Omar-S' FXHE imprint has been operating with all pistons firing for at least the past year, if not longer. One of the standouts from 2012 was "Wayne County Hill Cop's Part 2" which saw the label boss teaming with the heretofore unknown Ob Ignitt. The synth heavy track was an undeniable banger that teetered on the edge of cheese while wearing its indebtedness to Axel F proudly on its sleeve. Ignitt returns to FXHE for his first proper solo release. The mysterious Detroit based artist takes a step away from the Wayne County track two deliver two cuts of unbridled, otherworldly tech house. "Oh Jabba" opens with a rather deceptively smooth keyboard solo, but quickly evolves into a completely different animal. It's a space-age funk bomb, replete with heavy kicks, overdriven percussion, and plenty of interweaving synth work. Things continue with the distorted drum work on "Space Age Steppin," a track that expertly blends its bubbling bassline with a myriad of arpeggiating synths that weave in and out of the mix. An unlabeled track that revisits the drums from "Oh Jabba" closes out the release. Recommended.

• music label: FXHE Records 2012

reviewed by Michu Meszaros 01/2013