Nightmares on Wax – Coming Home (2009) (CD) (320 kbps)

After multiple decades in the vanguard of electronic music, George Evelyn’s Nightmares on Wax has little left to prove, so his volume in the Coming Home mix-album series is appropriately a subdued affair. It has plenty of influences represented, and a few new tracks from associated producers, but as on any great NoW album, the vibe is smooth and the hour-plus runtime is never disturbed by surprises (which can be good or bad depending on the listener). Coming Home has plenty of examples of the NoW-type music: one of the prime examples of Donald Byrd’s ’70s fusion days, island tracks by Jimmy Cliff and Johnny Osbourne, soul from Marvin Gaye and Carla Thomas, and next-generation rap from Roots Manuva and Erykah Badu. It also has several tracks or remixes from NoW themselves, or their associated Wax On label. (These are low-impact groovers with little to focus on but plenty of atmosphere.) Marvin Gaye’s instrumental of “After the Dance” is especially revealing as an influence.

01. Donald Byrd – Places & Spaces [6:17]
02. Lee Everton – So Proud of You [Gelka remix] [3:50]
03. Erykah Badu – The Healer [4:01]
04. Jimmy Cliff – Those Good, Good Old Days [3:48]
05. Roots Manuva – A Man’s Talk [3:47]
06. Johnny Osbourne – Love is Universal [3:44]
07. Gelka – Soon [4:15]
08. The Deadbeats – Got what I Want [exclusive track] [5:22]
09. Mr. Scruff – Hold On [5:04]
10. Nightmares on Wax – Da Feeling [Rapscallion’s got jah feeling] [5:32]
11. Negghead – Build it Up [exclusive track] [4:17]
12. The Heptones – Book of Rules [instrumental version] [3:30]
13. Carla Thomas – I’ve Fallen in Love with You [2:43]
14. Marvin Gaye – After the Dance [instrumental version] [4:25]
15. Nightmares on Wax – Damn [Marcel remix] [5:34]
16. HungryGhost – ESQ [exclusive track] [3:53]
17. Guts – Cry & Smile [3:00]
18. Sola Rosa – Del Ray [4:32]

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