FXHE US Vinilo y CD

Review: Quite how this 12" on FXHE from the unheralded Tom Bugs came about isn't clear, though we'd like to think Omar S got chatting to the Bristol based producer and builder of Modular synths over a pint of Guinness in a Stokes Croft pub before a gig. Whilst few people would fancy the unenviable task of following up the huge recent LP from Omar S, Bugs shows enough ingenuity on this Living Leaving 12" to make him a perfect fit for FXHE. Nestling in at the dubby end of the FXHE spectrum, like a sleepy eyed Luke Hess, both parts of "Living Leaving" demonstrate that Bugs mastery of obvious modular synths is also blessed with an innate understanding of lo-fi melodics. Indeed there's a freeform sense to how they unfurl which hints that Bugs committed these straight to tape. Another fine FXHE transmission!

Review: It's very much a case of expecting the unexpected when it comes to Omar S' FXHE label and this latest effort is no exception. In the US the gap between hip-hop and dance music culture is even wider than it is here in the UK, only not in Detroit and its unique export, namely ghetto tech. FULL BODY DU RAG whips up an idiosyncratic but thoroughly addictive combination of ghetto, house and garage, hip-hop and jazz across eight tracks here, the borders between the genres being fluid at all times. Omar himself makes an appearance on 'Juice', a speedy but classy dancefloor workout, half tech and half house, that along with the hilarious but irresistible 'Trillionaire' boasts a skippy garage swing to the beats to boot. At the other end of the BPM spectrum we get 'Pussy On The Map" (feat NLGHTND) with its r&b strains, only nicely warped and sonically corrupted. Probably best of all is 'FBD X CERT', almost a moody grime exercise until a four to the floor rides roughshod through such conventional plans. Raw, racy - and utterly essential.

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: This is the second edition of a four part series by Detroit icon Omar S called Record Packer - a new video game score as part of his pop-up exhibition in the Motor City, in collaboration with Red Bull Arts. On the A side, we have the dusty dub techno explorations of 'Storm', followed by the raw percussive funk of 'No One Can Stop Me'. On the flip, enjoy the deep and mesmerizing groove of 'Trac 45' followed by a lovely late night boogie-down vibe on 'Mystery Man'. Originally conceived as a physical exhibition, Omar S: Conant Gardens Party Store now lives online as an interactive web environment.

Review: Detroit legend Omar S returns this week on his always different but always unmissable FXHE label with the bouncy and neon-lit groove of 'Hard Times', which sees him collaborate once again with Megan Louise of Canadian outfit Desire (Italians Do It Better) on vocals. The original comes backed with a handy instrumental mix and a dreamy, plus an evocative rework by IDIB chief Johnny Jewel over on the flip.