Otis Junior & Dr. Dundiff are bringing a fresh new sound to Hip-Hop/R&B on their new EP Rising With It. The Louisville, Kentucky based group is a collaborative supergroup comprised of singer/songwriter Otis Junior and hip-hop hitmaker Dr. Dundiff. The duo is signed to the Berlin-based label Jakarta records which has helped them cater to an international audience. Aside from the duo, Otis Junior is also a member of the band The Jesse Lees. Dr. Dundiff has garnered acclaim for creatively crafting tracks using samples from everything from YouTube videos to local news reports. The talented producer also creates many tracks using live instruments often played by himself.
Sonically, the EP feels like a like a jam session amongst music lovers. The loose song structure harkens back to some of the best elements of the neo-soul era made popular by artist like D’Angelo. Dr. Dundiff’s live instrumentation paired with Otis Junior’s soulful voice evoke a feeling of musical ecstasy that is evident on songs like “When It’s Sweet” and “You and Me.” Overall, the EP leaves you feeling uplifted and light which is a welcome feeling given today’s climate.
When describing the new EP, Otis Junior says “This EP blends all the styles we’ve touched on in the past few years, and combines them with our newest developments as artists and as people.” Following up, Dr. Dundiff said “When Otis and I work together everything just comes natural. This EP feels like an obvious lineage for us. We are trying to keep Neo-Soul alive and interesting.” I think it’s safe to say their mission was accomplished.
Check out Rising With It below:
