Osage (pronounced Oh-Sage) is the electronic music making alter ego of Philadelphia based dj/producer lil’dave. The man behind Osage is best known as a veteran DJ on the Philly nightclub scene and as a member of the highly respected dj crew Illvibe Collective. He has also been a fixture on the radio as the co-host of the internationally known broadcast Eavesdrop Radio. As a recording artist, he has released music under various aliases for record labels such as BBE Records, Tru Thoughts, Record Breakin’ Music, Soulspazm, and First Word Records. He has collaborated with and remixed a diverse range of artists such as RJD2, Lady Alma, Ty, Ryat, Captain Planet, Foremost Poets, and more.
The Osage sound is an amalgamation of musical influences such as deep house, samba, African rhythms, futuristic r&b, boogie, uk garage, salsa, broken beat, and soul. His music is built from slightly unorthodox drum programming, layers of synthesizers, and a focus on bringing the soulfulness out of the machines he is working with. Over the years, he has been building a solid reputation by creating a catalog of clever dance floor edits, remixes, and original tracks which have been supported by notable tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson.
As you listen to Osage’s upcoming EP, AlgoRhythm Vol. 1, you will find a collection of tunes that take a lighthearted and adventurous approach to modern dance music. On “I Found U”, which features Atlanta based singer Dezaray Dawn, he creates a bubbling house beat that gives Dezaray the perfect backdrop to sing about searching for love. The heavyweight tune “Real Time” goes into broken beat territory and it features the playful vocals of Kate Faust. The EP finishes off with the moody end-of-the-night anthem “Last Call”, which has Osage himself offering words of inspiration.
Check out the Algorhythm 12-inch
