NFN Music Review – OLLY KIFF : I Know Who I Am. (https://bit.ly/OllyKiffMusic)

Having “a passion for writing songs for the local church” with an emphasis upon writing “about his personal walk with God while staying rooted in scripture”, Olly Kiff has been creating songs since 2002. Originally from Manchester and now based in Buckinghamshire, in 2021 he released his ‘Whole World’ and ‘Lead me to the Rock’ EPs. His 2022 acoustic-based ‘Odds, Ends and Godsends’ was subsequently well reviewed by NFN and listening back to that eight-tracker, I can understand why. Here we have Olly’s latest offering – at ten tracks, his first ‘album’, that mostly returns to the ‘full band’ guitar-led sound of the 2021 releases. We kick off with the upbeat rocker ‘You’re the One’. This is followed by the mid-paced title track – a good song, but Olly uses a sort of ‘Elvis Costello-ish’ delivery that becomes apparent to varying degrees during the rest of the album. I have a lot of time for Declan Patrick MacManus OBE(!), but the punkish attitude of his alter ego just doesn’t seem to sit well with Olly’s lyrical content – and this aspect begins to spoil things for me as the album continues, including the well written rock-pop ballad next track ‘Better than before’. Featuring Amy Fokkens on vocals, the following acoustic guitar-backed ‘At His name’ is similarly strong melodically and lyrically and includes nice harmonies – although I kept hoping for some subtle drums/percussion that never arrived. ‘I believe’ is Olly’s take on the creed and is one of the best tracks. The under-produced but otherwise worthy ‘Better than life’ includes a hooky chorus, is from Psalm 63 and features Emily Brake on vocals. Olly then delivers ‘Magnify the Lord’ which is based on Psalm 8. This is followed by ‘Ever praise You’ – from Psalm 71, with simple backing that would have benefitted from more development but features a lovely melody with beautiful liquid vocals by Alison Kitt. I struggle to listen to Olly’s particularly affected delivery as the piano-led ‘For an audience of one’ begins – which is otherwise strong, with effective female backing harmonies. The drums and grunge guitar ‘Come and see’ proves to be a worthy closer. The makings of a good album then, with well written songs. In comparison with Olly’s best work however some tracks seem under-produced – and the main downside for me is his vocal style. I imagine an Alison Kitt album of Olly’s songs WOULD be something(!), but regretfully the best I can do is squeeze this one up to 7/10. Dave Deeks

UK Artist Olly Kiff returns with full debut album

Building on his three worship EPs in 2021, Olly Kiff, worship leader from Milton Keynes, is thrilled to announce the release of his debut full-length album, “I Know Who I Am” on May 19^th. The album is a collection of captivating tracks, many of which have been registered with CCLI, including the anthems “Come & See” and “I Believe.” Each song serves as a powerful testament to Olly’s unwavering faith, drawing inspiration from scriptures intertwined with his own encounters with God. The album showcases the diverse musical range that Olly encompasses, from the upbeat opening track “You’re The One” to the more mellow “Ever Praise You (Psalm 71).”

This album has been a long-awaited dream for Olly, having been nurtured within his heart for over two decades. As with all things divine, God’s timing has orchestrated the release of “I Know Who I Am” to perfection. For Olly, the album is not just a music album; it is a testament to the transformative power of God’s love.

https://bit.ly/OllyKiffMusic

Olly Kiff Readies to Release ‘Better Than Before’ Single

Olly Kiff is a singer/songwriter based in Buckinghamshire, UK. He says; “I love to sing about what Jesus has and continues to do in my life!”

October 28th sees the release of Olly’s brand new single ‘Better Than Before.’ Olly says; “This song is about a time when I had to give up everything I thought I wanted to find out what was in God’s heart for me. When you give stuff up for God, He doesn’t just restore it, He makes it better than the former thing. This is the first song released off my first studio album scheduled for release in Spring 2023.”

You can Pre-Save or Pre-Order ‘Better Than Before’ by clicking on this link:

https://hyperfollow.com/ollykiffmusic

NFN Review – OLLY KIFF : Odds, Ends & Godsends. (https://bit.ly/OllyKiffMusic)

Following on from his release at the back end of last year, Buckinghamshire based Olly Kiff returns with this 8 track offering. Musically, tracks are backed by acoustic instruments, and the occasional use of keyboard sounds. On ‘Your Name’ Olli sings that “Your name is the tower to which we run; Is the hope that we hold on; The name above it all; The name of Jesus.” The song flows quite well, and Olly’s vocals are placed just right in the mix. ‘Oh Grace’ is  a gentle number that benefits not only from some nice music, but effective backing vocals, too. Kria McKenzie shares vocals with Olly on the simple sound of ‘Worthy,’ while it’s Alison Kiff who’s voice leads on ‘Rest.’ Backing on the latter comes from acoustic guitar and quiet keyboard pads. This works as a first class backdrop to the worshipful vocals. I’m not sure what sort of recording equipment Olly has, but he should be congratulated for such a crisp production, overall. The album has a feel of quite intimate worship about it. Or, as Olly says, some “chilled worship.”   Closing the track listing is the lovely song called ‘Whole World.’ Sung by Romina Barba, her vocals are perfect for this mid-paced number. Giving praise and worship to God, the piano led track is, probably, a case of leaving the best unit last. Well, that’s my opinion. I very much enjoyed the inclusion of more voices during the chorus, and I ended up singing along – always a good sign!   8/10.