Tuesday, June 08, 2021

Genesis Owusu - 'Gold Chains'

When you go to the Twin Cities in Minnesota, it's always a smart move to turn your FM dial to The Current on 89.3 KCMP.

The Minnesota Public Radio-owned station is a great place to hear a wide range of music, including local artists. I have discovered new music everytime I've been able to tune in to the station.

I made a weekend trip to Saint Paul this past weekend, and heard everything from new Modest Mouse to Bob Marley to Arlo Parks to Prince.

But one song on my drive out of town caught my attention enough to write this post -- "Gold Chains" by Genesis Owusu.

Owusu, a 23-year-old Ghanaian-born Australian, started recording just a few years ago.  According to his Wikipedia page, Owusu got his unlikely break in 2019, opening for the sold out 5 Seconds of Summer benefit concert in Sydney.

Owusu's debut album, Smiling with No Teeth, came out in March, 2021, and combines elements of experimental R&B, Hip Hop and Alternative Rock for a unique sound.  The album debuted at #27 on the Australian charts but hasn't quite taken off in the U.S. yet.

On his single, "Gold Chains", Owusu assumes the dual roles of soulful crooner and smooth MC, singing and rapping over glitchy trickles of late night electro-funk.  You can watch the official music video to "Gold Chains" in the YouTube player below.  

There's already a cool remix of the song by Harvey Sutherland, and if you liked "Gold Chains", I would also highly recommend Owusu's latest single, "Same Thing" with its Prince-like guitar lick and Frank Ocean-meets-Thundercat delivery.

For more on Genesis Owusu, visit: https://genesisowusu.com