Peabody Award-Winning Producer/Vocalist omniboi Unveils ‘Obscura’ EP

On the heels of winning his first Peabody Award for his role in scoring the interactive video game We Are OFK, LA-based artistic polymath omniboi shares his new EP Obscura today. The five-track EP is his second with Nettwerk, following last year’s Panorama EP (HERE).

A two-part narrative exercise from the clever artist, Panorama & Obscura represent opposite sides of the same theme of perspective-taking. Panorama is Omni’s exploration of individuals who have found a sense of clarity—or “Omni-Vision,” to quote one of the song titles. Obscura on the other hand, concerns itself with those who are struggling to find this clarity, hinted at with the blurred lines on the cover. Lead single “Blind & Folded“ touches on the themes of confirmation bias and echo chambers, suggesting that sometimes the “blindfolds” we have on are self-inflicted: “There’s only so much she can pretend she can’t see / She can’t just double-down and make believe.”

Blending expert keyboard skills with a steady and playful supply of funk, electronica, and soul, omniboi’s unique style is a product of his childhood growing up in various parts of Arizona. He notes that many major bands skipped over Arizona entirely on their U.S. tours, which played a role in driving him to the margins of music; some of the first concerts he attended were warehouse and desert raves. From there, he began cultivating a sound that he refers to as “kawaii future bass mixed with jazztronica,” taking strong influences from the Far East. Last fall, Omni took this sound on the road, touring the East and West Coasts with alternative R&B artist Ehiorobo. The tour included stops at NY’s Public Records (in partnership with That Good Sh*t) and LA’s Resident.

Omni’s inimitable style takes center stage in the electrifying, synth-heavy Obscura. Some tracks might fit in a video game, while others feel like game show theme songs, and others feel like late night karaoke sessions. We’ll let you decide which is which.

Obscura is available at digital retailers here: https://omniboi.ffm.to/obscura