Collection: Omar S

Enduring Detroit maverick Omar-S celebrates 20 years since he released one of his most iconic 12"s by pressing it up as a new double pack with two new versions of two originals and one bonus unnamed track. The standouts of this EP were always 'U' and 'Set It Out'. The former is a raw as-you-like drum track with bounce in the kicks and pure machine soul in the vamping chords, and the latter shows Smith's other more tender side with smart 80s samples and new school r&b vibe on a dusty house beat. He has mashed them together perfectly on the new cut 'U Set It Out' and added extra weight to 'U 2023.' Add in the other two originals and heavy beatdown 'Track 3' and you have an essential new double pack.

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Cat: AOS 610

Alex "Omar" Smith traditionally uses the "Sidetrakx" series to release music that doesn't fit with his club-rocking house and techno 12" series. Even so, few would have expected him to use the latest edition - the sixth in total - to offer up a dancehall cut featuring Jamaican singer and MC Nardo Ranks. "Love Me Like Cooked Food" features Ranks chatting and singing in Patois above a dancehall "riddim" rich in rubbery bass guitar, echo-laden machine drums and flanged guitar riffs. It may be a curveball, but it's rather good. Over on the flip, "Renault used car salesman" John FM guests on a lo-fi R&B/soul workout that also includes some deliciously tongue-in-cheek, poodle perm-sporting soft rock guitar solos.

Omar S