It’s not everyday you run in to an album and it becomes the perfect soundtrack to whatever it is that you’re doing. That is the brilliance behind The Opus and their latest EP, Praying Mantis. Their production can be described as instrumental downtempo, experimental, hip-hop, with the dark cynicism of trip-hop. The Opus consists of Mr. Echoes and The Isle of Weight, who both hail from Chicago. Having worked with many artists who embrace their dark sound, such as Earatik Statik, Pigeon John, I Self Devine (From the Micronots), Aesop Rock, Murs, Slug (from the group Atmosphere), conformists, they are not (check out the cover art for the EP – which was designed by Albane Simon). Their main collaboration has been with the group Rubberoom, where they toured with an explosive stage performance matched with solid beats. Combining their eerie and hypnotic sound, which is reminiscent of Massive Attack, but with a hip hop flare, it is definitely refreshing to hear a group like The Opus.

Listen to a couple of tunes below and let us know your thoughts on this group. Their music is like a journey; you have to stay the course. You can download the EP from their bandcamp page, here.

“Serpent’s Fruit”

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“Divorced”

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