Nick Warren - Global Underground #024: Reykjavik

Like a fine wine, Nick Warren gets better with age. Honestly, I didn't even like his mixing style up until GU018, which is my favorite Warren mix to date. He always came off as having great tunes, but no way to properly mix them (it's not the DJ, but the record selection).

CD1 is definitely the prize winner here, like others stated, an amazing downtempo journey to be enjoyed by all. The first 6 tracks are my favs. CD2 is great until halfway through....it seems to lose its luster, but not the momentum.

Summarized, Warren has become one of my favorite DJ's and it's nice to know when excellent music will be coming around. I give it 5/5.

This took as long to get into as any other mix album, but now this is certainly my favourite of the Global Underground label.

Disc 1 starts with the obligatory slightly off-genre track to ease you in, the classic Dub in Time by Avatar. On to a beautiful Firewire and Compass Error, and another brilliant, slightly sad track by Ulrich Schnauss. Things keep going well till we get to Tightrope Artist Tale, by which point you are in pure bliss. The Dive/In Every Truth sounded annoying at first, but it becomes spooky. And it's at track 10 where Nick Warren really shows off - three tracks in one, combining Burufunk's aggressive tones, to 14:31's utopia sound and then into a great sample about the end of the world. Awesome stuff. A slightly out of place Glimmer of Dope ends CD1 after a peak is hit at Grayarea's Yewminyst.

CD2 goes in a different, deeper direction which is always the way to go with 2CD mixes. Another blissful start with one of Warren's double tracks (I melt every time at the start of Disc 2 as that jungle loop kicks in), and we're in to perhaps my favourite track of both discs - Aural Imbalance's 13 minute long masterpiece that puts you on the seas - at some point in this track you will feel enlightened, I guarantee you! And things get even better when Rise begins, a more of a minimal track. The mix loses its way a bit with Aquaculture's track I think - not because it's a bad track, just it doesn't fit in with the others. The mix only gets back on track again with Starkid's sublime Crayons, given extra emotional power by the fact that Starkid recently passed away. A great ending follows, bringing CD2 to a very satisfactory close.

Both discs get 4.5, and as I already said this is my favourite Global Underground mix and favourite from Warren.

By far one of my favorite mix compilations. Nick Warren had intended this to be his last mix album so he could focus on his production works with Way Out West. CD1 starts off with slow, ambient, chillout tracks, working his way through Ulrich Schnauss' "Nobody's Home" and BoC's "Happy Cycling" and the music starts building steam to make its way to an interesting track by Justine Simmons, "Helga Möller" and gets to my favorite part of CD1, where "110 Mistakes" brings into a dialogue from the movie "Naked" (directed by Mike Leigh) about a conspiracy theory, which helps bring in the atmosphere so Nick can bring out the bigger beats and get to "Yewminyst", an outstanding breaks track, and end CD1 with "Love Lost" for a great finish. CD2 gets straight to the point with more fast paced tracks to start off. With Tocharian's "Awakening" leading off, one can tell that CD2 is the more trancy of the two parts. My favorite track on this CD was "Crayons" (RIP Adam Spears), which helps CD2 hold up its own. I wouldn't dare comparing CD2 to CD1; CD1 is just utter brilliance and is enough to make GU024 the best compilation Nick Warren have ever made. CD2 is not left in the dust, though, as it was also an enjoyable listen.

After a year and a half this mix is still my favorite and finds its way into my player quite frequently.

I have to agree with the previous post, the first disc is absolutely marvellous and I believe that it is going to becoma a "classic" such as some of Sasha and Digweed's works. The second disc in this respect is not quite so amazing, but still a good partner to the first one. The track selection is right up there and the mixing is top notch, but for those expecting a repeat of disc one but on a more dancable level it might turn out a dissapointment.

Either way, disc one is worth any price, so if you happen to like the second one as well, consider it a bonus. Much respect. A clear 10/10.

Two top-class mixsets from Nick Warren with very different styles.

