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
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.
Tags: Global Underground Reykjavik Nick Warren
