Machine Soul

Now everyone who knows me knows I don't do things by halves. When I get into something, that's it. And with music it usually means complete immersion i.e I won't listen to anything else. And so it's with utter headfirst abandon that I embraced the music of Detroit's Omar S. Pretty much the only thing I've been listening to in the van this week.

He makes hypnotic mind bending house and techno on his own FXHE imprint and is pretty much universally revered as a don of the scene. His compositions- on completely analogue equipment- are a masterclass in the strange and the beautiful. He specialises in intricately arranged, pounding  tech/ house with subtle builds and emotional heft.

When I first heard an Omar S track the immediate thing that struck was the repetition. Endless mechanical rhythms that seemed devoid of spirit, life. Yet on each repeated listen I discovered something new. A distant thudding kick or a crackling snare, buried in the mix. There is always more to hear with Alex Omar Smith.

The dude's got loads out there, but his Fabric 45 is a good place to start. It's fiercely synthetic and tight sounding, yet somehow manages to ooze soul and feeling too. On the best Omar tracks, he subtly layers melodies almost imperceptibly over monotonous thudding kicks. When his tracks build you feel it. And the best send an instant shiver down the spine, communicating feelings not usually associated with this kind of music. It's sensitive shit . Don't be put off by the machismo of the his titles (It Can Be Done But Only I Can Do It) or even the aloof visage Omar presents to the world. The man has soul, even if he don't want to shout about it.

This is just lovely; understated, pensive stuff from Omar, and I'm extremely hyped to be seeing him in Bristol on Sat. Be patient with 'Night', it's all about the build from the 5/6 min mark, and it definitely repays. Sheer beauty.

Also, kudos to Ocke the kid for putting this up, the internet is now a better place.