Ever since ØZI released his debut album in 2018, I’ve been waiting for his next project. Don’t get me wrong, the American-Taiwanese artist has kept me busy with singles such as “LAVA!” (which also appears on the album), and “FREE FALL,” but just one song isn’t enough to satisfy my ØZI needs. Luckily, his sophomore album PEDESTAL is here. In a tight, 8 song project, ØZI somehow manages to level up.

It’s evident that ØZI grew up around music, his mother Irene Yeh being a singer, because his sound is incredibly polished. The Berklee College of Music graduate writes and composes all of his music himself, even after only starting to write English lyrics at the age of 14. In a mixture of pop, hip-hop, trap, and R&B, ØZI transcends a multitude of sounds to create his own independent lane.

One of my favorite songs off the album is his 2021 single, “SLIDE.” This track is busy with background vocals, creating a trappy, club-type R&B. The whistling beat and light hearted lyricism about material possessions, fashion, and women are reminiscent of a Chris Brown track. Undeniably smooth, ØZI already amassed over half a million Spotify streams on this one. Another track that caught my ear is “0.03.” This song is made from passion. An automatic add to any “sex” playlist you may have – ØZI uses a stop-and-go cadence, effortlessly gliding through a slowed, groovy beat. To give you a snippet of this track’s content, ØZI sings,

"Let me take you to the top, make you scream and shout

All your freaky little kinks I want to find out

Talking you body language

Me and you, now were completed."

Maybe the most underrated part of ØZI’s arsenal is his vocal prowess, and he certainly flexes it on “0.03.” Vocally similar, his track “LAVA!” mentioned above shows off his ability to slow it down and reach a high tenor, while also seeking out pockets to dip into for short, rap-like verses. In a combination of rap and R&B, “LAVA!” proves that ØZI has all of the tangibles. Yes, ALL of them. Although “LAVA!” was released in 2020, it fits the tone of “PEDESTAL” to perfection, as the 8-song project is seamless in mood and coloring. I could go through each and every track on “PEDESTAL,” but I think you get the jist by now. ØZI is versatile, refined, and ready for the mainstream. His music is the complete experience: equal parts groovy, passionate, melodic, and measured. Don’t miss out on “PEDESTAL,” it might just be your favorite project of the year.

‍