Sing (If You Want It) is the sixth release from the British soul icon, Omar. This eagerly awaited re-issue definitely puts Omar back in the spotlight and will become an essential album for any music collection. Omar is often referred to as the founding father of nu-classic soul and has been acclaimed by artists such as Erykah Badu and MOBO Award winner Kele Le Roc. Omar can also count Stevie Wonder as a fan, who most famously said, "When I grow up, I wanna be Omar". On this album, Omar collaborates with Stevie Wonder and a host of great artists including Estelle, Common, Zed Bias, and many more. The album also comes with two brand new bonus tracks, including the single 'Dancing' and 'It's So'.

As a whole, this album is jam packed with soulful tunes, with each song showing off Omar's silky vocals. The first track on the album, 'Lift Off' - as the title suggests - immediately takes the listener on a journey, where you are transported into Omar's galaxy of musical gems. Omar sets the standard of the album with this track, and when the beat drops you cannot help but nod your head to it. Similarly, on 'Sing', the strong beat continues, making an excellent contrast with Omar's vocals which sound effortlessly smooth, but yet, altogether powerful.

The following track is the first of four songs on the album where Omar collaborates with a woman. 'Be A Man' features JC Bentley, who provides a perfect voice for the narrative of the song. The connection between herself and Omar helps to make the lyrics more meaningful and believable, by demonstrating the angst and pain of breaking up in a relationship. Musically, the subject matter is extended even further with an impressive saxophone section, which brings a sombre feel and a touch of blues to the record.

Further female collaborations come from Estelle on 'Lay It Down' - which carries a strong and poignant message concerning the death of family and friends. Estelle delivers an excellent verse on the track which should remind the listener of her earlier days as a rapper. The last of the female contributors is Angie Stone, who features twice on the album in, 'All For Me' and 'Stlyin'.

Ultimately, one of the most exciting features on the album comes from legendry singer, Stevie Wonder. Upon hearing Omar's first hit, 'There's Nothing Like This' in 1992, Stevie Wonder declared himself a fan and vowed to work with him. 'Feeling You' shows Stevie keeping his promise, with a song which simply raises this album to another level of sensational soul and R&B music. The song opens with a mellow beat and has a very strong summer time vibe to it. Just when the track could not get any better, in comes Stevie - the legendry smooth soul singer - and together with Omar, he firmly sets this song as a classic on the album.

Undoubtedly, one of the most interesting things about Omar is his ability to work with a number of different artists and still maintain his unique neo-soul sound. On 'Gimme Sum' for example, he maintains a soulful sound whilst the verses are given by US rapper Common, UK MC Rodney P, Ashman and Canitbe. The raps are a pleasant addition to the album and add a slight hip-hop flavour to the record, especially with lines from Common like, "If you gonna gimme sum, you gotta give it strong, Like Marvin I've been adorn to get it on"

As a personal favourite, 'Ghana Emotion' would have to be another standout track on the album. On this song Omar reminisces about a recent trip to Ghana, where both his parents have chosen to spend their retirement. In his love for the Motherland, he comment's on Africa's "beautiful weather" and recalls memories of strolling on the beach and eating Ghanaian cuisine like "kenke, hot pepper sauce and some fresh fish" The lyrics are truly authentic and demonstrate an affection for Africa and it’s many positive attributes.

Overall, Omar has produced an album which has brought him into another phase of his career. The sheer quality of the record, underpinned by the world's finest collaborations, definitely brings him back into the limelight. MOBO gives this album a very impressive 4 out of 5!

Omar 'Sing (If You Want It)' is released on 18th July 2011.

Look out for the lead single from the album 'Dancing' - an up beat dance record - which is already tearing up radio and clubs across the UK (Released Date: 27th June 2011)

Follow Omar on Twitter @omarlyefook

Words by: @LayDeeAshy