Review: As the man himself likes to tell us at every opportunity, no one does it quite like Omar S. The Motor City mainstay has been turning out lovely lo-fi, roughshod house grovers packed with emotional heat for decades and never seems to lose any momentum. After a warehouse dig, we have unearthed a few copies of this classic EP from the early days of his FXHE label. The A-side mix of 'Day' features his textbook roughshod drum loops and heart-aching vocal samples that loop infinitely and keep you locked in the moment. The B-side version is more rickety and twitchy for the after-hours.
Review: It would be fair to say that Studio K7 has pulled off something of a coup in getting Kenny Dixon Jr. to agree to compile and mix the latest installment in the long-running DJ Kicks series. It is, somewhat remarkably, the legendary Detroiter's first commercially available mix set. This triple-vinyl edition features a whopping 19 cuts - all in unmixed form - from the 30 track mix. Musically, it's a blazed, jazzy, soulful and groovy as you'd expect, and contains a mixture of downtempo beats, nu-jazz and hazy house cuts from the likes of Flying Lotus, Dopehead, Peter Digital Orchestra, Nightmares On Wax, Soulful Session and Lady Alma.
Review: Theo Parrish lays down a marker for a long overdue fifth album, apparently due out later this year, with the sublime Footwork 12". Named in reference to the dance as opposed to the breakneck offshoot of Ghetto House, "Footwork" is a sublime slab of Theo with many of his trademark production touches. Think lightly brushed percussion, meandering bassline that juts out with an odd funk, and subtle yet sumptuous musical touches, all topped off by a gruff "let me see your footwork baby" croon. Those Theo fans out there that like the man to get a bit rugged will be all over "Tympanic Warfare" too, where off the grid polyrhythms cannon around the channels, augmented by an ugly bassline and dexterous keys.
Review: There's always a sense of reverent elation around a new drop from Theo Parrish, and he's not disappointing on this latest joint. Reports suggest this is the precursor to a new album, and there's a classic feel to this track that hints at very exciting times ahead. Parrish's sparks shine oh-so bright when he's sparring with the right vocalist, and Maurissa Rose seems to be giving him the right inspiration on "This Is For You". He's created the kind of understated soul statement that inhabits some of his most treasured albums, using a raw and simple drum machine backing to achingly beautiful key refrains that melt around Rose's voice on the vocal A side, and give rise to a sublime instrumental version on the flip.
Here's Your Trance, Now Dance! (Shadow Ray remix) (10:18)
Review: Absolute beast of a track from Omar S here - a real statement of intent for the FXHE boss and a shoe in for those end of year lists we all like to indulge in. "Here's Your Trance Now Dance!" is a pretty self explanatory title as the waves of glistening synth patterns that rise throughout are truly trance inducing. Beneath this constantly ascending processing of gleeful melodic touches is simplistic yet delicious sounding crisp machine rhythms, subtle arpeggios and infectiously warm bass nudges. This is a track that bears repeat listen through headphones to let the magic fully seep in so imagine the devastation it will cause at 2am in a sweaty basement somewhere. Essential.
Review: After more or less owning 2011 with a surprise album, a collaboration with urban crooner Colonel Abrams, an ahead-of-the-game reissue of Marc Kinchen and the all-conquering "Here's Your Trance Now Dance", FXHE don Omar S kicks off a new year with Wayne County Hills Cops Pt 2 (where, we ask, was Part 1?), a hook-up with the mysterious OB IGNITT. The eponymous A-Side is characterised by the kind of glistening synths last seen on "Here's Your Trance...", with a rugged analogue bass line giving the track with the requisite bump. A tired cliche it may be, but this could easily soundtrack an 80s cop movie: clearly Omar has this in mind given the 12"'s title and the fact the record's centre label features a doctored image of Eddie Murphy from Beverly Hills Cop! On the flip, Omar S provides his own remix, drowning the synths in dubby textures and showering them with shuffling hats for a more heads-down take. Another killer 12" - business as usual at FXHE, then.
