Album Review: Olive Hatake, BOYS NEED LOVE

Olive Hatake’s 2022 debut, Life Of Colour, introduced listeners to his touchingly personal brand of electronic music. The artist, who hails from Dublin, emerged from Word Up Collective, which has also shaped the careers of plenty of other acclaimed artists, from Tebi Rex to Natalya O’Flaherty.

Olive’s second album, BOYS NEED LOVE, might be even more compelling than its predecessor. Written and recorded over the last year – as the artist reflected on issues like faith, masculinity, and the rise of the far-right in Ireland – BOYS NEED LOVE is a snapshot of just how vulnerable electronic music can be. The production is inspired, with samples, synths and pianos used sparsely and thoughtfully.

Songs like ‘PETRICHOR’ (named after a word meaning “the scent of rain on dry soil”) and ‘DON'T LET GO' (likely inspired by the lo-fi production of Irish electronic artist EDEN) engender quiet contemplation, while also providing a window into the artist’s personality. Elsewhere, Olive invites seasoned rappers onto his tracks. ‘GHOSTS’, featuring Daryl Bengo, offers a nice twist on emo-rap, and ‘MEMORY LANE’ sees Jafaris deliver a typical rap masterclass. Excellent stuff.

8/10