Odario: Low Light (In This Space) -feat. Dawn Pemberton
The frontman of noted hip-hop combo Grand Analog goes solo on a cut featuring his compelling spoken word delivery, thoughtful lyrics, soulful vocals, and adventurous production.
By Kerry Doole
Odario - Low Light (In This Space) -feat. Dawn Pemberton (Do Right Music): The Winnipeg-raised, and Toronto-based CBC Radio host and frontman of revered hip-hop combo Grand Analog has a solo EP, Good Morning, Hunter, slated for release this May via Do Right Music.
This advance single features guest vocals from Vancouver native Dawn Pemberton. in a label press release, Odario (Williams) describes the inspiration for the new cut: “‘In this space, we know nothing...but we can learn a little something if we try’. That opening line was written as a reminder to always try to leave the ego at the door when entering a new space in my life. I feel, as everyday people, we spend too much time and energy pointing out the negative aspects of our differences.
"As I wrote this song I imagined us, as a community, clicking delete on what we perceive as our differences and encourage one another to embrace our similarities as humans. With that comes emotion, something we all embrace together. The gospel of anger...a hunt for an answer. This song is a new space for you to reflect, release and get down low. We came to get down, and pick you up.”
The track is both refreshingly adventurous in structure and highly compelling in effect. The full-blooded voice of Pemberton contrasts strikingly with Odario's dramatic neo-spoken word delivery, and the production work of Alister Johnson merits kudos. "Like Sun Ra we conquer," Odario boasts, and he does just that here.
As a founding member of Grand Analog, he has received considerable critical acclaim, co-writing songs for three albums, three EPs and several singles. He has also guested on tracks by A Tribe Called Red and Haviah Mighty, Ghost Caravan, Delhi 2 Dublin, the Sunshine Makers, Qualité Motel, and more.
Odario will tour across Canada as direct support to Bedouin Soundclash kicking off in Victoria on February 7, before wrapping up the tour in Montreal on February 22. Dates here
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Publicity: Listen Harder
The Reklaws at Billboard Canada Women in Music in Toronto on Oct. 1, 2025.Door 24