You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure (Alton Miller mix) (5:17)
Get Your Ass Off & Jam (Marcellus Pittman remix) (6:46)
Cosmic Slop (Moodymann mix) (9:26)
Music For My Mother (Andres Wo Ahh Ay vocal mix) (5:23)
Super Stupid (Dirtbombs version) (4:30)
Music 4 My Mother (Underground Resistance mix) (5:41)
Undisco Kidd (Gay Marvine edit) (5:46)
Take Your Dead Ass Home (The Fantasy version) (7:46)
Let's Take It To The Stage (Amp Fiddler Laugin @ Ya mix) (6:11)
Standing On The Verge (Anthony Shake Shakir & T Dancer remix) (5:37)
You & Your Folks (Claude Young Jr club mix) (6:43)
Be My Beach (Mophono & Tom Thump mix) (6:08)
You & Your Folks (Claude Young Jr dub) (5:55)
Let's Make It Last (Kenny Dixon Jr edit) (7:32)
Looking Back At You (Ectomorph Stripped & dubbed) (6:12)
Maggot Brain (BMG dub) (10:09)
Review: Given the brilliantly simple concept behind this fine compilation - contemporary Detroit producers remix Funkadelic - we're rather surprised nobody's done it before. With 17 varied re-rubs stretched across three slabs of wax, there's naturally plenty to enjoy. Highlights come thick and fast, from the deep house/P-funk fusion of Alton Miller's take on "Get Your Ass Off and Jam" and Andres' loose, hip-hop influenced revision of "Music For My Mother", to the thrusting loops and heady late night hypnotism of Anthony Shake Shakir and T-Dancer's version of "Standing on the Verge". While many of the versions stay relatively faithful to the original, the more "out-there" interpretations - see BMG's outer-space ambient dub of "Maggot Brain" and Moodymann's epic revision of "Cosmic Slop" - are also consistently impressive.
Review: Despite some FXHE releases containing playful artistic references to the films that undoubtedly referenced the titles, this Romancing The Stone double pack from Omar S is sadly lacking in any MS Paint renditions of the Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner 90s vehicle of the same name. It does however contain four more fine examples of the fact no one does it quite like Omar S. Lead track "Leave" sets the tone, as ripples of percussion emerge from a pool of simmering sonic emotion and embarks on a masterclass in slow build dancefloor revelation at breakneck pace. "Romancing The Stone" pulls from the same palette of anthemic Omar S productions as "Here's Your Trance, Now Dance" and "Psychotic Photosynthesis" as a lead array of synths, keys and chords weave with supple grace over crunchy drums - watch out for the track finishing abruptly. On the second 12", "Frogs" dovetails from a simple disco guitar loop into fucked up abstract acid techno territory with little prior warning whilst "Surpass" finds AOS ending with some anthemic maximal piano house.
Review: Given that this is the first album from the great Theo Parrish since 2007, it's unsurprising interest in American Intelligence has rocketed over the course of the year as Sound Signature left a trail of hints. Happily, American Intelligence is a fine album; deep and woozy in parts, undeniably soulful, shot through with jazz influences and full to bursting with killer cuts. By now, everyone should know the brilliant "Footwork" single (arguably one of the records of 2014); soon, clubs will swing to the off-kilter dancefloor jazz of "Make No War", the 21st century broken house of the epic "Fallen Funk" and the decidedly odd - but brilliant - "Helmut Lampshade".
Review: Such is the prolific nature of FXHE at the moment, which ever pressing plant Omar S uses must be pretty happy with their contract. Following swiftly from Omar S's ode to the Axel F sound comes the debut missive from Aaron "Fit" Siegel. Named so thanks to his work at the helm of Fit Distribution, Siegel is a key figure in ensuring the ongoing healthy output of Detroit's house and techno militia and "Tonite" proves to be an auspicious debut. Featuring the vocal talents of L'Renne, the track is one of those eminently soulful house tracks with a sparse approach to production, all the elements sounding so crisp and distinct in the mix but judged perfectly. Such a track and the tougher B Side Detroit Mix just demonstrate how on top of their game FXHE are right now - big tip!
