Album Review: Ol' Burger Beats Travels Through Time & Space with Lush & Feature-Packed 74: Out of Time

For those seeking a standout figure in today's hip hop production scene, one need not search beyond Ol' Burger Beats. He exemplifies a perfect blend of honoring tradition while boldly exploring the future.

Ever since I discovered Ole's music a few years back, I've been fascinated with everything he puts out, which eventually led to our 2021 interview where he opened up and shared a lot of insights on his upbringing and the art of sampling.

Last September Ol' Burger Beats embarked on a new journey with legendary New York-based label Coalmine Records - a single titled "Recuperating" featuring Fly Anakin. A song that marked the first piece of his new LP - the 17-track hip hop behemoth 74: Out of Time. The album offers a captivating and diverse journey through various sounds and eras. Produced at a consistent tempo of 74 beats per minute, it also pays homage to the cultural landscape of 1974, drawing inspiration from its music, activism, artwork, and overall aesthetic.

Stream the album on all major platforms here.

As I mentioned before, Ol' Burger Beats perfectly balances the legacy of the past and the ability to analyze and reflect on the present. After you start unpeeling the layers of 74: Out of Time, you'll quickly realize its high relevance to the moment. The Out of Time segment of the title directly speaks to contemporary issues. It underscores a pressing urgency in response to ongoing challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, wars, and divisive political landscapes across the world.

I was quite impressed by the notion of using 74bpm as a basis throughout the whole record. I reckon that's both an internal challenge, ambition and a way to put things into a framework. Using that, the talented Norwegian beatmaker constructs sublime, jazzy instrumentals that feature some of hip-hop’s finest emcees and vocalists including III Camille, Lil B, Vic Spencer, Awon, lojii, J'von, Pink Siifu, Quelle Chris, billy woods, Tha God Fahim, YUNGMORPHEUS, MoRuf, and of course long-term collaborator Vuyo (to name a few).

When it comes to the 74 bpm decision, Ole comments, "It is quite an unusual tempo for hip-hop I think. It’s really relaxed but at the same time it can feel hard-hitting and modern if you match it with the right vocals and the right flow.”

After having the chance to absord the album to its fullest for several times, I can safely say - the flow is impeccable and it presents listeners with a rather soothing and inspiring experience.

I highly recommend listening to 74: Out of Time and doing nothing else. Allow yourself to ride the chill wave, to travel back in time with tracks like "The Last of Us" with Quelle Chris that feel like taking a stroll in downtown New York in the 70s. Featuring the brilliant mind of rap polymath and lyricism Quelle Chris, the song beautifully showcases the magic of collaboration, where Chris, backed by soulful horns and head-nodding percussion, delves into the past, sprinkling clever cultural references and emotionally charged storytelling throughout.

Besides forces like "Free Form", "For The Family" and "The Last of Us", some of the newly released tracks that immediately stood out to me were "Stories" with J'von and Vuyo and "Count Your Blessings" with lojii. The simplicity of the instrumentals and how slick the flow of emcees is. Damn, what a weekend bliss ahead!

Another crucial track is "Black Sabbath," featuring The God Fahim and billy woods. This dusky, late-night blues-inspired instrumental, adorned with nostalgic brass and eerie energy, provides a perfect backdrop for the profound and complementary lyrics delivered by these geniuses.

In a day and age where people keep saying no one cares about albums (a complete bs), 74: Out of Time is here to serve as the best counterargument. I admire not only the beatmaking of Ole, but the thoughtful curation behind the record. Everything, from visuals, to who should be on that record, even sequence, feels like precision. A damn good reason to love music today.

One last pro tip. If you chase that Sunday soul feel, Ol' Burger Beats and legendary 5-piece Kooley High have the best finisher of the record one could ask for.

74: Out of Time dropped today, February 16th, via Coalmine Records and besides the digital release it is available on cassette and vinyl formats. And although the two limited edition color variants have sold out, the classic black version is still available, which boasts an illustrated board sleeve, with reverse board printed jackets. These could be purchased through Burger's Bandcamp profile, alongside diverse merchandise bundles.  Additionally, HHV will offer its own exclusive edition, featuring a clear vinyl with an emerald green color-in-color design, limited to 150 copies.