Album Reviews

Warp Records

Legendary UK producer Nightmares On Wax returns with his highly expressive and beautiful eighth studio album. The Leeds born but Ibiza-based producer, real name George Evelyn, is a mainstay of iconic UK label Warp, having been with the imprint since its inception and currently their longest serving artist. Like all his previous seven records, the new LP, the first since 2013’s Feelin’ Good, is once again for Warp and once again straddles an eclectic mish-mash of genres whilst brimming with emotion and positivity. His idiosyncratic cross-pollination of soul, hip-hop, dub, gospel, jazz, downbeat and timeless club sounds once again creates a fascinating soundscape that owes as much to his roots and influences as it does his outward-looking and positive attitude. Dusty, broken beats fuse with dubby bass, jazzy flourishes, funky rhythms, passionate vocals and lush, warm melodies to create an album that flows with soulful sincerity and freedom. Laidback, deep and expansive but ingrained with a joyous, celebratory aesthetic, Shape The Future is the immersive musical vision of an inclusive artist who draws in everything around him to make something utterly of its own. Distinctive but unmistakably Nightmares On Wax, Shape The Future is more evidence of Evelyn’s ability to evolve as an artist whilst remaining one of his generation’s most influential electronic artists. Always looking to the future, Nightmares On Wax continues to shape the future of music, cementing his position as a vital and much-loved figure who is intent on spreading the love. Tom Jones

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Back To Nature, Tomorrow, Gotta Smile| 9/10