. The Room
8. We Will Again!
9. Virus
10. Behind The Face
11. Reprise