Omar S

Detroit's Omar-S (Alex Omar Smith; aka DJ Snotburger, DJ Snotinburg) emerged in 2003 as an underground techno/house maverick, releasing rigidly funky productions, made with analog gear, on his <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22FXHE%22">FXHE</a> label. Though his 12" releases were pressed in small quantities with handwritten labels (and with run-out etchings like "Techno music is my heritage -- techno is not dead DAMN IT!" and "Thanks to <a href="spotify:artist:4ayLYM2DPcx5ItuBNT91IJ">Rick Wilhite</a> -- I know I get on your nerves"), it wasn't long before his releases reached specialty shops in the U.K. and Germany. Though he was building a cult following and was often placed by writers within the same context as fellow Detroit natives <a href="spotify:artist:6pohviZSNRueSX7uNu63ZX">Moodymann</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3qMRvSHJpaRjGDkIeNMoGz">Theo Parrish</a>, it wasn't until 2009 that he truly strayed from his low-profile, self-sufficient mode. <a href="spotify:artist:3qMRvSHJpaRjGDkIeNMoGz">Parrish</a>'s <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Sound+Signature%22">Sound Signature</a> label released his "Blown Valvetrane" 12", and shortly after that, Smith provided the 45th mix for London club <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Fabric%22">Fabric</a>'s self-named mix series. The majority of Smith's output was released on vinyl, but he also has full-length CD titles to his credit, including 2004's Collaborating (billed as Oasis, co-produced by Smith and the possibly nonexistent Shadow Ray) and 2005's Just Ask the Lonely. The latter was reissued on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22FXHE%22">FXHE</a> in 2009. It was followed by 2011's It Can Be Done, But Only I Can Do It, which featured the single "Here's Your Trance Now Dance!!" Following Wayne County Hill Cop's, Pt. 2, a 2012 single collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:67dhAF6a7gv2xHCwF8Y6Ng">OB Ignitt</a>, Omar-S released his solo full-length Thank You for Letting Me Be Myself in 2013. The Best, featuring collaborations with Detroit-based vocalists <a href="spotify:artist:39g75EmRFeFbvHhsGjUpLU">Amp Fiddler</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0DD7jul87yJMQgGSVipsmm">Big Strick</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4pvP1lgFGxqJfIJU28bPPA">Diviniti</a>, followed in 2016. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi