Secret Society, a 2011 album from OCnotes, feels exactly like the title would suggest: That you’ve guessed the passphrase and find yourself escorted into the mythical back room. Is it even correct to describe OCnotes as a hip-hop artist? His music has a bizarro, genre-less-ness quality that makes it so fascinating. You really never know where it’s going to move next. Case in point, the last 20 seconds of “Ho Hum.” On one track it’s as though the volume knob were the primary instrument. One song might be straight-up guitar pop played through blown speakers, then synth house, and also some electro spoken word. It’s this relentless experimentation that makes OCnotes such an electrifying composer from start to end. Give this music your time. It will open your mind pores.

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