FXHE US Vinilo y CD

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: 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.