Om Records is celebrating twenty-five years in the game! The little San Francisco label has grown into a breeding ground for underground talent, producing some of the greatest in the electronic, house, downtempo and hip-hop world. ‘Om Records – 25 Years’ features new and unreleased music from past, present and future artists followed by a retrospective representing a quarter century of independent music.
HERE’S A TRACK BY TRACK BREAKDOWN
1. Kaskade & Colette – When I’m With You
Leading off are two Om classic artists, Kaskade and Colette, joining forces once again on ‘When I’m With You.’ Feel good uplifting house music at its finest, this one sets the tone for the album.
2. Body Language – Let’s Try
Next up is Body Language w/ ‘Let’s Try,’ an anthem of love and longing in these challenging times. Stay tuned for their new album coming later this year.
3. Chuck Love & Fourfeet – Let’s Go Back
Chuck Love & Fourfeet deliver with ‘Let’s Go Back,’ a song that harkens back to the beginning with a dirty growly bass line that then seamlessly blends into disco.
4. Mark Farina & Homero Espinosa – The Story
‘The Story’ from Mushroom Jazz maestro Mark Farina and aficionado Homero Espinosa delivers a heavyweight groove right in the pocket. ‘The story didn’t end there, so we didn’t stop there…’
5. People Under The Stairs – Turfbuilders (Demo)
‘Turfbuilders (Demo),’ is an unreleased track from Los Angeles legends People Under The Stairs. This one just oozes all things good and funky.
6. Colossus – This Is How We Do
‘This Is How We Do’ pairs up Colossus producer extraordinaire Charlie Tate w/ MC Loki to create a G Funk influenced summertime jam.
7. King Kooba – Want Your Love (The Jazzual Suspects Remix)
Taken from the forthcoming full-length album from King Kooba, featuring the vocal stylings of Flash Gordon, ‘Want Your Love’ is that classic soul groove with the keys / beats / horns you come to love from all The Jazzual Suspects production.
8. J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – Be Free Feat. Carlos Araiza
J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science has released so much damn good music it’s not even fair. ‘Be Free’ features the flute talents of Mr. Carlos Araiza and is classic stuff.
9. Shiny Objects – Believe In Somebody Feat. Jesse Rennix
Joined with vocalist Jesse Rennix, Om founder Chris Smith AKA Shiny Objects brings a heavy smoked out groove for the deep house heads with ‘Believe In Somebody.’
10. Rithma – Spin Cycle
The Wonder Ace returns with ‘Spin Cycle!’ Out of hiatus he comes, the wonderkid, the man (now) the myth. God it feels good to hear new Rithma stuff doesn’t it?
11. Blackbird Blackbird – Vector
Originally recorded for the Tangerine Sky album but never released, Mikey Maramag’s Blackbird Blackbird returns with ‘Vector,’ a haunting broken beat number that starts to slow things down to wrap up the first half of the album on the downtempo chill out tip.
12. Reptile Room – Sunlite
Boom bap beats, BASS, and Sami Michelsen’s heavenly voice create pure magic on Reptile Room’s ‘Sunlite.’
13. Rocket Empire – On A Bridge
Wrapping up the first half w/ a statement piece from Rocket Empire. Portland’s downtempo chill out kings have a new album ‘Caves’ coming this Fall and this is one of the stand outs and fits perfectly with the vibe of celebrating 25 big ones. “Got a long way to go.” Yes we do…
---- INTERMISSION ----
(STRETCH, GET A DRINK, TAKE A WALK)
14. People Under The Stairs – Acid Raindrops
A bonafide weed smoking classic!
- Originally released on ‘O.S.T’ in 2002
15. Mark Farina & Sean Hayes – Dream Machine
Rumor has it that this one was recorded in a closet at Mark’s house when Sean was his next-door neighbor. What a tune!
- Originally released on ‘Air Farina’ in 2003
16. Kaskade – It’s You, It’s Me
This track was a milestone for Om. It was voted the track of the Winter Music Conference by URB Magazine before it came out
- Originally released on ‘It’s You, It’s Me’ in 2003
17. Marques Wyatt – For Those Who Like To Get Down (DEEP Sunday Retro Vibe Mix)
The DEEP master delivered a knock out that still crushes to this day.
- Originally released on ‘For Those Who Like To Get Down’ in 2002
18. Groove Armada – Love Lights The Underground
Deep funky ass house music. Who can dispute the pedigree of the mighty GA? Nobody!
- Originally released on ‘Love Lights The Underground’ in 2014
19. Colette – Feelin’ Hypnotized (Kaskade Mix)
Colette’s first album Hypnotized joined a long list of female artists on the label (including Terra Deva, Eighty Mile Beach, Soulstice, Samantha James) and it’s also from an era when Colette and Kaskade did multiple national tours together.
- Originally released on ‘Hypnotized’ in 2005
20. Body Language - Social Studies (Plastic Plates Remix)
So fun, and definitely represents the new wave of artists for Om out of the social media era.
- Originally released on ‘Social Studies’ in 2011
21. TWINKIDS – Overdressed
Two kids from Japan and Florida put together a masterpiece w/ Overdressed. Expect big things from these two in the years to come.
- Originally released on ‘Boys Love’ in 2017
22. J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – Movin’ To My Beat Feat. People Under The Stairs
Like chocolate and peanut butter, it just doesn’t get no better than PUTS and J Boogie on a track together. “Om put the label on it, that’s all you need to know.” Ha ha! Yeah, Double!
- Originally released on ‘J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science’ in 2003
23. MING & FS – Hell’s Kitchen
This was the era of junglist hip hop and turntablism smashing into each other and their “junkyard” style was 100% unique and completely changed the game.
- Originally released on ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ in 1999
24. Colossus – Thrupenny Bits (The Jazzual Suspects Remix)
An unreleased new remix of the West Oaktown collab w/ Roots Manuva AKA Hylton Smythe.
- Original version released on ‘West Oaktown’ in 2005
25. King Kooba – Fooling Myself (Easy Access Orchestra Mix)
100% vibe throughout and still sounds fresh so many moons later.
- Originally released on ‘Nufoundfunk’ in 2000
26. Soulstice – Fall Into You
The closer. Wrapping up 25 years! So many songs in the catalog, what to close with? It was always going to be Soulstice.
- Originally released on ‘Illusion’ in 2001