Hit It Bubba (I Want My Dadda's Rekids!!!!) (5:42)
Party Marty (5:47)
Review: The Detroit badman always delivers the goods, but he'd recently focussed on his more house-centric style thanks to a series of sleek, soulful releases. This time, he's come out all guns blazing with this new four-part killer, led by the absolutely nutty groove that is "Sink Holes" - a proper slice of Omar S acid, delivered in fine style and with his inimitable rawness. "HELL ON EARTH" is a moodier, funkier house tip with a jazzy side, while the flipside's "Hit It Bubba (I Want My Dadda's Rekids!!!!)" is a fast, upbeat house bomb with a crazy little disco sample that floats amid the grainy bass drums. "Party Marty" is a no nonsense kind of lick, pouncing away with a steady, yet unmistakably Omar S-style percussion, and a heavy bass blow. This is one hell of a way to make an appearance this early in the year - highly recommended!!
Review: SEX (remixes) makes for another triumphant 12" from the uber prolific FXHE stable and further smears the edges of expectation when it comes to the singular Omar S. Once again utilising the silky vocal delivery of singer L Renee, the four tracks here take divergent stylistic routes but each is magnificent. Keen listeners of Benji B's Radio 1 show will have heard the Conant Garden Posse version on a recent Big Strick guest mix, a devilishly dirty riposte to the Ghetto House aesthetic which has L Renee's vocals gliding over a snapping, raw house beat. Alongside this are two variants done in collaboration between Omar S and Aaron Fit Siegel which sound like they've been particularly inspired by soundtrack to Drive. Check the final Mack & Bewick remix for some detuned analogue nightmare set to a rippling electro beat.
Norm Talley/Moodymann - "Jus Hangin" (feat Charlotte OC - mashed up by D'Julz) (7:21)
Review: There is a heavyweight selection of names on this first release from Norm Talley's promising new label Upstairs Asylum. Firstly, the man himself is a Motor City heavyweight who links with fellow luminary Omar S on the opener 'Muggy Detroit Heat.' It's an intense and steamy house track that bristles with raw melody. On the flip, French house icon D'Julz reworks a tune by Norm in cahoots with the one and only Moodymann. This one is all cuddly chords, romanic vocal chops and warm, rough edged house beats for those cosy basements.
Review: Omar S treats us to a second release in the space of a week, with a much deserved reissue of some 1996 Roy Davis Jnr rawness across the A Side. The Stevie Wonder classic "All I Do" gets chopped up, laid over a killer Chi town beat filled with instantly gratifying raw drum edits and augmented by some evil bass thumps. Relentlessly brilliant and sounds just as fresh some 14 years on. Echoing a current trend this side plays outwards from the inside groove. On the flip Omar S teams up with DJ B Len D for the bongo heavy deep groove of "Da Teys" a track that's characterised by melodic keys which increase with curveball drama as the track progresses.
Review: FXHE remain in outer orbit following that stellar Triangulum Australe 12" from Omar S, presenting their final transmission of a superb year in the shape of Oh Jabba, two tracks of stargazing house music from O B Ignitt. Last seen collaborating with Omar S on the dedication to Eddie Murphy's finest acting role, the impression that Ignitt likes his cinema is only strengthened here on the Star Wars referencing lead track with some deliciously lo fi art work of that slug like character on the inner label dispelling any possible doubt. The track itself is a wonderfully simple yet melodic house track, crunchy drum machine rhythms rippling away feverishly beneath a calming array of swooping Rhodes and Moog flourishes. Complementing this, "Space Age Stepping" is a more searching affair, relying more on the rugged drums and gurgling analogue bassline to achieve lift off.
