Track Listing

1. Les Nuits
2. Morse
3. Ethnic Majority
4. Jorge
5. Finer
6. Ease Jimi
7. Argha Noah
8. Fire In The Middle
9. Survival
10. Capumcap

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8410 in Music
• Released on: 1999-04-12
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Like other DJ composers, Nightmares on Wax mentalist George "Herbs" Evelyn has stopped flea-market shopping for vinyl records out of car boots and started rummaging around in his own mind. The gorgeous retro soul strings, vocal choruses, and chill-out trip-hop he finds rolling easy up there in his fog bank are a definite maturation of the Philly-soul redub and bass-boss Barry White attitude that was pioneered on 1995's Smoker's Delight. Since then, though, Evelyn has scratched a ton of vinyl to get to the truth: nothing is warmer than live bodies. This album was still made with a drum machine and just enough wax to keep it in the boot, but bass, keys, guitar, and vocals are live. The real secret to this soft summer vibe is that Evelyn doesn't simply hand over the vocals and let the pieces become wannabe soul singles. Instead, these cuts maintain a jazz attitude recalling George Benson's Breezin'--not his most technically challenging playing, but a laid-back, perfectly executed distillation offered up like a gift. Unwrap the fragile jazz riff of "Fire in the Middle" or the upbeat, Fifth Dimension-like background vocal and hip-hop scratch of "Ethnic Majority" and the bad-ass horn funk of "Ease Jimi". Beware of a short little strings-and-bass dub called "Jorge": If this one gets in your ears once, you'll be humming the one-word chorus all summer. --Dean Kuipers

CD Description
When Nightmares on Wax's debut SMOKER'S DELIGHT was released on England's Mo' Wax label in 1995, it helped to solidify the label's reputation for innovative electronic dance music. Unlike the deep, uncompromising grooves of fellow Mo' Waxers like DJ Shadow though, NOW's was an unassuming, almost gentle sound. A four-year wait for the follow-up created inflated expectations that are handily met by CARBOOT SOUL.
NOW's mastermind George Evelyn laces together beats that skip nimbly along with subtle yet incisive elegance. Simple, unobtrusive synth lines provide much of the melodic colour, aided by the occasional ethereal vocal. Funky in an engaging, often downright endearing way, CARBOOT SOUL works as both the soundtrack to an evening of relentless rump-shaking and the come-down on the morning after.

Customer Reviews

Soulful "Boot"
Nightmares on Wax is one of those legendary one-man bands who crop up every now and then (also known as George Evelyn, but that doesn't sound as cool). Even the "merely good" work by people such as he is astounding, inventive and really fun.

And "Carboot Soul," his third album, is no exception: it's an amazing mixture of chillout electronica and acid jazz. It's a bit less hazy than his 1995 "Smoker's Delight," but that isn't surprising -- here Evelyn pulls on various influences to flavour his music. The title fits this album: it's soulful, yet it has as many influences as a "carboot" rummage sale.

It begins on a symphonic note in the epic "Les nuits," which seems to herald a new music direction. Don't be deceived. The symphonic build-up leads to funky grooves and jazzy flavours in "Morse," which continues to the brassy "Easejimi," the mellow murmurs of "Finer," and the wonderfully peculiar "Argha Noah." Say that last title out loud, and you'll understand the joke.

But there is a slightly more delicate style near the end, when Evelyn switches to the gently rippling guitar of "Fire in the Middle," the melancholy acid jazz of "Survival," and the eerier, more symphonic sound of "Capumcap." Evelyn ends the album on a high note, with those sensitive, lower-key songs.

It's hard to find groups as good as Nightmares on Wax -- scour the top hundreds, and you won't find anything like this. I personally found "Carboot Soul" in a tiny hole-in-the-wall music store, in the "used" bin, although it's hard to imagine why anyone would discard an album like this.

Despite the chillout label, Evelyn's music has a sort of relaxed warmth that counterpoints the icy sound of many other bands. He also has a good ear for samples and beats, lacing them with razor-sharp drums and some wonderful brass instrumentation. Sara Winton's rich voice is used well, crooning, "A bottle like a model shipwreck/where did it come from?/Where will it go?/A face without a name/survival..."

"Carboot Soul" is another triumph by Nightmares on Wax, and another wonderful display of George Evelyn's considerable talents. An absolute joy.

Beautiful chilled-out sounds for a summer evening
This is a stunning album of relaxed, chilled out songs. You don't need to be into any particular type of music to appreciate this - classicists to hip-hop heads will enjoy. Unreservedly recommended.

divine sounds
Along with Global Communication's '76:14', this album is arguably a contender for the greatest chill-out album ever made. After a few listens the mesmerising tunes have found a way to your heart and you will wonder how you ever managed without them.

As the title suggests George 'EASE' Evelyn has trawled through hundreds of old records to find the samples he uses to construct the gorgeous soundscapes of this album. Highlights are too many too mention, but suffice to say that this album transcends musical boundaries and tastes - I've yet to find a single person who hasn't fallen in love with this album upon hearing it.

Oh and I'm not some obsessive fan writing to heap praise on an idols latest offering - my musical tastes range from hip-hop to techno to rock.... This album however has earned each and every one of it's five stars. As the saying goes, if you only buy one album this year, buy this one and let the love affair begin...