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(Om/Stomp)
The vast universe that is Om Records has such an extensive release list, it’s almost impossible to not have discovered one of their star offerings when dappling in the house galaxy of compilations.
Think early millennium… when house enjoyed a revisited golden age and café chill sounds were THE new hold music of our times…. No disrespect, the world of Om is and has always been pure class, and have showcased an impressive array of artists – however the times of café-del-mar-esque compilations peaked in the early 2000’s and OM’s latest chill out release kinda serves as a reminder that the moment has passed.
Years ago, during the afore mentioned revitalization of deep house, my staple diet of music consisted of Om’s Nude Dimension and Sounds of OM compilations. The sweet seductive sounds of Andy Caldwell, Lisa Shaw and Aquanote convinced me that nothing could possibly be wrong in the world as long as these guys held command of my airwaves.
So critiquing the recent OM: Chilled release seemed like a no brainer, and provided a convenient excuse to return to the blissful era of world-peace-inducing sleepy sugary house. However, it seems I have everything to say about what OM used to be and very little to contribute to this collection as a musical offering. While my dusty old favourites held good with the futuristic signature sounds of OM house, OM: Chilled seems like a pretty inferior regurgitation of bottom-of-the-barrel chill.
Left & Right by Jimpster and 8 Breathe (PC Synergy’s Mellifluous Mix) by Crystal Stafford are weak choices that are more likely to incite me to end it all as opposed to skip gleefully down the street embracing anonymous passers by; they sit uncomfortably in this arrangement of background, insipid chill out music. Unlike previous releases in the heady hey day of sugary vocals that evoked spontaneous bliss out moments (think Blue Six Pure or Soulstice Lovely ) this throwaway attempt at licorice sweet lullaby music is very ‘blah’.
With the exception of Black Thought by Michael Tello which is moderately cool, OM’s latest offering suggests San Francisco is chilling out to a different beat, and my dusty back catalogues are preferable to rehashed, uninspired re-attempts.
