Two years after Chicago production duo the Odd Couple dropped Beat Tape Volume 1 the “couple” has since become a solo project: beat maker Tony Roche left the group and his former partner, Zach Henderson, has carried on the Odd Couple name on his own. Yesterday excellent Chicago hip-hop label Closed Sessions released Odd Couple’s official debut full-length, Chatterbox, which Henderson produced on his own. The album is packed with contributions from players in the hip-hop world—recent Kanye West collaborator Allan Kingdom, Boston MC Michael Christmas, and local rapper Saba, among others.
Two of Odd Couple’s labelmates also pop up to drop some rhymes. Alex Wiley stops in for “Danger” and new Closed Sessions signee Kweku Collins shows up on two songs, “ChillyChilly” and “Me Time,” which is today’s 12 O’Clock Track. Collins appears alongside soul group the O’My’s and Soundscape Studios engineer and producer (and occasional vocalist) Jack Red, all of whom provide Henderson with puzzle pieces to assemble into an effervescent summertime jam. Take a listen to “Me Time” below, and if you like Kweku’s contributions head to Schubas tomorrow night to see him open for Frank Leone.