Every once in a while, an artist decides that reinvention isn’t something to announce—it’s something to embody. Big O, an artist and producer with a history of bending sounds into new shapes, has arrived at that moment with his latest instrumental record, When It’s Not Said, But Done. It’s not just an album; it’s a statement made in silence, a reminder that the most powerful declarations often come not from the mouth but from the work itself.
The Quiet Power of Transformation
The opening track, From The Ashes (Rebirth), begins with ambient tones and the faint, steady crackle of fire—a sonic metaphor for destruction and renewal. It feels like a scene from a Terrence Malick film, where sound itself carries the weight of rebirth. In hip-hop history, we’ve seen similar reinventions. Think Kanye West pivoting to 808s & Heartbreak, or Madlib disappearing into the abstract world of Shades of Blue. Big O isn’t mimicking those moves—he’s carving out his own language, one that swaps declarations for subtlety.
Where some artists might use skits or lyrics to announce change, Big O leans on pure sonic narrative. It’s a bold creative choice, especially in an era where oversharing is almost required to stay relevant.
From Groove to Grandeur
Tracks like M!dnyght Ryde illustrate Big O’s versatility. Built on funk-tinted grooves, lush harmonies, and deep bass lines, it evokes the cinematic vibe of artists like Thundercat or Flying Lotus—yet more grounded, less chaotic. Then there’s What’s In This World, a standout moment that balances digital crispness with analog warmth. The track recalls J Dilla’s ability to make beat tapes feel as emotionally resonant as full-fledged albums.
Big O demonstrates a keen understanding of musical space—knowing when to fill it, and more importantly, when to leave it open for the listener’s imagination.
Collaboration as Evolution
Where many instrumental projects run the risk of monotony, When It’s Not Said, But Done thrives by embracing collaboration. On Walking Into Next Week, Jeronimo G’s xylophone brings unexpected brightness, almost reminiscent of how Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge (as NxWorries) use live instrumentation to elevate hip-hop production.
The first single, A Better (Me) featuring jazz saxophonist IB Delight, might be the album’s most accessible track. It fuses soul, jazz, and hip-hop into something both smooth and layered. The collaboration feels natural, like Robert Glasper linking worlds between jazz and modern hip-hop, or how Terrace Martin became a glue in Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly.
A Moment of Stillness
By the time we reach Relaxing My Emotions, Big O shifts the energy downwards—an interlude of calm in the middle of creative fire. The track feels like a reminder that vulnerability doesn’t always require words. In today’s soundscape where producers often aim to overwhelm, this restraint is refreshing.
The closer, Bigrodamous Closing Theme, ties the journey together with cinematic nostalgia, echoing the kind of emotional closure you might find on a Nujabes project. It’s the kind of outro that lingers after the music stops, like credits rolling on a film you don’t want to leave.
Doing, Not Saying
The brilliance of When It’s Not Said, But Done lies in its philosophy. It refuses to explain itself, challenging listeners to engage without the comfort of lyrical direction. In that sense, Big O stands alongside experimentalists who trust their audience to interpret the work—artists like Burial, who cloak themselves in mystery, or Metro Boomin, who has recently pushed instrumental storytelling into cinematic territory.
Big O’s project isn’t about hype cycles or viral snippets. It’s about action. In a culture that often prioritizes the loudest voices, When It’s Not Said, But Done is proof that silence, discipline, and risk can be louder than words.
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