Global Underground: Reykjavik

Nick Warren | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 18, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Global Underground
• ASIN: B00007L6RO
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,071 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Dub in Time

2. Firewire

3. Compass Error [Tarrentella: Redanka Dubbed Version]

4. Nobody's Home/Roll Call [Asad Rizvi's Silvering Mix]

5. Happy Cycling

6. Thinking About Your Next Move

7. Tightrope Artist Tale

8. The Dive/In Every Truth

9. Helga Möller, Helga [New Alluminists Remix]

10. Outsider/14:31/110 Mistakes

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Awakening/Headstart

2. Aural Navigation

3. Rise

4. Don't Play the Game

5. Headpusher

6. Rambient [Jimmy Van M/Steve Porter Team Ram Rod Mix]

7. Crayons

8. Strawberry Fields

9. Last Minute Flight

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With the esteemed Nick Warren (a.k.a. Way Out West) on hand, we should know what to expect on Reykjavik, his fifth entry in the Global Underground series. However, Warren's ear has picked up new sounds, and GU 024 may surprise those seeking the usual thump. The consistency provided by John Digweed, Paul Oakenfold, and Danny Tenaglia has made Global Underground a brand in itself, one associated with the highest end of progressive trance and house. But Reykjavik often hovers around the beat, more interested in ambient crackles and Boards of Canada-like wanderings than the usual rhythmic grandeur. For much of the two-CD set, especially on disc 1, Warren spins light, sparse wax that rambles through electro and Orb-ish atmospherics and refrains from predictable peaks and valleys. Later, after the dance floor ignites on disc 2 with bouncy tracks like Aquaculture's "Don't Play the Game," it's clear that disc 1 was just the dreamy eye of a hurricane. Still, when DJs like Warren and Sasha (with his endlessly interesting Airdrawndagger) are looking forward and being creative, those who still have hope for the oft-derided trance genre should be encouraged. --Matthew Cooke

Product Description

The 24th installment in the Global Underground series features 21 tracks from the likes of Avatar, Substructure, Atlas, Ulrich Schnauss, Shuffle Heads, Boards Of Canada, Yunx, Planet Funk, & many more. Warren's rumble through icy breaks & spooky trance is as wild & windy as Iceland itself. 2003.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nick Warren's Swan Song: Molten Breaks & Frosty Trance, January 9, 2005

By 

Ian Vance (pagosa springs CO.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Global Underground: Reykjavik (Audio CD)

The aftershock of 1997 - the year the music business decided to make electronica the Next Big Thing - reverberated well beyond the passing of the trend into a curiosity-status among the mainstream. The Chemical Brothers rocked the block; the Prodigy sold out and sold well; and the safest, most accessible sonic aspect of the rave-scene, Trance, exploded in popularity and was quickly the de jour ticket for easy fame and quick money. With the ascension of superstar DJs like Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto and Ferry Corsten, Trance's old school roots in acid & progressive house - not to mention techno - were quickly watered down by ten thousand variants of the standard "dunh dunh dunh" note-crescendo, complete with rapid drumrolls, a strict three-chord dominance and the occasional diva-vox to mask the ubiquitous mediocrity. As the scene expanded like a virus through '98-'99, progressive-house DJs began to change their sound, replacing any semblance of cheese from their record boxes with harder, darker terrain: tech-house, tribal and deep progressive.

This new swing for gloomy, tech-y beats and sound f/x was initially interesting, even invigorating, upon the dance floor and through the home head-phones ... but, unfortunate for those of us who had cut our teeth with the original Renaissance/Northern Exposure releases, the absence of melody often made the music a borderline-tedious affair. The goal of this style was subtle: to blend records to the point that transitions were indistinguishable, crafting a journey of smooth, uninterrupted flow, usually peaking an hour or so of dark, driving percussion with a brief glimmer of techno-shine or even a synthscape at the very end - therein pushing to the limit the "struggle for pleasure" -type brain-massage endemic to nearly all forms of media. John Digweed's GU 019, Los Angeles, can be seen as the pinnacle/nadir of this dark ethic; and after this dubious peak, a period of confusion and uncertainty began to set in. DJs and producers had pushed BSPF ("bog standard prog fodder") to the limit, and the scene itself was obviously suffering for it, both creatively and financially. Something had to be done, though many, still caught up in the `hardcore' mentality, were clueless as to what exactly: and so melody began to creep back into playlists, albeit somewhat reluctantly. The GU's of 2002 reflect the transition. Deep Dish strung together faux-pop ditties and BSPF with shockingly shoddy programming in GU 021; Dave Seaman missed the boat entirely with Melbourne 022, a curious, experimental failure. Lavell's Barcelona was a much-needed departure, if not entirely satisfying or an A-list effort. Meanwhile, bedroom DJs and lesser club-captains continued to steer the course through the increasingly perilous bog-standard, oblivious to the aesthetic stagnancy of the genre.