Review: Following the recent dip into the Theo Parrish archives that was The Twin Cities, Phil Weeks' Robsoul imprint looks to another one of Detroit's adopted sons in the form of Rick Wade. Like that recent Parrish reissue, Weeks re-releases another three tracks from Wade's bulging discography. The upbeat disco loops of "Players Theme" was originally released on French label Funky Chocolate in 2002 and still sound fresher than anything being plied by the Soundcloud dwellers today, while "Can't You See" from 2003 provides a more soulful take on house music. On the flip, the tracky funk and cascading string melodies of "I Feel Good" originally graced Wade's own Harmonie Park imprint in 1998, but sound no less vital today. Essential.
Confess To U (The Three Stooges Of Hamtramck mix) (5:30)
Review: Alex "Omar" Smith has something he wants to get off his chest. The much-lauded Detroit producer has teamed up with re-born Italians Do It Better sorts Nite Jewel for "Confess To You", which comes in two distinctive variations. The A-side "Mix" revolves around a tactile, boogie-era synth bassline, late night AM radio synthesizer chords, drifting sax solos and a crunchy, deep house-influenced rhythm track. Arguably even better is the flipside vocal version, which naturally sees Smith, Romana Gonzalez and company deliver a near perfect chunk of '80s soul/deep house fusion. It sounds like a softly spun summer anthem in waiting. Don't take our word for it, though; check out the clips and revel in the track's breezy brilliance.
Review: The second part of Omar S' You For Letting Me Be Myself album in vinyl form sees another 8 tracks across four sides of wax; aside from the '80s inflected sounds of the album's title track, the 303 workout of "Ready My Black Asz" finds itself with the dubbed out loops of "Messier Sixty Eight". As a bonus for those who already have the album, this part contains two vinyl exclusive tracks; the soothing deepness of "She's Sah Hero Nik" and the delayed organ weirdness of "Broken Bamalance Horn" - both more than worth the price of admission alone.
Review: Omar S teams up with Atlanta based producer Kai Alce for this killer new 12", with the FXHE boss openly suggesting the second B-Side offering is 'ringtone worthy'! The Jive Time EP features three original productions - "Not Phazed", which takes up the whole A Side, while the EP's dancefloor-friendly eponymous track shares the flip with ambient house track "Incognigro". Alce, a Detroit native who now resides in Atlanta, has had a fine year, releasing a tidy little 7" on FXHE back in April as well as a collaborative EP with Englishman Phil Asher and Atlanta vocalist Kayenne. Killer release.
Review: Sound Signature's latest release is an all-star crew affair, with an impressive cast list of vocalists, musicians and producers joining main man Theo Parrish in the studio. He's at the controls on the sublime A-side mix, a jazzy affair where layered twinkling electric piano motifs, spacey chords, jazz-funk riffs and sumptuous deep house grooves combine on a fearlessly loose and organic dancefloor workout. On the flipside friend of the family Dego offers his interpretation, adding even more warmth and some tasty additional hand percussion parts whilst wisely utilizing most of the original version's intricate musical elements.
Review: Don't let this one go over yo head son! The final repress from Sound Signature HQ is an essential slab of late 90s Motor City deepness from Theo, presented once again for contemporary reassessment and sounding every bit as jaw dropping 14 years on. Dropping back in 1999, title cut "Overyohead" came to be regarded as a quintessential Theo Parrish track; strings incandescent with soul and lovingly off centre Rhodes riding those heavy drum arrangements towards a sweet piano infused crescendo. Face down, "Dance Of The Drunken Drums" is a prime example of Theo's own distinct brand of cavernous beatdown.
Review: Despite having already released a 16 track album this year, Detroit's finest, Omar S, proves that there is quite simply nothing stopping him as he issues the four track Nelson County. "Don't Let Dis Be HapNin! Comes on like the classic "Psychotic Photosynthesis" at witnessed through a haze of smoked glass, while "U Heard What Da Man Said Muthafukka!!" is something much more driving, like taking a spin on Detroit's streets after dark in a souped up Dodge Charger, before "Nelson County" sees the tough house-focused denouement take place in a dingy backstreet club. As always with Omar S, this stuff doesn't mess about....
