I first discovered OddKidOut while aimlessly tapping through Instagram stories. Diplo had reposted a flip of Silk City and Dua Lipa’s “Electricity”, and I was instantly drawn to the soulful depth that OKO brought to the song. The clip was less than a minute long, but I was already hooked. As I browsed OKO’s profile, I discovered that his talent mind-blowingly exceeded what I could have ever imagined.
This Philly native, whose real name is Butch Serianni, embodies not just a love and artistry but a pure intuition for music. He started drumming at six, an age where children are just starting elementary school, much less an instrument. Years later he blossomed into producing, a natural next step as he listened to any and every genre of music.
I wasn’t the only one who had discovered him via social media. His hypnotic finger drumming had caught the attention of Skrillex, who invited him to move into an OWSLA creative space in California. It was here that OKO was able to experiment with his sound and develop his style. Initially asked to make some OWSLA samples, OKO pushed himself further to curate full tracks that would later catalyze into his EP.
Accustomed to sampling vinyls, you never would have guessed that this was one of OKO’s first ventures into EDM. His sound comes naturally, and his soul speaks through the mesmerizing melodies. His EP, Solstice, samples four OWSLA tracks and beautifully remasters them to showcase his musical creativity.
The first song, “6 Years”, reimagines Tennyson’s “your face tastes like my happy place” from a delicate softness to one that oozes the hope and self-growth following a breakup. “The Getaway” takes the yearning of a love long gone from Skrillex and Team EZY’s “Pretty Bye Bye” to a refreshing and unstoppable beat reminiscent of a new start and the mindset of moving forward. My favorite, “Napa Street”, incredibly metamorphosizes Skrillex and Poobear’s classic “Would You Ever” into a soothing rhythm as OKO intertwines his past roots with his future dreams. The final song is “MIND/$”, which still carries the badass swagger from Yogi’s “Money On My Mind”, but reinvented with OKO’s groove as the beats dance within themselves.
Released this past July, following his LP release in January 2018, Solstice is more than EP – it’s a journey where OKO discovers both himself and his style. As you listen, the progression shows his confidence and comfortability solidifying after each song. He intricately delves into layers of sound to take listeners on an exploration of unheard soundscapes, which will no doubt leave them speechless.
His Instagram also features insane flips and samples as his fingers fly over his Maschine, effortlessly drumming new life into reinterpreted songs. The talent this man has clearly shines through in all he does, from flipping Billie Eilish’s “when the party’s over” to flipping not one, not two, but five of Skrillex’s tracks into three different feels in 53 seconds. OKO knows how to captivate his listeners, and his flow will make you want to listen for hours.
Watch out world – there’s an OddKidOut on the block, and he’s a force to be reckoned with.
