City Lights 1.5

Nicolay | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 13, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bbe / Beat Gen
• ASIN: B000A1IMAY
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,526 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

BBE Records is proud to release the Nicolay instrumental album, City Lights Volume 1.5. As the acclaimed producer of The Foreign Exchange Connected album, Nicolay returns to give music lovers his first production offerings to the world. City Lights Volume 1.5 is a collection of refreshingly lush and layered beats blended together providing the perfect soundtrack to "The City". Originally offered as a very limited promotional CD, Volume 1.5 contains re-mastered music along with 5 bonus tracks that display why Nicolay name is on the tip of everybody’s tongues.

City Lights Volume 1.5 features the standout instrumental compositions "Indian Summer" and "Band Practice" along with the now famed Little Brother credited instrumental track "Light It Up". As well, the album features triumphant track "Victory" which will make you fell like you can conquer "The City".

For fans who own The Foreign Exchange Connected full length and Connected Instrumentals albums along with his recent underground mixtape (The Dutch Masters), City Lights Volume 1.5 is a must-own. And if you are not aware of Nicolay’s spectacular production prowess, Volume 1.5 is the perfect place to start to learn his musical history and fall in love.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Hip Hop Classic, September 21, 2005

By 

N. Jack - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: City Lights 1.5 (Audio CD)

Nicolay is One Half of Foreign Exchange..and he show's Hip hop fans why phonte' of Little brother chose to hook-up with him to put out the Foreign Exchange project. This album is so Superb. Pop it in when your cruising in your Car..or Walking the block.
He is truly a Gifted Beat maker/producer.
It's also cool that he's making music for little brother as well.
If u like Laid back music then this the CD for you
GO Get it!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Phat Beats {4 ½ Stars}, March 31, 2007

By 

Norfeest "Yes Yes Y'all" (Washington DC USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: City Lights, Vol. 1.5 [Vinyl] (Vinyl)

Nicolay has always been nice, but it's hard to create a niche when your crew is standing in the gargantuan shadow of 9th Wonder/Little Brother. Khrysis found his own niche with that last Away Team album (National Anthem) and, in my humble opinion, this should be the album that seperates Nicolay from the rest of the JL pack. I know cats like to compare 9th Wonder to Pete Rock, but I think Nicolay has more of a PR sound than 9th does. 9th's sound is more like mellowed out boom bap while Nic has a more vibrant, soulful sound to it. Vibrant and soulful are pretty much the best descriptions for the sound of the album. There isn't a single bad track to be found on the entire LP.

Only flaws I can think of are the unnecessary interludes where the babbling that's going on actually interrupts a steady flow of dope beats (especially the ones with L.E.G.A.C.Y. on 'em). It's like a teacher slamming a book on your desk while simultaneously snatching you right out of a great daydream. Personally, I would've appreciated the interludes being left off of the album. But that's just me.

City Lights Volume 1.5 is definitely one of the better hip hop instrumental albums out there. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a great album from a producer who can't possibly continue to be so slept on if he keeps up this pace. I highly recommend adding this album to the collection.

Standout Tracks: There's No Guarantee, Indian Summer, Light It Up, So Far (My Favorite), Hey!, and Fantastic

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nicolay is on a roll, March 10, 2006

By 

G. H. Seay (West Hartford, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: City Lights 1.5 (Audio CD)

After his work with Phonte on The Foreign Exchange, I didn't see how Nicolay could do better. But he did. The grooves here are slammin'. Phonte's cameo on the CD was a very pleasant surprise. I can't put the CD down.