Born into a musical family in Compton, Ca., Loren Oden grew up in the church. This served as an incredible training ground for Oden, where he not only studied gospel, but secular greats like Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke. Being that those icons were bred in the church, Loren discovered sanctity in using his voice as a spiritual guide for love: a way to express his vulnerability, passion and struggles with handling reciprocal affection. Oden’s transparency, or in other words, connection to people is what makes him one of the most captivating vocalists of the modern era.

Oden’s fledgling career gained momentum as a prominent background vocalist for Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Kirk Franklin, Erykah Badu, Ne-yo and more. Within a couple years, his long-time colleague, composer Adrian Younge, enlisted him as the lead vocalist for the cult classic, Black Dynamite, a blaxploitation parody theatrically released in 2009. This was the beginning of Oden becoming the melodious bedrock of Younge’s psychedelic sound.

Music has allowed him to transcribe his emotional tussles; it’s one of the reasons why Oden sings lead on most of Younge’s melancholy catalog, including but not limited, to The Midnight Hour, Something About April, and Marvel’s Luke Cage (scored alongside Ali Shaheed Muhammad). This is also the reason why Younge has decided to produce Loren’s debut LP, My Heart, My Love. Their collaborations have served as a means for Oden to not only harmonize his story, but to travel the world doing it with extensive touring. Loren has also written and recorded for many artists such as Snoop Dogg, Common, The Delfonics, Ghostface Killah, and Bilal.

Oden strives to vibrate frequencies relatable to lovers from all walks of life: a forgotten tenet derivative of classic black soul. His on-stage performance is empowered with the ability to captivate audiences with mellifluous delivery and acceptance.

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Loren Oden
Loren Oden "My Heart My Love" LP
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Born into a musical family in Compton, Ca., Loren Oden grew up in the church.  This served as an incredible training ground for Oden, where he not only studied gospel, but secular greats like Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke. Being that those icons were bred in the church, Loren discovered sanctity in using his voice as a spiritual guide for love: a way to express his vulnerability, passion and struggles with handling reciprocal affection.   Oden’s transparency, or in other words, connection to people is what makes him one of the most captivating vocalists of the modern era.

Oden’s fledgling career gained momentum as a prominent background vocalist for  Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Kirk Franklin, Erykah Badu and Neyo, to name a few.  Within a couple years, his long-time colleague, composer Adrian Younge, enlisted him as the lead vocalist for the cult classic,  Black Dynamite, a blaxploitation parody theatrically released in 2009.  This was the beginning of Oden becoming the melodious bedrock of Younge’s psychedelic sound.

Music has allowed him to transcribe his emotional tussles; it’s one of the reasons why Oden sings lead on most of Younge’s melancholy catalog, including but not limited, to The Midnight Hour, Something About April, and Marvel’s Luke Cage (scored alongside Ali Shaheed Muhammad).  This is also the reason why Younge has decided to produce Loren’s debut LP, My Heart, My Love.  Their collaborations have served as a means for Oden to not only harmonize his story, but to travel the world doing it with extensive touring.    Loren has also written and recorded for many artists such as Snoop Dogg, Common, The Delfonics, Ghostface Killah, and Bilal.

Oden strives to vibrate frequencies relatable to lovers from all walks of life: a forgotten tenet derivative of classic black soul.  His on-stage performance is empowered with the ability to captivate audiences with mellifluous delivery and acceptance.  Be sure to see Oden as he tours with The Midnight Hour this fall.

The Midnight Hour (CD) The Midnight Hour (CD)
The Midnight Hour (CD)
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When two of hip-hop’s most accomplished composers get together to make an album you know the results are going to be special. Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) & Adrian Younge began their work together in 2013 on the critically acclaimed album There Is Only Now and their partnership cemented on their score work for Marvels’ Luke Cage. The Midnight Hour showcases the duo’s songwriting ability like never before.

Lead track and first single “Questions” featuring CeeLo Green is out today and has an unlikely origin story that CeeLo, Adrian and Ali originally explained to Pitchfork back in 2016, when a demo version of the song appeared as a sample on “untitled 06 | 06.30.2014.” off of Kendrick Lamar’s untitled unmastered. project. The completed track perfectly captures the album’s underlying roots in hip-hop’s origins and can be heard HERE.

The 20 track, 61 minute, full length double album, will be released on Linear Labs and distributed digitally by INgrooves and vinyl will be distributed by Traffic Entertainment, world wide on June 8, 2018.

  1. Black Beacon

  2. Mare feat. LadyBug Mecca

  3. It’s You feat. Raphael Saadiq

  4. Questions feat. CeeLo Green

  5. So Amazing feat. Luther Vandross

  6. Gate 54

  7. Do It Together feat. Bilal

  8. Redneph In B Minor

  9. Better Endeavor

  10. Smiling For Me feat. Karolina

  11. Don’t Keep Me Waiting feat. Marsha Ambrosius

  12. Bitches Do Voodoo feat. Angela Munoz

  13. Possibilities feat. Eryn Allen Kane

  14. Mission

  15. Dans Un Moment D’errance feat. Laetitia Sadier Questlove and Keyon Harrold

  16. Love Is Free feat. Eryn Allen Kane

  17. Together Again feat. No I.D. and James Poyser

  18. Feel Alive feat. Karolina and Loren Oden

  19. There Is No Greater Love feat. Loren Oden and Saudia Yasmein

  20. Ravens

Linear Labs: Los Angeles (LP) Linear Labs: Los Angeles (LP)
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Linear Labs: Los Angeles (LP)
$26.99

Featuring songs from upcoming releases produced by Younge, including 12 Reasons To Die II (with Ghostface Killah, Raekwon & RZA); Something About April II; and The Midnight Hour (with Ali Shaheed Muhammad); alongside Younge catalog classics dating back to 2000. LP format features bonus track: “Sirens II,” from upcoming Bilal album.

In less than a year’s time, Adrian Younge’s Linear Labs imprint has made a very firm impression on fans of forward-thinking, analog-based music from multiple genres. One notable fan, among many, is DJ Premier, who produced his late 2014 PRhyme album exclusively using samples drawn from Younge’s catalog. To give fans a chance to revel in Younge’s range and – just as importantly – give followers a sneak-peek at four impressive 2015 albums already slated for release, Younge is proud to release the compilation album, Los Angeles.

On Los Angeles, many hip-hop fanatics will impatiently skip forward to the graceful, galloping and appropriately dramatic “Return Of The Savage,” from the upcoming Younge-helmed 12 Reasons To Die II. The song features Ghostface Killah alongside Raekwon and RZA. But track-skippers will soon head back to the album’s opener: the dusky, Baroque soul of “Memories Of War,” from the upcoming Something About April II, with vocals by Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier.

Also on the upcoming tip: a track from the Adrian Younge / Ali Shaheed Muhammad concept album The Midnight Hour, entitled “Feel Alive,” with silky vocals by Karolina, alongside longtime Younge collaborator Loren Oden.

Other highlights amongst the album’s ten tracks include:

  • “1969 Organ” – From Adrian Younge’s first release, 2000’s Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn

  • “Panic (Ali Shaheed Muhammad Remix)” – From the 2014 Souls of Mischief / Ali Shaheed Muhammad album, There Is Only Now Remix

  • “The Sure Shot Parts 1 & 2” – An instrumental originally rhymed over by the inimitable Ghostface Killah, on 2013’s 12 Reasons To Die

  • “To Be Your One” – Taken from 2013’s Adrian Younge Presents The Delfonics

  • “Chicago Wind” – From the 2009 album, Original Score To The Motion Picture: Black Dynamite