Thus we come to the point, the CDx2 in question: the majesty and period-anomaly that is GU 024: Reykjavik. Nick Warren, contemptuous of the cheese-hammering of such clowns as Oakey and Tiesto and fed up with the sheep-mentality of BSPF (...made even more omnipresent by the popularity of filesharing networks), decided to shift his focus from DJing to full-time production work with his band Way Out West, and to make Reykjavik his swan song, his final mix-composition, and without a doubt his masterpiece. I'm not particularly fond of Warren's other outings on the GU label: Prague is dated, Budapest rather bombastic without payoff, and Amsterdam an absolute mess. But Reykjavik is it, the best of Warren's mixing committed to digital, and within the top 3 Global Underground releases to date.

In many ways Reykjavik reminds me of the first 2xCD Northern Exposure release, in tone and overall structure. CD1 is a meld of dub, chillout percussion and molten breakbeats, all glazed with luscious pads and perfectly timed keys; CD2 is the deeper prog-journey, 4/4 the pounding dominant, though melody remains front-and-center throughout.

CD1 is a personal favorite. It begins with the gurgling, sweeping `Dub in Time,' and shifts into a moody build-up with `Firewire' and `Compass Error' before peaking with the childlike notes of Ulrich Schnauss's `Nobody's Home.' An interesting facet that immediately separates this from almost any other release of the period is that these first four songs are all synth/key matched, rather than beat-blended. Elitists would tend to turn up their noses at such technique, but here in context it works marvelously. The next three tracks are mixed more traditionally, building into the almost Pink Floyd-ish `Tightrope Artist Tale' by Planet Funk. From here we enter the darker half of the mix, Momu's `The Dive' and `Helga Moller' setting up the percussive flow for the booming, grinding bass of Burufunk's `Outsider.' A conspiracy-theory rant is thrown into the breakdown, Revelations-quoting paranoia with the swimming ambience of Global Communication's `14:31;' they peak together in an outstanding stroke of production genius. Grayarea's `Yewminyst' rides the peak to a shattering denouement, and in my opinion, Warren could/should have concluded the mix right here (or faded out with some icy synths), but instead he drops `Lost Love' as the end-piece. I have to admit that I feel this draws the CD out, but understand his reasons for concluding in such a manner.

CD2 begins with the impeccably mixed `Awakening' into `Aural Navigation,' and peaks this 17-minute build with Vector's `Rise,' a club-anthem that was soon caned by any DJ worth his salt. Warren lowers the mood somewhat with Aquaculture's `Don't Play the Game,' essentially setting up the long, hard drive through the glittering synthcapes and relentless foundation of `Headpusher,' `Karma,' `Crayons' - undeniable dance floor thunder awash with brain-bending melodies.

In the genre of electronica, there are very few albums or mix comps that survive the test of time (~that test usually being less than 24 months after release): GU024 Reykjavik continues to shine, two years down the line. Five Stars.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nick Warren, Taliesin of Bristol, May 6, 2004

By 

Infinite Catalyst "C. Robert Dennis" (Monument, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Global Underground: Reykjavik (Audio CD)

Bards were travelling musicians who through their authentic experiences with the mysteries of other cultures and far off lands created epic ballads of sensationalist history and people. For centruies bards have died out replaced by whiney, obselete, or drunk singers in taverns; at best folk artists that are over looked for their inability to channel the current of emerging music.

Metaphorically, and I suspect literally, Global Underground has flown, driven, floated, and walked quite a ways across this world. A long way. Since Paul Oakenfold has sold out and started his own label, titled, 'perfecto,' Global Underground's syndicate of contracted Dj's has realized it was time to step up to the booth and fill a monster's shoes. At least, that is how the electronic pop public sees it. The truth is, apostles of electronica in its most raw, primal form: Nick Warren and Danny Tenaglia Babysat Oakenfold shaking their heads as he sipped his college can of Keystone to FM anthems such as "James Brown is Dead."

The western music world has always been fascinated with the beats, rhythemic melodies, and chord progressions of middle-eastern, indian, and far-eastern authentic musicians. Genres such as World Beat, New Age, light jazz, and Dance are suspects in a line up that attempts in vain to recreate the ethnicity of these cultures. Electronica has been no exception to this group of alleged culprits of aesthetic crimes. Until Global Underground.

In all honesty GU isnt immune from minimal cultural clichee or monotony in its artists selection of Vinyls spun in all four quadrants and both hemispheres of the globe; these are recorded live sets mixed in the throbbing pulsing depths of clubs half buried in the soil of forign concrete jungles. In light of the growing need for artists to seperate from the bulk and fuse singularily to a set of technics or eachother, One could write volumes on what Global Underground is not. I choose rather to write on what it is, specifically this "Adam and God' section of the Cistine Chapel.

