Customer Reviews

DJ-Kicks

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Good hip-hop mix, with some nice old school jams that you probably haven't heard in a long time, as well as some nice and occasionally very funky instrumental passages and rare hip-hop grooves mixed in. However, DON'T make the mistake of assuming that because you liked Carboot Soul that you'll like this. This is NOT for the most part a trip-hop album. If you are looking for chillout music, this isn't for you (get Thievery Corporation instead). If you liked the Terranova or Stereo MC's DJ Kicks albums, then you'll like this too.

The British DJ / Producer George Evelyn, aka DJ Ease, aka NIGHTMARES ON WAX, despite his relative lack of years, has for more than a decade already numbered among the most visionary musicians on the island. He has never left his hometown of Leeds since he was born, but his sound is nonetheless universal and his recordings for the English label Warp have frequently set new trends. Even his first single, "Dextrous", found its way into the English Top 75 and his subsequent releases are still today regarded as prototypes for the downbeat genre. The following album, "Word of Science", with its combination of soulful bleeps and clonks, underscored his creative potential, but even so it was a full 6 years before he released his classic, "Smoker's Delight" (1995), one of the milestone records of the nineties.

Opening with his trademark song, "Nights Interlude", this record has played itself into innumerable hearts, record collections and annual charts, has been a dope beat classic ever since its release and has yet to lose any of its allure. His album, "Carboot Soul" (1999), as well as his collaborations with De La Soul, O.C. and Corinna Joseph, seamlessly picked up where the success of their predecessor left off and charted all over Europe. The album "Mind Elevation" 2002 release is the fourth album, is another welcome hit of chilled beats, entrancing melodies and soothing soul-drenched vocals. While persevering with the use of live instrumentation, Evelyn--a one-time judge of Amsterdam's High Times Cannabis Cup--has fortunately not sacrificed any of the dreamy ambience and looped samples that made 1995's Smokers Delight such essential post-club listening. He has though finally abandoned "Nights Interlude", an interpretation of Quincy Jones' "Summer In The City", that traditionally opened all prior Nightmares on Wax (NOW) albums. In its place lies "Mind Eye", a languorous spiralling instrumental groove that sets the pace way down low and stirs an entrancing breezy summer vibe that drifts throughout the album. Alongside the cool mix of mellow hip-hop, soulful r'n'b, and ambling ambient effects, comes the lilting if occasionally overstretched vocal talents of Chyne B. "Got To Know My Name", the most upbeat NOW track to date, sees her joyously waxing lyrical over an impossibly funky, retro-soul melody. Sadly her other contributions such as the r'n'b-lite "Date with Destiny" prove disappointing. But with the majority of the album bringing the feel of a joyous sun-drenched afternoon to your speakers, you can sit back and rest assured that Mind Elevation really does do what it says on the tin.

Excellent live shows translated into an exultant progression across Europe and NIGHTMARES ON WAX can today enjoy a substantial worldwide fan base.

His record collection might soon be almost equally broad, the foundation stone for which was laid with the acquisition of two dub 7-inches when he was eight years old (!) and which to this day serve as a source of inspiration (and samples). The idea of making a mix CD with NIGHTMARES ON WAX came about (and was carried out) as early as 1995, but the project was also subject to George Evelyn's "leisurely" working practices - all good things take time. Now he sends us, just a little later than expected, shooting into his beat orbit. He has put together an excellent selection of hip hop and downbeat tunes for his "DJ-Kicks" set and has found the perfect blend of the old and the new, UK and USA as well as vocal and instrumental tracks. Tunes from A Tribe Called Quest, Kenny Dope, Aim, Blackalicious, Freddy Fresh, Jerry Beeks and DJ Trax amongst others, as well as some of his own tracks of course, come together in a phat set with plenty of funk!

The "DJ Kicks" compilation series has had some realy, really great CDs come out of it, most notably the mixes by Giles Peterson and Kemistry & Storm. They've been stylistically very unique and wide, with really good songs strung together regardless of the style. This one by N.O.W. isn't one of the best ones, but it's not bad. It's a great hip-hop disc minus the rapping, so if you're looking for hip-hop mood music sans vocals (for the MOST part), this is it. I thought it might be a little more moody - more in the vein of say, early DJ Cam - but it's beats are very traditional hip-hop.

The soundtrack for bombing subway cars and school buildings with spray paint, but not as underground in parts as you may like if you're a hip-hop head.

In a sense, comparing any of the DJ Kicks releases to another in the series is like, you guessed it, apples and oranges. Perhaps not as "fluid" as some in the series (a la K&D) the NOW set does a great job at setting a goal and getting there in style.

A good mix of instrumental hip-hop, with a few choice MC tracks blended in, DJ Ease creates a streetwise blend that's great for chilling, driving, partying, styling, mackin', whatever. It also has a legit raw feel that's not too over-produced.

DJ Kicks: For spectacular trip-hop choose K&D. For lounge choose Thievery (despite a lack of mixing talent). For funky British underground, choose Stereo MCs (again, poor mixing). For funky, trippy hip-hop, this is it.

Just what I needed when I got it.

I don't know what that guy was off about, but this is some really sick hip-hop rhythms, and totally old school. Excellent vibe that kicks and kicks.

This Cd is the first of Nightmares on Wax I have listened to. I am a big fan of the K7 DJ Kicks albums and have used many of them to check out an artist for the first time. This may be silly but it is a style that has moved me to love many of the artists on the Kicks. I feel that this album portrays a level of even mix for the artist. It throughs a bit of every part of him into it. Justly it is noted that some of his work is more appreciated, but as well it is noted that this album containes two tracks of his never released, and as well a track by Kenny Dope that has never been released. That right there is a sell for me due to the fact that unreleased means it didn't fit somewhere else and it does here therefore making this a style of album that is fresh and new for this artist. Call it crazy, but I found this album to be riddled with talent and raw mixing that took me to a level of appreciation that is worthy of giving it a shout out.

I don't know what's not to like about this mix since it contains some hard to find classics. DJ Premier's DITC, Kenny "dope" Gonzales, OC with NOW, Carrena with Jimi Ease. Yes there is some cheese, one tune which doesn't ruin the listening expierence at all. I will say that some of this music is old school and I was surprised to hear some of it again, but that was one of the nice surprises on this very underated dj mix, from NOW.

I love this album. I'm not a big hip-hop fan but somehow these tracks hit me just right (maybe *because* I don't normally listen to this stuff). I certainly like NoW's other stuff, but for me this collection stands head and shoulders above the rest.

There's no shortage of driving beats and just plain swagger throughout this disc; it's a perfect blend of rhythm and attitude, and the mixing is top notch -- every transition a thing of beauty. I can't recommend this disc enough.

Fast shipping, item arrived in excellent condition, however the musical content is not QUITE what I had expected. This is NOT a N.O.W. CD. I love N.O.W., and DJ ESE is the man, however I already have 75% of these songs as they are mostly old school east coast hip hop. The standout is the N.O.W. original "Play On". Still worth the $ - ESE can do no wrong!

....to enjoy this compilation - you gotta be a fan of hip hop, otherwise - it's just not going to work out.

Compared to other NOW releases - this definitely has the heaviest hip hop influences, so Dont buy this album expecting a similar sound to his other stuff -

that said, i really do enjoy this album - it gets a little drawn out in hte middle. but overall - a tripped out dubbb with some sweet rhymes and great jazz influences.