A musical history book, chronicling the electronic streets of San Francisco, is brought to you in Om Record’s reflection of its first 10 years – Om: 10 – A Decade of Future Music. This mirror ball reflects the many artists who have called Om home, including L.A.’s house master Marques Wyatt, Chicago’s angelic and groove-mighty Colette, and one who is as much a landmark of San Francisco’s electronic music community as the Golden Gate, Mark Farina, the man behind Om’s many Mushroom series releases (check out his ode to his home state, “Cali Spaces” remixed by another veteran DJ/producer from the Bay, Julius Papp).
Om’s success has been their passion for true and honest electronic artists and the music they make, glitz-free but powerful, which is strongly connected to the vibe of the people and places where electronic music lives within the city. The label’s main A&R guy, Kaskade, a producer and DJ in his own right, and everyone else involved dance back and forth through time: the past elements of soul and funk, the present eye on who is making what, and staying ahead of the curve by continually introducing innovation of the future.
The solidly packed and artistically packaged 3-CD set breaks it all down into Om’s three core strengths. Visions of sweaty party mixes at Sno Drift, boat parties through the Bay, and summertime nights at Kelly’s Mission Rock come about on Disc 1 House, featuring their superstars Fred Everything, Mr. Farina, Kaskade and Groove Junkies. Disc 2 kicks back with the downtempo part of the program, including the frothy “Magnus Buchan” from Seafoam and John Howard’s “Sea To City,” perfect for morning-after breakfast at End Up. Then they’re the classics on CD 3, which boasts NYC boys Ming & FS on the jazzy, samba blast from the future, “Manhattan Bound,” the elegant portrayal of the city’s fog and sophistication on “Lovely” by Soulstice, and the funkafizz of “It’s Love” by Naked Music Nyc, the Joshua’s Mo Musiq Mix.
Om’s strong connection to the border-free world of electronic music (their anniversary parties stretched from Honolulu to Whistler, Barcelona to Vegas, and will head to Tokyo later this month) is evident in this 10 year tribute to their accomplishments. With such a strong foundation and reputation established, the Om crew should be able to sleep tight knowing they’ll be around for another 10 years and more…when they finally do get to sleep.
