Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Indie Review

JFH Indie Inspection Review

Dawson Samuel and J Taylor

Dawson Samuel and J Taylor
The Odyssey - EP

Street Date: April 20, 2020
Style: Hip Hop / Rap / Pop
Get It: AmazonMP3



Dawson Samuel and J Taylor are two new artists that have come together for a collaboration album, entitled The Odyssey. It's a smaller offering than the name implies, boasting only four tracks, but it's a tight release that shows great chemistry. "When I Doubt" opens the EP on a high note, giving the album a contemplative and even slightly cinematic tone. It's immediately obvious that the production, all done by Dawson Samuel, is top notch. They shift gears on "Parabellum" to what you might typically hear in a modern hip-hop album from Reach Records, with heavy bass and synth-led melodies, and continue a similar vibe for "Benchwarmers" and "Gideon." Both Dawson Samuel and J Taylor have good flow and strong diction, making for an engaging listen that, altogether with the fantastic production, makes for ear candy. Thematically, "When I Doubt" is a standout track in that it delivers a message of being stuck in a metaphorical storm and drowning in doubt. The other three tracks act as an emergence from those trials, centering around being hard-working underdogs in the music industry. Clever puns like "You guys are worshiping idols / I'm sorry, but I gotta bail" from J Taylor and earnest lyrics like "Prayed for rain, but it washed me out… Wasn't ready, not for that amount" from Dawson Samuel show promising songwriting capabilities. The varied song structures from track to track is another strength of the album -- "When I Doubt" has a traditional rapped verse / sung chorus to complement the moody pop/hip-hop style, "Parabellum" is simply two long verses, one delivered by J Taylor and the other by Dawson Samuel, and "Gideon" even finds the two artists trading off choruses. Overall, The Odyssey comes especially recommended for fans of NF, Andy Mineo, Social Club Misfits, and Hulvey.

- Review date: 6/1/20, Christopher Smith of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

 

 

 

go to main Indie review page
go to Indie Review Index

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

Search JFH



This Friday, July 25, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor & Braille New Mexico [Equal Vision]
B. Tee Told You [Syntax]
Bride Scarecrow Messiah CD Re-Release [Girder]
Empowered SALT - EP (independent)
Homesick Prodigals Different Good (independent)
KDNS After Eden [Syntax]
Olivia Lane Songs About Jesus (Deluxe Edition) [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA [Motown Gospel]
Kevi Morse Kingston We Winning [Syntax]
Pulpit Vomit Hospital Lens [Rottweiler]
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno Dance for Jesus - EP (independent)
Taylor & Co Worship Breakthrough - EP (independent)
Josh Wright LEAD (independent)

SINGLES
abenezer i was lost - Single [Gotee]
Joe L Barnes Good Shepherd (Studio Version) - Single [Provident]
Sho Baraka Still Got Faith (ft. L3xdivine) - Single [Syntax]
Gracie Binion Easy To Please - Single [BEC]
Katty Camargo Shine Upon Me - Single (independent)
The CCC Collective Thankful - Single (independent)
C4 Crotona Mr. Gritty - Single [Syntax]
CXMMXNS Trust and Obey (feat. CAIN) - Single [Provident]
EJ Swavv & Nickwit2Ks Growth - Single [Syntax]
Forrest Frank GOD'S GOT MY BACK - Single [River House / 10K]
Andrew Gonoude Closer To You - Single (independent)
Noah Paul Harrison Oh Lord My God (Live) - Single [Bethel]
J.Solo All I Have (ft. Kaboose & MotionPlus) - Single [Syntax]
Kings Kaleidoscope + Kings Kaleidoscope Hymns Amazing Grace - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Life In Me - Single [BEC]
Lecrae Bless You (feat. Torey D'Shaun) - Single [Reach]
TobyMac God Did It (feat. Jamie MacDonald) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Matt Maher Wait (Radio Version) - Single [Provident]
Hunter Plake Down to Earth - Single [BEC]
QEW JOYXFIX (ft. Stevie Rizo) - Single [Syntax]
Naomi Raine God Will Work It Out - Single [Tribl]
Rave Jesus Runnin' - Single [Provident]
Saints in Exile Bad Vibes - Single [Syntax]
Xander Sallows infinite - Single [DREAM]
Silent Reflection Left Me for Dead - Single [Syntax]
Michael W. Smith Your Love Is A Flood - Single [The Fuel]
John Stratton The Body and the Blood - Single [Pure Mosaic Services]
Regina Vandereijk You're the Light - Single (independent)
Joel Vaughn Feel It - Single [DREAM]
Zach Williams Killed A Man - Single [Provident]
Zauntee Jesus Down In Florida - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Bride Scarecrow Messiah Vinyl [Girder]

DVD
Jordan Smith The People's Hymnal DVD [Gaither]

This Saturday, July 26, 2025
SINGLES
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno What Would You Do? - Single (independent)

Next Friday, August 1, 2025
ALBUMS
Crash Rickshaw Big Sir - EP [Velvet Blue]
McKamey Legacy Holding to Truth [Horizon]
Ordained Thunder Roar [Girder]
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM Worship]

SINGLES
Dan Bremnes Human - Single [Curb]
Lauren Daigle Let It Be A Hallelujah - Single [Centricity]
Sleeping At Last Believe - Single (independent)

VINYL
Disciple Attack! (Limited Run Vinyl) Vinyl [Girder]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Get all of JFH's indie compilation now totally free!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images