Review: It would be fair to say that Studio K7 has pulled off something of a coup in getting Kenny Dixon Jr. to agree to compile and mix the latest installment in the long-running DJ Kicks series. It is, somewhat remarkably, the legendary Detroiter's first commercially available mix set. This triple-vinyl edition features a whopping 19 cuts - all in unmixed form - from the 30 track mix. Musically, it's a blazed, jazzy, soulful and groovy as you'd expect, and contains a mixture of downtempo beats, nu-jazz and hazy house cuts from the likes of Flying Lotus, Dopehead, Peter Digital Orchestra, Nightmares On Wax, Soulful Session and Lady Alma.
Review: An album that's as ubiquitous in people's record shelves as Anthony Kiedis' Scar Tissue biography is for people bookshelves, Smoker's Delight has been the definitive Nightmares On Wax record since its original release 25 years ago. Regarded as one of the finest trip-hop albums of all time, this 20-track anniversary edition sees the inclusion of new and largely unheard material in the jazzy beatdown vibes of "Aquaself", and dubbed out piano loops of "Ascend". Extra bonus material includes a funk version of lounge time hit "Dreaddoverboard", and a live recording of Nightmares On Wax's all time classic "Night's Introlude". Take another hit.
Review: Famously, George Evelyn's Nightmares on Wax project is the only surviving link to Warp's early days as a bastion of Yorkshire house and techno. Of course, the Leeds native left that style behind years ago - though, interestingly, two tracks on this belated seventh album ("Eye (Can See)" and "Tapestry") touch on soul-sampling house - instead turning his attention to slinky downtempo grooves. For the most part, Feelin' Good sticks to the plan, offering up slow, laidback, summery fusions of soul, dub, funk, instrumental hip-hop and string-drenched Balearic moods. It's something of a return to form after a string of so-so sets, recalling Evelyn's two greatest moments, 1990s' downtempo classics Smokers Delight and Carboot Soul.
Review: Leeds legend Nightmares On Wax has long been affiliated with UK electronica giants Warp since the very beginning. 'Shape The Future' will mark his eighth LP for the label and that's not forgetting a couple of dozen EPs he's done for them over the years too. Put simply, George Evelyn is one of the most respected producers in UK electronica and we're sure excited whenever he puts out new music. Mixing hip-hop, dub, soul and gospel sounds, the album features guest artists such as Kuahitl Vasquez, Jordan Rakei and Sadie Walker. Evelyn has explained that the album was a journey 'both inwardly and outwardly all over the world, and both physically and emotionally'. Highlights include the dope yet soulful beats of "Tell My Vision" featuring the fine vocal talents of the aforementioned Ashong, the wicked dub / Afrobeat crossover of "Tomorrow" featuring LSK and of course the super soulful lead single "Citizen Kane" featuring Mozez.
Citizen Kane (feat Mozez & Allan Kingdom - Rap version) - (4:09) 70 BPM
Citizen Kane (feat Mozez - Ron Trent Night Dubbin remix) - (9:48) 123 BPM
Citizen Kane (feat Mozez - album version) - (4:09) 70 BPM
Citizen Kane (feat Mozez - Ron Trent Vocal remix) - (10:08) 123 BPM
Review: It all started way back in 1989 for Nightmares On Wax, in parallel with the first house music boom in Europe - typically dubbed the 'summer of love'. Yes, George Evelyn and Robin Taylor-Firth have been around the scene for almost three decades now, and they are literally the longest serving members of the equally mythical Warp imprint, out of London. "Citizen Kane" is the duo's latest single, a magnetic swarm of broken beats and neo-jazz strumming, kicking off with the 'Rap' version, the sort of gear that would appeal to the Dego purists out there. Chicago house legend Ron Trent is called up for the remix duties, and his 'Night Dubbin' remix is as deep and sensual as you'd imagine from an artist of his experience and calibre, and the tune is backed by an even sexier vocal version. If all that wasn't enough, the EP also contains an original mix, which will be showcased on the legends' upcoming album. Essential.