This Cd is a cacophony of assorted beats that span semblances of drum and base, jungle, break beat, progressive house, and trance. Warren opts to open, and subsequently foreshadow his set in Iceland with an ecletic combo of synthetic water noises and an elusive fading and echoing female vocalist. A slow breakbeat harbinges the creamy epoch of the Set.
Ambient, Atmospheric, and subtle electronic sounds are the threads of this magnificent tapestry. Sequences and themes heard in the beginning of this set can be heard congruently through the entire aural myth that Warren spins.
Ulrich Schnauss glides into the mix via song 4 on CD 01. His arrival is much like a bullet train through cascading fog, suiting for his latest Album "far away trains passing by." Ulrich opitimizes the german electronic chill scene providing tonal supplications of longing and bardic mystery.

Later in the CD a ranting englishman can be heard, heralding the apocaplyse. His voice as his urgent speech continues rises with passion and fervor, the melodic swell in the background responding like a porche on the autobahn. No idiotic snare swell here, no multiplying of an 4th (speaking in quater second beats) into an 8th, into a 16th, etc . . .etc. . . No Tiesto-esque or Acosta beat to death B flat 6 prdictable transition in the bass, no roland synth. No no. For you quality music lovers who have been waiting for a druid, a bard, anyone to bring electronica to its current potential. Here he is.

Nick Warren has bards blood coursing through his veins and the heart of a DJ to rhythemically pump and circut the crimson essence the Jews say life is in -- through his soul.

Like many music enthusiasts I have lost count of the electronic CD's in my possesion. This boxed set is it. Being careful not to eclipse Debussy or Gustave Holst as artists- Nick Warren is perhaps my choice musical artist ever and invariably the premier DJ of this coming decade.
Aural Prophet, Bard, or just a great mother friggin dj, however you will view Nick Warren is contingent on your purchase of this cd.

Buy it, burn it, whatever. This cd is transcendant

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Swansongs rarely get better than this, May 29, 2003

By 

Anand Subramaniam (Chennai, INDIA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Global Underground: Reykjavik (Audio CD)

There's a reason for which people can go out and pick up mix CDs by DJs like Warren, Seaman, Digweed or Tenaglia without thinking too much about it - these guys are the acknowledged masters of the craft, the ones who could at any given point of time serve up an effortless classic that shows you that they are still on top of the game. When the album in question is (possibly) the last mix CD to ever be released by one of these guys, and turns out to be one his best works... damn, that's a sweet buy.

If GU024:Reykjavik is any indication of Warren's place in the DJ hierarchy, its a real shame that we may never hear him on CD again except as a composer. This 2-disc set exemplifies the new direction taken by GU releases of late, starting with a slow-building, intensely introspective Disc 1 and melts smoothly into a progressive, deep, dark Disc 2. Seamless mixing & near-flawless programming characterize both discs, and the track selection is spot-on for a DJ who is not afraid to show off a varied record collection while never letting the sound drift off into eclectic obscurity.

Disc 1 is straight out of Back to Mine territory, with the kind of slowly rising and fading synths that marked the initial Northern Exposures outings. Downtempo, trip-hop, breaks - they all find a place here, and are arranged brilliantly so that each track flows out of the previous one and into the next with magical cohesion. Rather atypical for a GU, one might think, but this works quite beautifully as the opener of a 2 CD offering. It builds up tension nicely, and keeps it peaked for intense periods of time while beeping notes and lazily bending melodies dance around deep, cerebral bass.

Disc 2 takes off into more familiar territory (GU's signature(?) sound of deep, progressive house and trance), but shows Warren's magic control all the time. That's the one thing that kept hitting me about this disc - CONTROL. The only other album I have seen where the DJ showed so much control was Nocturnal Frequencies 3, and the control was so evident that I thought that Howells limited the set's potential, without letting it become what it could have. Warren, on the other hand, never sacrifices function for form, and allows the listener to get lost in individual tracks quite easily. This disc only has 9 tracks on it, and is upwards of an hour long, so you can imagine the extended trip that each track is. Pounding drums subliming into beautifully timed breakdowns, haunting vocals floating over insistent rhythms - this is Warren at his absolute best.

Bottom line - this is the finest GU release in a long, long time. GU 023 Barcelona was good in a very funky, glittery sort of manner, but Reykjavik puts the "underground" back into the label. Fresh cuts, beautiful sound, and the ethos of this being the label's most prolific contributor's last mix compilation : who says that the romance has gone out of the GU label?

It just took the swansong of the prodigal son to bring it to our attention again. Ace. 5 stars all the way, and a big cheer for one of the world's greatest turntable magicians.