Ojai is a 2018 extended play (EP) by Young & Sick, the recording project of Dutch-born, Los Angeles–based musician and visual artist Nick van Hofwegen. It was released on January 26, 2018, through B3SCI Records and was his second major release, following his 2014 self-titled debut album. The record is generally categorized as alternative R&B / PBR&B and runs approximately 17 minutes.
Background and composition
The title track was written in the town of Ojai, California, roughly 1.5 hours outside Los Angeles. Van Hofwegen has said the song grew out of a stay at a local hotel, describing a feeling of having "too much on your plate" and the resulting "micro-meltdown." In interviews he characterized the EP as demonstrating "a nice range of what the next phase of Young & Sick will be."
Release
Ojai appeared in digital formats and as a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl single on yellow vinyl with red and black splatter, containing the tracks "Ojai" and "The Road." Van Hofwegen, who also created the cover artwork, described the packaging as "one of the wackiest, in-depth pieces of art I've made." The release was accompanied by related visual and merchandise designs, including footwear and apparel. The title track later gained wider exposure when it was featured in an Apple Watch advertising campaign.
Track listing
- "Ojai" (Nick van Hofwegen) – 4:13
- "The Road" (van Hofwegen) – 3:52
- "Dreams" (Stevie Nicks; Fleetwood Mac cover) – 4:47
- "Ojai (Solo Piano)" (van Hofwegen) – 4:08
Reception
The EP received favorable notices from music publications. The online magazine Earmilk praised the Fleetwood Mac cover of "Dreams" as proof that Young & Sick "can take on the classics," describing it as "drenched in California sunshine with a dash of twinkly lo-fi indie sensibility," and called the single "Ojai" a "near-perfect pop song." Complex highlighted "The Road" for encapsulating van Hofwegen's travels through small-town America, while BroadwayWorld noted the closing "gorgeously pared-down solo piano version" of "Ojai." Commercially, the EP registered modestly on digital storefront charts, reaching No. 93 on the iTunes chart according to chart-aggregator data.
Notes
"Ojai" is also the name of a city in Ventura County, California, and the term has been used as a title by other acts, including the 2007 release Ojai EP by Harmony and Pollution. This article concerns the Young & Sick release specifically.
References
- Wikipedia, "Ojai (EP)" — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojai_(EP)
- Bandcamp, Young & Sick — Ojai (EP) — https://youngandsick.bandcamp.com/album/young-sick-ojai-ep
- Discogs, Young & Sick — Ojai (B3SCI Records, B3SR 043) — https://www.discogs.com/release/11539419-Young-Sick-Ojai
- Earmilk, reviews of "Ojai" (October 25, 2017) and "Dreams" (December 1, 2017)
- Complex, premiere of "The Road"; BroadwayWorld, January 4, 2018; Threadless Blog, February 9, 2018