Review: Alex "Omar" Smith has never been one for modesty, so we shouldn't be too surprised that he's called his latest full-length - his fifth in total - The Best. To be fair, he is rather good at producing high-grade deep house, and here unveils another eleven gems. Interestingly, he's recruited an impressive cast-list of collaborators and guests, including Norman Talley, Kyle Hall, OB Ignitt and, most surprisingly of all, Bristol-based Tom Bug. Highlights are plentiful, from the dusty afro and blues influences of the tribal "Chama Piru's", and hazy, Rhodes-heavy vocal cut "AhRevolution", to the hip-wigglin' disco-house influences of "Seen Was Set", and retro-futurist, Inner City style Divinity hook-up "On Your Way".
Review: With a title like Annoying Mumbling Alkaholik, you'd expect this three-tracker from the mighty Alex "Omar" Smith to be full of pent-up anger and bitter frustration. Sure, there's a raging rawness about the third track - an undulating trip into spiraling acid territory - but for the most part the EP is a beacon of simple beauty. The opening track is particularly picturesque, with beautiful, new-age influenced melodies and immersive pads riding a cymbal-heavy Detroit deep house groove. There's more Mood Hut/Future Times style synth work on the Tangerine Dream influenced "Track 2", which contrasts deep, sun-kissed melodic loops with a fuzzy drum machine groove.
Review: MK is now a global house star, but it wasn't that long ago that he couldn't even DJ. Instead, he'd pioneered the dub house sound in the 90s then gone off to become a hip-hop super producer. One of those early gems he crafted was his dub of 'Given' back in 93. It got put out by fellow Detroit great Omar S in 2011 and even today is a crowd-pleasing favourite with the muted horn stabs and garage-inflected, dubbed-out beats. Once you add in Omar S's own 'Sarah', a raw analogue deep house cut with plenty of FXHDE hallmarks like dusty hi-hats and wonky synths and you have a brilliant 12" that is now available once more.
Review: Six brand new shakers from Omar S...This is the sh*t! Never confined to one particular genre, Omar is again blending house, techno and even minimal styles into one big pot of deep Detroit underground funk. There's even some Basic Channel / Deep Chord vibes going on there somewhere. Simply killer.
Review: Theo Parrish's masterful Sound Sculptures Vol 1 on triple LP format gets a timely repressing!! In total here there are 9 of the 27 tracks from the full double CD version but these still run the gamut of Theo's inimitable talents, from rough and tumble disco edits to saccharine soul, raw beatdown and leftfield esoterica. Be sure to check the Omar S- featuring "Synthetic Flemm" and long time Juno favourite "Flotation Device". If ever there was a selection of tracks that fully showcased the incredible breadth of production talent this man has, this is it. Not to be missed!
Review: FXHE maintain their monthly heat emission for 2012, with label boss Omar S displaying all aspects of his production prowess (as well as skill for a humorous track titles) across four productions - one of which features the button bashing assistance of one Patrik Sjeren. There's something icily brilliant about the restrained "Income Tax Refund Dance" melding a dark piano riff with snapping 808 kicks and rippling lo fi rhythms which only further justifies the title of Omar S's killer 2011 LP. It's complemented by the far rowdier box jam "The White Castle Song" which jackhammers a simple yet highly flammable key riff over low rent percussion for FXHE's most potent ode to the perfect warehouse moment since the all conquering "Here's Your Trance..." Given the lack of additional info, we presume the Patrik Sjeren that produces the B Side "Untitled" track is the same Patrik Sjeren that released in the mid 90s under a multiplicity of aliases, and his contribution is every bit as incendiary as the track preceding it, whilst "3c 273" sees Omar S slip into pensive utopian electro mode with aplomb.
