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
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Must Have Album
I couldn't bring myself to give this 5 stars despite feeling it definitely is one of those must have albums. Funky, down-tempo and perfect for lounging and entertaining as its extremely inoffensive to the ears. just downright soothing, will have you horizontal in no time. It's not a perfect album but should be in everyones music collection.
Rating: - A classic, must-have album
This album outshines smoker's delight. Not so "dub" based and more rhythms. This album is up there with the best in chill-out grooves. Buy it - you will not be disappointed.
Rating: - 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 ... Read More
Rating: - Warm and Cool!
DJ Ease has managed effortlessly to create his own dubbed out Soul/chill style which always manages to create a smile or a slow head bob in appreciative acknowledgement. Carboot Soul is a very fine example of his best original work and every person I meet who enjoys good music has a copy of this beatifully crafted album. 'Les Nuits' kicks us off with its gorgeous string sample and soft bass line, and sets the tone for this cozy in front of the open fire social album that flows through casually from start ... Read More
Rating: - Leave it for the summer
Buy this in the summer. Buy it then and on those hotter than hot nights when the windows steam up from the heat of you own body even with the air con on and the window open when you're waiting for your body to let you sleep - play it. Play it in the car on the way home from a night out or a trip to the beach. It's for warm evenings in a British summer. Don't, like I did, buy it in an ugly Northern city on a mild autumn day and try to learn to like it through a drudgy, slushy student winter. It's not as fun. Read More
- 
- 
-