Hashish Hits (LP, 2026 repress)

E ffi cient Space honours the memory of producer and MC Ali Omar with Hashish Hits, a posthumous selection from the dub rebel’s self-released discography. One of ten children in working-class Liverpool, Omar drew deep in fl uence from his father's Arabic heritage—a thread central to his identity and sample origins. After art school and a spell clubbing during Manchester's 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 in fi ltrated the city’s house, dub, jungle, and bass circuits, becoming a regular fi xture 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 fi rebrand Beryl Marsden—who supported The Beatles on their fi nal UK tour and was signed to Decca and Columbia—the non-conformist sought to build a self-su ffi cient 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 fi nal release. Uncompromising in his principles and refusing to su ff er fools or charlatans, Omar relished the opportunity to collaborate with those who embodied the same spirit. Hashish Hits o ff ers a snapshot of his inner sanctum—Fitzgerald on the opening track's billowing smoke stacks, the serpentine vocals of Gina Mitchell and the magic hands of mixer Louis Mitchell on 'On Release,' and Wicked Beat Sound System’s Kye on 'Poor Man Beggar Man Thief'. Meanwhile, 'Suicide Bomber' smoulders with the tension of a lost Muslimgauze relic, as the instructional 'Roll Up' and 'The Last Straw' spiral deeper into Omar’s signature production vortex—where space stretches in slow motion and walls reverberate with ricocheting delay. A true icon of Sydney’s 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 humour, wild anarchic personality, and enduring mantra: “Love and live your life”.