Review: Hot on the heels of the boastfully-titled full-length The Best comes Desert Eagle, Alex Omar Smith's first 12" of 2016. The title track is as bold and brassy as you'd expect from the Detroit producer, with swirling, minor key melodies and woozy chords complimenting swinging machine drums and a deliciously bouncy, suitably tactile synth-bass line. Arguably better is "Cry Me A River", where soulful vocal samples and wonderfully positive melody lines are expertly combined with bumpin', distorted deep house drums. Throw in some sustained note strings and a bustling bassline, and you have another guaranteed floor-filler from the FXHE boss.
Review: FXHE return with the master of the mysterious OB Ignitt! Arriving roughly a year on from the last slab of Ignitt goodness, Mysterious finds OB on imperious form, once more showing off his penchant for excellent track titles and singular slant on bumping Detroit business. The title track is a veritable epic of unquantifiable emotive stakes, emerging from a heat treated fog and easing into a subtle yet beguiling rhythmic framework which coaxes you into a spell that grows stronger as the track charges electrically forth. Face down, "Celestial Salacious" has that same rough edged bass line growl to it, but the skipping percussion and building layers of instrumentation give the track real energy, whilst you can almost feel the funk dripping off final track "Chocolate City" which sounds like DJ Nature hocked up on MDMA.
Review: FXHE has been brimming with activity in recent times, with a steadfast flurry of singles refusing to let the quality drop, and now the big bossman delivers another two slices of finely cured business in his inimitable style. The lead track is an arresting piece with just a kick to drive proceedings, leaving ample room for a haunting array of bleeps and a 'speak & spell' vocal until the track slowly ramps up with some more prominent drum programming. "Mayall II" on the flip is a less tense affair, with a cheery string refrain and old school jack-in-the-box beats disseminated in a plain and simple fashion.
Review: Any new material on FXHE has us in a frenzy! 2018 looks like a good start for the Detroit label, with boss man Omar S bringing the jams in style. 'Your Socially Awkward' features two fine servings of modern, Motor City techno-soul. There's the evocative A side cut "Games That We Play", a life affirming journey awash in uplifting pianos plus uplifting arpeggio sequences above its steely shuffle - and all supported by local heroine Diviniti's powerful vocals. On the flip, the deep groove of "Potawatomi" takes things down a notch or two, but this late night number still has a heap of bounce and emotion to it still. This follows up the late 2017 release 'Tap Dat Ass' and the debut album from local veteran Norm Talley.
Review: As much as Detroit legend Omar S can do utterly freaky and experimental sounds, he also knows how to kick out some floor filling jams. On this double album from back in 2005, he manages to do both. The bleepy madness of 'Strider's World' with its meandering bass and raw drums was a classic that got hammered by everyone at the time, while 'Congaless' was another favourite on cultured floors with its lovely claps, hissing synth details and low slung beats. In between are plenty of archetypal Smith cuts, but the best might be 'A Victim' with its aching vocal.
Review: Omar S is clearly having fun this year - the subtle euphoria of "Here's Your Trance Now Dance" was followed by a new studio album, released recently with about six days notice - and now he's popped up with a new 12" featuring Colonel Abrams on FXHE. The legendary urban crooner turns in a typically soulful vocal turn on "Who Wrote The Rules Of Love", which comes in three versions: two R&B mixes (short and long) and a remix from Shadow Ray. It's the Shadow Ray tweak that will turn on the house heads, with a beefy acid line and chopped up vocals forming the backbone of the arrangement. Those who get in quick can grab the lovely coloured vinyl version!
Walking Thru The Sky (feat Ron Smith - Liberation mix) (10:43)
Review: Detroit's Theo Parrish continues to serve up expressive and utterly unique new music, but his vast back catalogue will always remain of almost just as much interest to house heads. As such his Sound Signature label has repressed some quality gems from his discography. 'Roots Revisited' first came back towards the tail end of 1998 and finds the sonic shaman in heavy percussive mode while off-grid rhythms and his unique take on soul shining through. 'Dan Ryan' is deeply meditative, while the 'Walking Thru The Sky' (feat Ron Smith - Liberation mix) is a dusty and scuffed-up deep house exploration with Theo's trademark keys.
