The Beat Surrender

Back in the 1990’s Nightmares On Wax produced a seminal album with the brilliant Smokers Delight, a record that came out post rave, helping to take electronic music in a different direction and further dividing commercial chart dance music from the more credible underground scene.

Since then there have been a number of new albums that have followed over the years, an almost insatiable appetite for line up changes and one huge decision made by Nightmares On Wax mainman George Evelyn that has not only had an impact on this album, it has actually shaped it in many ways.

The decision he took was to move from Leeds (I’d never realised Nightmares On Wax were a Leeds outfit until this point) and set up his family home in Ibiza. Rather than just moving his equipment over in a van or through the usual routes though, he decided to travel on the road to Ibiza, recording along the way, with the end result being the sumptious sixth album Thought So…

The road and boat trip isn’t evident in how the album flows or even how it sounds really, but the possibilty that he was heading for a sunnier climate has evidently given the album a very uplifting feel throughout, with many tracks taking on a sunshine vibe quality.

Thought So… opens with the slow funky groove of the intro and then kicks into Da Feelin which features some lovely hammond organ. One of the highlights of the album is 195lbs a track that oozes single material with its electrobeat and laidback ragga vocals.

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