The first time we came across Mr. Watts (aka Milton Campbell) was on the HWV8 compilation Music Is My Art and his debut album, The Find that came out a couple of years ago. This is the follow-up album and he’s brought in lots of new friends on this monster 18 tracker. The ‘more the merrier’ can often be a mistake but, thankfully, not this time,

Even if you don’t like the raps, there’s the bonus instrumental only version. The instrumental is no give away as ex-pat and label mate Shawn Ping Pong Lee adds his multi-instrumental talents, especially on vibes. But the best performance on vibraphone is Andrew Walters Bari on ‘Model Citizen’.

And then there’s loads of great vocal performances like, ‘Memory Lane’ featuring Genahral Victor (biggin’ up “Brian taking the photographs”) and Brazilian vocalist and Brownswood Bubbler Tita Lima on the beach with ‘Adaptacao’.

There’s some more back-in-the-day stuff with ‘Dedicated’, the spot ya name check one, but for some modern Wild Style scratchin’ there’s DJ Manwell on ‘Triple Double’ and featuring Theory Extra Credit Hazit.

Talkin’ of name checks, there’s the “Uncle Watts” kid-hop of ‘Shorty Shouts’ (that’s strangely a bit of a gorwer) compared with the urban realism of ‘No Delay’.

Other big tunes are old skool ‘Roc The Bells’ with the rest fo the Lightheaded crew, which is just classic beats and ‘Eyes and Ears that features globe trotting Jneiro Jarel (of Shape Of Minds)

‘Platypus Strut’ is the one for fans of Quantic, Natural Self, Lack Of Afro, Color Climax and all the other guys this side of the pond on the soulful funk instrumental tip.

Size isn’t everything they say, but this is a big one with different shades for different moods.

Hectic Mix nominations: ‘Platypus Strut’, ‘Adaptacao’, ‘Model Citizen’, ‘No Delay’, ‘Roc The Bells’, ‘Shorty Shorts’, ‘Eyes And Ears’

Reviewed: Ohmega Watts - Watts Happening (Ubiquity Records) Cat. No: URCD 218 Release date: 9th October 2007

Tracklisting:
1-1 What’s It Worth Featuring scratches DJ Bombay
1-2 Triple Double Featuring Theory Hazit / Scratches DJ Manwell
1-3 No Delay Featuring Surreal
1-4 Shorty Shouts
1-5 Model Citizen Featuring Vibraphone - Andrew Walters Bari
1-6 Few And Far Between
1-7 Eyes And Ears Featuring Jneiro Jarel
1-8 Roc The Bells Featuring Lightheaded
1-9 Adaptacao Featuring Tita Lima
1-10A Saywhayusay Featuring Toni Hill
1-10B (Interlude: ‘A Teaspoon Of Sugar’)
1-11 Are You Satisfied Featuring Sugar Pie DeSanto
1-12 Dedicated
1-13 Memory Lane Featuring Genahral Victor
1-14A Found
1-14B (Interlude: ‘Clap On Clap Off!’)
1-15 Work For Wealth Featuring Barry Hampton , Ragen Fykes
1-16 The Platypus Strut The Platypus Strut - Miles Tackett (Bass & Guitar), Drew Schoals (Drums), Neil Chastain (Percussion), James King (Baritone Saxophone & Flute)
1-17 Freak Out!!!
1-18 Gone With The Wind

Links:
www.ohmegawatts.com
/www.myspace.com/ohmegawatts
www.ubiquityrecords.com
www.wearelightheaded.com