Mira Calix Absent Origin CD

You know the story by now: a global pandemic hits, and your whole perspective shifts, particularly if your livelihood hangs in the balance. After a decade of non-stop gigging, Warp’s longest serving veteran George Evelyn, mastermind DJ and producer of the chameleonic Nightmares On Wax project, suddenly found himself at a standstill. Without the promise of packed venues, turntables on raised platforms and the atmosphere of magical evenings, what exactly was Nightmares On Wax?

As it happens, Shout Out! To Freedom... is the finest example of the N.O.W. experience Evelyn has produced to date, created in isolation and yet bolstered by a deep sense of collaboration. Duly informed by their own creative upheavals, the extraordinary talents of the likes of saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, vocalist Haile Supreme and poet Sabrina Mahfouz amplify the jazz feel of Evelyn’s sound. ‘Creator SOS’ is a prime example of perfect synchronicity, a striking amalgam of languid soul and psychedelic pop, played out over a hip-hop beat. Sensual sax licks fray at the turntablist textures of ‘3D Warrior’, while the likes of ‘Breathe In’ harken back to N.O.W.’s essential tenure as part of the early trip-hop movement.

Shout Out! To Freedom... encapsulates the endless potential that can come about from stasis. It's a record that as is celebratory of N.O.W.’s past as it is determined to break from it.