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: Is there a more vital label in all of underground electronic music than FXHE? It never ceases to amaze us how Omar S manages to put out so much music of such high quality, mostly of his own making, but also from plenty of satellite producers he lures under his wing. This time we're treated to a rare full-length from someone other than the boss as the Motor City's Hi Tech duo step up with a raw ghettotech workout. These are sleazy tracks with raw production, bumping basslines, high-speed rhythms and plenty of rapped vocals packed with juke and footwork attitude.

Review: A few eyebrows were raised when Omar-S announced the title of his latest album. While clearly meant as a controversial talking point, the title should not distract from what is one of Alex 'Omar' Smith's strongest collections of cuts to date - and one with an all-star cast of Motor City collaborators (Rick Wilhite, Norm Talley and OB Ignitt all feature). Musically, it's pleasingly diverse, with Smith effortlessly drifting between 21st century P-funk ("In My City"), cowbell-powered deep-house funk ("Don't Leave Me Standing Yeea"), sparse and synth-heavy house hypnotism ("Mell'like Boom Boom In'dair"), disco-house jack ("Washtenaw County Horn Section"), sub-heavy Detroit-meets-Sheffield minimalism ("You Gotta Beat The Clock") and sunrise-ready dancefloor dreaminess ("Simply"). This CD edition also includes four cuts not available on the vinyl edition.

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".