on Confidence

One of the prime architects of the organic grooves later dubbed trip-hop, Nightmares on Wax deserted their early formula in 2002 only when it became respectable and a crossover appeared most likely. With the air cleared of downtempo cash-ins, producer George Evelyn and producer/keyboardist Robin Taylor-Firth went right back to dub-heavy trip-hop with In a Space Outta Sound. Unsurprisingly, Nightmares on Wax remain among the best at constructing simple grooves with endless depths; their only rival is Massive Attack. The centerpiece is "Damn," seven and a half minutes of gently undulating hip-hop courtesy of a reedy Al Hirt sample (familiar from its use by De La Soul) that eventually flowers into an R&B jam with a gospel choir…

Although generally classified as an atmospheric gothic metal band, On Thorns I Lay has become known for its change from early, brutal death-metal (under their previous names Paralysis and Phlebotomy) to softer, atmospheric rock. Crystal Tears is no exception to this evolution. However, this specific album can be regarded as an important turning point in their career as this is a drastic change in their aesthetic orientation. Despite previous stylistic changes, the band was accustomed to navigating the waters of extreme metal until this album. Crystal Tears radically turns toward a softer and more atmospheric direction.

The first Nightmares on Wax album in five years is George Evelyn's most organic and band-oriented release. Beside longtime collaborator Robin Taylor-Firth, Evelyn is joined by a roster of seasoned studio veterans: drummer Wolfgang Haffner, bassist Paul Powell, percussionist Andrew "Shovell" Lovell, vocalist Mozez, and string arranger Sebastian Studnitzky. It's not as if the album was recorded with a strictly old-school method, however; a fair portion of the elements sound producer-driven, heavily manipulated. Stylistically, the album is characteristically diverse for a NoW release, with easy listening, reggae, dub, soul, funk, disco, hip-hop, and downtempo all in the bright mix…