Dr. No's Oxperiment

Released

Imagine being Otis Jackson Jr.’s younger brother — how could you not get drawn into his world just by pure osmosis? Thankfully, being the best rapper/producer to sound like Madlib next to Madlib himself helps Oh No shake off any accusations of being derivative, but so does his music — in a similar spirit to big brother’s international excursions, but a bit cleaner, brighter, and to-the-point. Dr. No’s Oxperiment might be  his most notable for providing opening cut “Heavy,” later tweaked into the beat for Mos Def’s classic cut “Supermagic.” But this beat-suite of tracks concocted from Mediterranean rock and traditional music is crammed with jams just as heavy — all 28 of which bust down the door, rock your speakers, and make their mark in less than two minutes, efficient yet potent.

Nate Patrin