Hashish Hits [LP]

Ali Omar - Hashish Hits [LP]

Efficient Space honors the memory of producer and MC Ali Omar with Hashish Hits, a posthumous selection from the dub rebels self-released discography. One of ten children in working-class Liverpool, Omar drew deep influence from his fathers Arabic heritage -- a thread central to his identity and sample origins. After art school and a spell clubbing during Manchesters halcyon days, he relocated to Sydney, where he co-founded the blunted downbeat duo Atone with fellow British expatriate Andy Fitzgerald. As an MC, he infiltrated the citys house, dub, jungle, and bass circuits, becoming a regular fixture at the Bentley Bar, where he commanded the mic with his versatile, rumbling baritone and charisma. Freakishly talented in the studio, Omar was a pioneer of the Akai sampler and Atari, deftly recording live sessions straight to DAT. Drawing on industry insights from his sister, Merseybeat firebrand Beryl Marsden -- who supported The Beatles on their final UK tour and was signed to Decca and Columbia -- the non-conformist sought to build a self-sufficient business model. Between 1998 and 2004, he independently issued four albums on CD through his Hashish Studios imprint, hustling copies directly to local record stores and live shows for instant returns, even hand-sewing screen-printed hessian sleeves for his final release. Uncompromising in his principles and refusing to suffer fools or charlatans, Omar relished the opportunity to collaborate with those who embodied the same spirit. Hashish Hits offers a snapshot of his inner sanctum -- Fitzgerald on the opening tracks billowing smoke stacks, the serpentine vocals of Gina Mitchell and the magic hands of mixer Louis Mitchell on On Release, and Wicked Beat Sound Systems Kye on Poor Man Beggar Man Thief. Meanwhile, Suicide Bomber smolders with the tension of a lost Muslimgauze relic, as the instructional Roll Up and The Last Straw spiral deeper into Omars signature production vortex -- where space stretches in slow motion and walls reverberate with ricocheting delay. A true icon of Sydneys underground scene, the larger-than-life Omar passed away on 23 June 2009 after a valiant battle with cancer. He is remembered for his assertive spirit, larrikin humor, wild anarchic personality, and enduring mantra: Love and live your life. 01. Hashish 02. The Last Straw 03. Nu Stone Groove 04. On Release 05. Poor Man Beggar Man Thief (Feat. Kye) 06. Suicide Bomber 07. Roll Up 08. For Loves Sake