Review: Alex "Omar" Smith is certainly "One of a Kind". Like fellow Detroiters Kenny Dixon Jr and Theo Parrish, he has achieved cult status amongst serious deep house heads primarily by following his own path and sticking a solitary digit towards convention. That and being seriously good at what he does, of course. He begins this latest EP in confident mood, joining the dots between vintage New Jersey garage and bouncy deep house on "Less Pain", before wrapping slipped '80s synth-pop chords around a killer (machine) percussion track. Best of all, though, is title track "One of a Kind", a luscious chunk of slowly unfurling deep house positivity rich in ear-pleasing synthesizer motifs, surging chords and rush-inducing musicality.
Review: What more can be said about the output of Alex 'Omar' Smith? The Detroiter's releases have perhaps been a little more varied of late than we've come to expect, but the quality nevertheless remains dizzyingly high. This white label excursion is full of floor-friendly gems, with Smith's use of classic house samples and familiar vocal samples also making it one of his most party-hearted releases for a while. Check, for example, "Catch Ya", where a much-loved turn-of-the-'90s acapella rises above bouncy New Jersey organs and snappy machine drums. "Better Believe It Baby" brilliantly wraps a chiming synth loop and R&B style vocal snippets around a chunky, disco-fired deep house beat, while "Cheat" and "Pull Ovaa" are deliciously dusty, bass-heavy deep house workouts with just the right amount of hypnotic late night charm.
Review: Theo Parrish has green-lit a couple of back catalogue reissues from his Sound Signature label this month and this one originally came back in 2010 and found him on production duties and Bilal Love on the vocals. The Melloghettomental EP is an archetype Parrish offering - dusty, lo-fi beatdown and house fusions with muted but meaningful chords and aching vocal hooks. You get all that on blissed-out opener 'Can't Keep Running Away', superbly soulful live bass work on 'U Bring Me Up' and heavier, more griding grooves but still sublime vocals on 'Why Wait'. The title cut is an off-grid mix of sci-fi melodies and diffuse chords, shimmering drums and low slub bass. Sublime.
Review: Omar S has always been something of a maverick, but even by his own high standards, surprise second album It Can Be Done, But Only I Can Do It is something else. Like much of his work, it's an album of acute contrasts: tough and aggressive on one hand (the ragging acid of the opener and "Ganymede"), soft, calming and blissful on the other ("Nite's Over Comption"). Along the way, highlights are plentiful, from the heady deep house of "You Wish", sparse porno beatdown of "Look Hear Watch" and hypnotic rhythms of "Bobien Larkin", to the next generation Motor City techno of "Over You Two" and near-anthemic simplicity of "Here's Your Trance, Now Dance".
Review: 'These Complimentary Track'x' is a classic 12" from Omar S - though to be honest, which of his releases aren't classics? - that came back in 2010 and features four of his firing cuts. 'Solely Supported' is a deep and slow burning house sound with a menacing energy. 'Under Jamaica' layers acid synth lines into raw, dusty analogue drums as the claps get increasingly coarse. 'Columns' brings out the 80s r&b loving side of Smith with a heart aching female vocal over deep kicks and 'Boot Hill' shows his fucked up and textural techno side with a twisted sound for dirty warehouses.
Review: Kai Alce on FXHE is a real coming together of two US powerhouses, and so it proved when this EP first landed back in 2010. It finds the Atlanta house mainstay in fine form on 'Dirty South Dirt'. It's a humid, stripped-back, dusty house cut with supple synth daubs adding warmth and soul. All these years on the track has lost none of its magic, and on the flipside is an 'Anticipation dub' which layers in some sensors vital whispers to the dubby, cuddly and deep house drums. These are two classy cuts.
Review: Originally released back in 2011 in conjunction with Scion Audio/Visual now repressed by Omar S on his FXHE label "Who's In Key" features Theo Parrish!
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