So you might’ve seen an odd-looking fellow gallivanting about on the internet lately. He’s typically seen riding a Razor scooter while sporting a goofy bowl cut and looking like an image ripped directly from an article on BuzzFeed about remembering the ‘90s. If this description sounds familiar, you’ve seen Oliver Tree.
Oliver Tree isn’t just a living, breathing meme, he’s also a talented vocalist with an insanely unique voice. Tree got his start in 2013 when he released music under the name Tree. Years later, he started collaborating with popular electronic producers like Whethan and Getter, but now he’s stepping up and making a name for himself by releasing his own solo tunes yet again. Tree’s debut EP, “Alien Boy,” was released on Feb. 16, and debuted No. 10 on iTunes charts.
This six track EP is anything but ordinary. From a hip-hop beat in one track to jazzy trumpet in the next to an indie rock sound shortly after, Tree leaves no ground untouched and shows he isn’t afraid to be different. If anything, he embraces the weird and offbeat as part of his persona.
The fourth track, “All That” is one of two singles that Tree released ahead of the EP and it’s not really anything you’d expect from an Indie vocalist like him, but it fits his persona and shows his versatility. This track has the vibe of a hip-hop song you might’ve heard at a middle school dance — probably featuring DJ Khaled — but with a new-age twist. Hearing Tree rapping on the song is not something I expected whatsoever, but it was very welcome. Tree’s rap flow on this is pretty great. He’s pretty fly for a dorky white guy with a bowl cut.
The one song that I think is the biggest standout and the one I cannot stop listening to is “Upside Down.” With it’s booming bass, it sounds like a song taken from the set list of the indie-rock band, Sex Bob-omb, from the Scott Pilgrim comics mixed with a surf rock vibe.
“Alien Boy” is out of this world and shows you to expect the unexpected, especially if it’s from Oliver Tree.
