Detroit mixmaster Omar S serves new techno from out of leftfield with 'I Like You', a fresh 12" from the self-professed "best dance music producer and track mixer using faders (not a mouse)" in the city. Omar's all-analogue focus shines through here, professing his amourance for the listener in a short three-track spate. The mix job varies from crunchy to subdued to dynamic; 'I Like You' is the freakiest and roughest, a proper nerve shredder with fizzling hi-hats, 'Sad Techno' falls in the latter camp, sounding less melancholic than alien, a central acid burble glugging away against skeletal kicks. The closing track, meanwhile, 'Before Romance' bumps along with a funk feel that's so low slung it's on the verge of lewdness. Needless to say, we like it a lot.
FXHE News
Motor City great Omar S is not just a don when it comes to programming drums and laying down his irresistible synth lines and heart aching melodies. He can also play a wide array of instruments, and in fact does just that here as he plays all instruments played you can hear across all three cuts of this new one on his FXHE label. Things kick off with the wonderful 'Featuring Omar S (instrumental)' and then 'Sayoungaty Nig' is a hazy, lo-fi ambient sound with occasional synth smears and a barely-there rhythm implied by the odd kick drum sound. 'Featuring Omar S' is a signature deep house joint with bristling metal hi-hats, rickety drums and edgy drones that keep you on edge as more soulful chords rise up through the mix.
Detroit's cult house champion dropped the original version of 'Another Man' back in 2019, but as with all his music, it is pretty hard to age it on the sounds alone. The title cut is a perfect example of his style - low-slung, undercooked beats that hit hard but with soul, a superb vocal sample well chosen and well deployed and some fuzzy, lo-fi synth warmth. 'SUV's Aka Fatass Mobile's' then strips things right back to thronging chords and pressured beats that feel like they will drown you but never do. As essential now as ever.
New Omar S alert! The FXHE label boss wastes no time in dropping heat this New Year as he once again hooks up with vocalist Desire for this latest house gem. Up first is 'Something Real', in the classic Omar S mould of laying down a deep, heartfelt drum line and then topping it with a mad emotive vocal hook that is filled with r&b goodness and joined by the most subtle cosmic chord motifs. 'Hard Leaf Rag' follows next, so raw it will make your ears tickle with its busted drums and serrated stabs. Then flip it over for 'Conant Leaf Rag', which pairs warbling synth sounds with dusty hi-hats and tight kicks for a nice, full mind and body workout.
Detroit house maverick and FXHE boss man Omar S is back with a new EP named seemingly in honour of himself. And why not? Few house producers can touch him even 20-plus years into his career. The title cut 'O Maarr' is dry, paired back but immediately catchy with a loved-up vocal loop and knackered kicks that bump along nicely. The second track 'Glass' is for lovers of lo-fi sounds of the sort that this man has made his signature. Searching synths circle the dusty analogue drums and coarse claps add some raw texture. 'Bug Off' is another archetypal Omar S cut - pensive chords that are whimsical and inwardly reflective over chunky beats and bass with brighter chords bursting out of the mix to bring a hint of optimism.
New Year, same old Omar S - turning out the top quality tunes on a regular basis, all with his own unique sonic imprint but always with a fresh twist each time. This first outing of 2024 on his own FXHE opens up with 'Life Force' which pairs Smith's unique drum sounds - brushed metal, scruffy, raw - with his super sweet synths that always bring the warmth and soul. 'All The Little Hand's Around' is another metallic sound tech house cut with celebratory chord loops up top and well-treated samples, then 'Evil J' shuts down with rasping basslines and glistening 80s keys. Another fine 12" from the Detroit don.
- A1: Hitech Feat Fullbodydurag - Nu Munni
- A2: Hitech Money Phone
- A3: Clap That A$$
- A4: Hitech Feat Jmt - Shrimp & Grits
- A5: Hitech Feat Djkillasquid - Zooted
- A6: Hitech Feat Link Sinatra, Ciarah - Whyyoufuggmyopps
- B1: Hitech Feat Cheapskate Skutta, Dastardly Kids - Glitch N Ass
- B2: Hitech Feat Quikkash - Birthday Pearls
- B3: Hitech Feat Milfie - Pocket Pussy 0
- B4: Takeoffinnaporsche
- B5: Hitech Feat Sprng4Evr - Teetees Dispo
- B6: Hitech Feat Nlghtnd, Dastardly Kids - No Games
- A1: Aos & Tom Bugs - Time Mo 1 (Norman Talley Mix)
- A2: On Your Way (Divinity Vocals)
- B1: Chama Piru's
- C1: Seen Was Set (Norm Talley Mix - Big Strick Vocal)
- C2: Smash (Kyle Hall Keys - Ignit-Linn Drums)
- D1: Buggin Out
- E1: You Silk Suit Wearin Mulafuk'ka
- E2: Take Ya Pik, Nik!!!!!
- F1: Ah'revolution (Poli Grip For Partials Mix'nik - Amp Fidder Vocals)
- G1: Bitch,,,,I'll Buy You Another One!!!
- H1: Heard'chew Single (John Fm Vocals)
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".
Heres some new Detroit Hip Hop on FXHE approved by Omar S!
Sonny Dulphi & Pat2Dope is the Hi Tech to Hip Hop. They have the same energy as Milf Melly and King Milo from Hi Tech, in fact Milf Melly and Sonnydulphi are Cussins.
This Double 7" comes in a Dope ASS Dual 7" Booklet in plastic jacket.
If HiTech were wrapped into one person, you would get FULLBODYDURAG, an awesome producer and DJ spinning everything from Ghetto Tech to House to Hip-Hop and Jazz. This LP features all his friends including FXHE label head Omar S on "Trillionaire" and "Juice." HELLO :) proves there's tons of young talent in Detroit that deserve to be heard — Omar S heard their passion and desire to keep Detroit on the map for at least another 100 years and this LP is the epitome of their talent
- A1: Start This Over Again (Feat Supercoolwicked)
- A2: Jump
- B1: Virgil (Feat Mitchell Yoshida)
- B2: Bend Who (Feat Milf Melly & King Milo)
- C1: Money Hit Da Floor (Feat Supercoolwicked & Amir Hassan)
- C2: Outer Jass Authority (Feat Supercoolwicked, De'sean Jones & Ian Finkelstein)
- D1: Inner Luv (Intrumental Mix)
- E1: Aaayoooooo (Feat Alister Fawnwoda)
- E2: Multiple Orgasms
- F1: Ice Cream (Feat Alandra O Smith & Supercoolwicked)
- F2: Can't Change
- G1: My Momma & 'Nem Said I Don't Have To!!!
- G2: Miss Hunn'nay (Feat Mad Mike Banks)
- H1: Whale Sex
As the sweary, confrontational title suggests, this four-tracker from Detroit hero Omar-S is like a musical expansion pack for his much-discussed recent album, F*ck Resident Advisor. The no-nonsense Detroiter starts in fine fashion with 'Gonna Love You', a jaunty, piano-sporting peak-time loop jam crafted from old school vocal samples and snippets from a killer disco record, before reaching for cosmic synth sounds, lilting melodies and a melancholic mood on the starry deep house jam 'Bread Over Bed'. He subtly doffs a cap to Dance Mania style ghetto-house on the quirky, club-ready cheekiness of 'Shut Up', before smothering a classic house groove with heady hand percussion and snaking synth lines on dense and energetic closing cut 'Sloppy Joe'.








