CD1 Overview
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This CD begins with some slow breaks (quite ambient in places) Completely seemless mixing throughout, and the theme is well established by an excellent choice of records. Nick Warren has supplied us with some new and unusual and unfamiliar tracks as well as a few more well known records, but at the same time this CD is instantly likeable. A personal favourite is "Boards of Canada - Happy Cycling".
Through track 7 and onwards, the pace subtly builds to a faster but still controlled breakbeat pace. Track 11, "Grayarea - Yewinamist" is a pounding and unmistakable work of art, well implemented. The final track, "Glimmer of Dope - Love Lost", is similarly an ingenious record which finds its place in this set.
While I've never been to Iceland, the atmospheric, laid back breakbeats found on this CD goes well with my mental picture.


CD2 Overview
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The pace and theme from this CD are in strong contrast with CD1. The records chosen would best be described as Progressive House/Trance, and is very deep. The build up is gradual, and the tracks are generally much longer than CD1, adding to the very progressive feel of the entire mix. "Vector - Rise" is a certain hilight and has been carefully chosen, since there are only two proper vocal tracks on the CD. In my opinion it works really well, since they are subtly included without spoiling the theme. Mixing quality is of course excellent.

This 2xCD boxset on Global Underground comes highly recommended. If you are considering buying it, whether you are familiar with Nick's other work or not, this Breakbeat / Progressive boxset will not disappoint.

I simply cannot overstate how fantastic this album is. The first disc alone is a classic with it's stunning downtempo tracks. I played this disc at the cafe i work at and even a couple of the elderly and people with otherwise poor music taste seemed to be really gettin into this. It starts of sooo chilled out and builds up gorgeously and finally, come track #10, you realize you getttin into some breakbeat but it's gorgeously layered over that Global Communication's ambience. Not suprisingly the booklet say Warren based this of a set he played in a cafe.

Of course, the second disc also earns a 5 in my opinion and some will disagree but i think thats just because its overshadowed by the first disc. The deep melodic house spun by Warren here is just euphoric. Through the gorgeous icy beats painted here, there's clearly a sense of minimalism present throughout the two discs. Where less is more and ambience is no longer backgroud, but a focal point (interesting paradox). "What can such a specific prophecy mean?" ;-)

I love this album.

Nick Warren is one amazing DJ, and he just proved it with
GU: Reykjavik. The cd is a good example how a good dj can make a CD with artists that many people have never heard. CD1 is my favorite also because of the unique blend of music that all fit into one another. But CD2 is just as good, especially for mixing as all the bpms are relatively close. I especially enjoy track 10 on CD1 (MOT-110 mistakes) I haven't heard some breakbeats that good since hybrid. Get this CD!

CD1 is really something new in underground music.It is combination of various styles,from trip-hop cold melodies to reggae grooves,ambinetal soundscapes to progressive breaks dance ...
Maybe the most interesting song on this CD1 is Justin Simmons - Helga Moller,fantastic breaks with groove and pads,strings like from films,some techy synthline to dance...fantastic combination
CD2 is more progressive house,trance oriented,start with mellow song 'Awakening'...then warm up with Aquaculture - Dont Play The game and Dream Traveler - Headpusher...
and go out slowly with last 'Last Minute Flight'...

in all this is not perfect but closely to that...

I haven't heard something this good since GU:13. CD 1 starts with some downtempo/ambient tunes that slowly speed up and work their way to some excellent breakbeat songs. Disc 1 flows perfectly into disc 2. Disc 2 has the more danceable house music that is on the whole disc. Really cool as well but disc 1 is easily my favorite. Warren did say that this would be his last mix comp so enjoy...

this is an excellent set.first cd is brilliant,started with slow beats and groovy bassline and continued in a very airy atmosphere til the breaks from the end.the last tracks are absolutely high...and the mixing style of warren is perfect-calm,melodic,and give to this mix a really beautiful listening.with second cd u could learn how to pick the right songs for a mix.i am waiting for the next lesson...