DJ Alex Corton – Vinyl Reviews

Good Looking Records

Nookie – First Light EP

2000

Back for more? Ok. 

Today is one of those many moments that I’ve been writing and working out, “What is it that gives me the drive to keep doing this?” All that is happening is me listening to tracks off the shelf, working my way along the jungle/hardcore/rave shelves, in tandem with the house/trance/alternative shelves as we move through the alphabet and labels. The tunes play and instead of keeping my thoughts, ideas and journeys to myself, I let them out to play. That’s where this writing comes in. 

   It started as a way to document my collection. Discogs is great but it doesn’t prove you own the records, just by selecting ‘In Collection’. I wanted a record (pardon the pun), of my collection but also wanted to express and release the feelings within the products, of the sounds, the vinyl, the sleeves and the memories. I’m hoping my recording setup gets sorted soon too (crackling noise, but I’m working on it), as the efforts that go into my writing, works on an equal level with my mixes. I care, I create and I fucking love the music. It’s on the way though. 

    That’s a little about what goes on at the Corton mews. Let’s now throw open the windows, take out the next vinyl record and roll out the second disc on this superb EP by Nookie. 

    Back on August 25, 2025 I posted a review on Facebook and on my blog (see below) reviewing Nookie’s track ‘Lost File’ on GLR044. In that write up I mentioned that we would get to today’s track, during these reviews. Alas, the time has arrived, as we reach the track on Side C, ‘Lost File (Remix)’. As the shadows slowly brighten with that suspenseful techno key and plumes of encrypted solace and tranquility submerge you, it’s those beats here that raise the game in a big way. Nookie takes a leaf off the Ray Keith engineering tablet right here, taking the relaxed original and placing it under the microscope of a ruffer and more razor cut version. Check out the blinking amen burst, that defined Dread and Ray’s work (with Nookie engineering as we know). If you’re after that sharp twist in the atmospheric set, slam this one and take things to the next level. A wicked remix this. 

   Side D, delivers ‘Spiral Motion’, taking something a little unique out Nookie’s magician hat. Listening to this track on my headphones, cranked up way too loud, confirms just how fucking incredible this EP is. If you need to hear Nookie’s powers of rolling atmospheric brilliance, just drop this track and you’ll fall in love with it. The way Gavin can take an instrument and just riff it, opening up long term memory banks for every sound to settle in your head, is pure genius. It’s not just one riff though. In this track alone, there are about 5 or 6 that are absorbed. The fear is that you’ll reach the end of this track and now need to play it again.. and again. More a necessity than a fear. 

   ‘Spiral Motion’ is up there as a top three of Nookie’s tracks on Good Looking for me. A mesmerizing, emotional and fucking ludicrously tantalizing piece of music. This audio canvas has no frame, as it breaks the confines of sound, allowing all that you feel during this track, to move, expand and reinvent itself, within your soul. 

  Unbelievable. 

   A massive respect to Gavin Cheung as always. These sounds will never lose their appeal and continue to hit listeners in unexplainable ways. Plenty more tracks to review from Nookie on Good Looking and further afield once the label is complete. 

   My blog is here, so you can check out the back catalogue if you have some spare time. Thanks to those who have dropped in.