Nightmares on Wax: Collection part 2 (1991-2020)

One year following the entry of "Aftermath" into the British charts, Nightmares on Wax released a first full-length that rivalled any other techno debuts of the time, excepting only its immediate predecessor in the Warp catalog – LFO's Frequencies. The "Aftermath" blueprint (skeletal bleep techno with the dark undercurrents cropping up in much post-rave techno) is in full force on several tracks, like the follow-up club hit "Dextrous" and the depth-plumbing bass of "A Case of Funk." Elsewhere, though, NoW expand the sound of bleep in several intriguing directions: "Coming Down" represents with paranoid breakbeats wrapped around a minimalist framework; "Playtime" sounds reminiscent of Soul II Soul; "How Ya Doin'" is a great old-school shout-out track; and "Mega Donutz" brings a British spin to playful American hip-hop like De La Soul. Unjustly relegated to the history bins (and even more of a relic because of its radical differences from the later NoW catalog), A Word of Science is much more than just the other great early Warp LP.

The first Nightmares on Wax album in five years is George Evelyn's most organic and band-oriented release. Beside longtime collaborator Robin Taylor-Firth, Evelyn is joined by a roster of seasoned studio veterans: drummer Wolfgang Haffner, bassist Paul Powell, percussionist Andrew "Shovell" Lovell, vocalist Mozez, and string arranger Sebastian Studnitzky. It's not as if the album was recorded with a strictly old-school method, however; a fair portion of the elements sound producer-driven, heavily manipulated. Stylistically, the album is characteristically diverse for a NoW release, with easy listening, reggae, dub, soul, funk, disco, hip-hop, and downtempo all in the bright mix. Amid some well-made but not particularly stimulating material, the more energetic tracks – the squelching "Now Is the Time" and the echo-soaked throwback dancefloor groove "Tapestry," the latter of which is almost as gritty as a Theo Parrish "ugly edit" – stick out the most and leave deeper impressions. There's also some decent retro-soul in the seemingly Curtis Mayfield-inspired "Give Thx," which has some structural and melodic likeness to "People Get Ready." Appropriately titled, the album exudes warmth but occasionally sounds so relaxed that it seems to lack inspiration – more suited for a department store soundtrack than vacation listening.

Daydreams on Wax has seemed like a more suitable name for George Evelyn's primary outlet for the majority of its existence. It's more apt than ever for Shape the Future, an album typified by serene, earth-loving optimism, even when romantic heartache is in play. Working without longtime creative partner Robin Taylor-Firth, Evelyn – helped by a fairly large cast of co-writers, fellow producers, and instrumentalists, including some familiar associates and a string section – still mixes up downtempo, reggae, and soul from a hip-hop perspective with an easygoing disposition. There's a deeper concentration on R&B inspirations, exemplified by a ringing and pulsing cover of Little Ann's "Deep Shadows" (recorded in 1967 but unheard until three decades later) fronted by Sadie Walker. House kingpin Kenny Dope contributes to two tracks, including "Gotta Smile," a finely woven track that grooves and synthesizes analog and electronic elements like nothing else in Evelyn's discography. The headiest trip of all is "Typical," a smart late-'60s throwback ballad fronted by Jordan Rakei – a Marvin Gaye-modeled Australian who didn't exist when Evelyn left his first major imprint on underground dance music.

A full 25 years after its initial release, Nightmares on Wax revisits the breakthrough chill-out LP Smokers Delight with its companion piece Smokers Delight: Sonic Buds. Jazz funk textures ring out on ‘Aquaself’ with a tinkering organ beset by funky downtempo percussion and a small hint of steely glimmering in the melody. ‘Let’s Ascend’ continues vibing with sampled string stabs and an ever-building groove befitting of a gritty 1970s noir, while ‘Dreadoverboard’ gets an updated mix here with upbeat yet nicely chilled action, built up over its slap-happy bass and soul vocal sample.

Original ripper: thezabs
Original format: 24/96
Direct Drive Turntable: Rega P5
Cartridge: Rega Exact2
Amplifier: Rega Brio 3
ADC: M-Audio 192 TRS Inputs