Citizen Kane (feat Mozez & Allan Kingdom) - (4:09) 70 BPM
Review: Nightmares on Wax is back with a fresh new single, "Citizen Kane" featuring Mozez ) aka London based singer Osmond Wright) and Canadian rapper Allan Kingdom: who is a member of Thestand4rd along with Spooky Black, Bobby Raps and Psymun. Ahead of his upcoming album Shape The Future, George Evelyn serves up "Citizen Kane" and it's one fine example of the veteran producer's new musical perspectives, as presented on the new album: where he presents a mixture of soul, hip-hop, dub and timeless club music.
Review: Nightmares on Wax main man George Evelyn cut his teeth at soul and funk all-dayers in the 1980s - he was a teenage breakdancer - before falling in love with house and techno. Both of these aspects of his heritage are reflected on Ground Floor, which he's trailed as an attempt to go back to his roots. The EP opens with the stretched-out, soulful deep house of "World Inside", which not only boasts a wonderful vocal from Andrew Ashong, but also snappy, dub-influenced rhythm patterns reminiscent of some of his early bleep productions. That aspect of his career is also referenced on "Reclaim The Balcony", a breakbeat-driven house bumper that boasts some seriously heavy sub, and electro-tinged wobbler "Dirty Triumphant", which was co-produced by Acid Mondays.
Review: Previous remixes in the Nightmares on Wax 25th anniversary series - from the likes of Special Request and JD Twitch - have been fairly reverential, sticking to the sweaty spirit and sub-bothering bleep techno feel of the original material. Here, Ricardo Villalobos and Max Loderbauer take the opposite approach, turning in radical revisions that recast "Aftermath" as a minimal techno after-party anthem. There's very little of the original present, though what is used - most notably the vocal, cut-up and reversed, plus a few notes here and there - is brilliantly woven into the fabric of their wonky, 18-minute Dub. Adventurous DJs should check the thrillingly odd Electric Jazz Version, which re-animates the track as a quirky tech-jazz wig-out of epic proportions.
Review: Amazingly, it's 25 years since George 'E.A.S.E' Evelyn and then production partner Kevin 'Boy Wonder' Harper sat down and recorded "Dextrous", their monstrous, bleep-era classic on Warp. A quarter of a century later, Evelyn is still going strong, though the grooves have mellowed a lot in that time. Here, Warp celebrate the producer's epic career with a much-deserved retrospective. All the familiar favourites are present, from the rush-inducing thrill of early dancefloor smashers "I'm For Real" and "Aftermath", to the sinewy downtempo goodness of the decidedly Balearic "Les Nuits", the blazed hip-hop dub of "195 Llbs" and stoner soul of "70s 80s". This version also includes a number of exclusive remixes, with names like JD Twitch, Special Request, LFO, Morgan Geist and Loco Dice putting their own spin on this classic material.
Review: Amazingly, it's 25 years since George 'E.A.S.E' Evelyn and then production partner Kevin 'Boy Wonder' Harper sat down and recorded "Dextrous", their monstrous, bleep-era classic on Warp. A quarter of a century later, Evelyn is still going strong, though the grooves have mellowed a lot in that time. Here, Warp celebrate the producer's epic career with a much-deserved retrospective. All the familiar favourites are present, from the rush-inducing thrill of early dancefloor smashers "I'm For Real" and "Aftermath", to the sinewy downtempo goodness of the decidedly Balearic "Les Nuits", the blazed hip-hop dub of "195 Llbs" and stoner soul of "70s 80s".
Review: If you've ever wondered what you might hear if Nightmares on Wax man DJ E.A.S.E invited you back to his Ibiza villa for a post-club crack on, this edition of the long-running "Back To Mine" series has all the answers. Naturally, it's as hazy, stoned and soulful as you'd expect, with the Warp Records stalwart shuffling between stunning hip-hop soul (Children of Zeus, Ladi6), deep synth-soul (Creative Principle), sun-kissed good-time grooves (Bosq, Massimo Vaoni), Imagination-sampling nu-disco (Dim Zach), simmering jazz-funk (Chieftain) and dubby early NYC house flavas (SBM). There's naturally also a sprinkling of his own productions, including a loved-up, string-laden house version of "Russia" by Fat Freddy's Drop.
