Tourner – OWMI

New perspectives and fresh thinking are something the world needs more of. Globally the old ways have enriched some and impoverished many others. This is as true in politics as it is in music.

OWMI is a duo based in Copenhagen consisting of guitarist Jakob Miang and singer Bashir Billow. Together their music is an eclectic soundscape of influences, organic in style and soulful in tone. However, the complete album left me mixed in feelings and thoughts.

The album version of Beats & Lies pales in comparison to the incredibly soulful live video version (listen here). What felt like a gentle dawn morning now feels like a grey day, confused with effects and vocal echoes.

Where You Wanna Be contains all the ingredients to satisfy with a sweet trumpet playing, dramatic electronic keys and Billows’ always engaging vocal style. The smooth track – Slipping has so much potential but feels disjointed with a mix which doesn’t blend the instrumentation into a complete embraceable sound. The extended version of the excellent Chenai (Extended) (by 50 secs…) doesn’t add any extra groove to their most groovesome track, which for me is a shame. The superb guitar rift, in particular, feels rather underused.

In conclusion, Tourner is an experimental fusion of two exceptional talents which still feels experimental. However, OWMI is providing fresh thinking, which is far more than many.