Omar's Best By Far

Omar - To The Top

Omar - Syleste

Excuse the shit title please. Am breaking with tradition today by posting music that's only 5 years old but I believe sometimes rules need to be broken when music like this is being ignored.

Omar rode the wave of acid jazz that blew up in the early nineties and scored one absolutely massive hit with the song There's Nothing Like This. After hitting the big time he then, as far as the public were aware, disappeared off the face of the earth.

However, Omar was still working hard in the studio and in 2000 released the brilliant nu-soul album Best By Far, an album that lived up to it's title but that was shockingly slept on by the general public.

Offering a mixture of funk, lounge, garage and soul all produced to the highest level it really is about time that people start reevaluating his work. You can read more details of the man and his haircut here.

To The Top is some sort of staccato funk monster. I love the use of live instruments on the track rather than relying on samples and, as always with Omar, the track features truly beautiful harmony arrangements. The track builds from a slow groove into a storming middle and then breaks down beautifully again.

Syleste is a whole different kettle of fish, taking it's cue from lounge music but once again done to perfection. The production side is brilliantly layered and I particularly love the subtle use of trumpets. Who knows, maybe the albums diversity was why it never took hold in the mainstream as it should have.

You can buy the album HERE. Do it, do it now.

On a sad note, sorry to see the demise of Deep Soul Junkie, was enjoying the musical selection he put up. I've got a track that I was going to post end of this week anyway which now seems perfectly suited for this occasion.