DJ Alex Corton – Vinyl Reviews

Good Looking Records

Nookie – Oceanic EP

2001

For our second record on Nookie’s ‘Oceanic EP’, we have two more essential pieces from Gavin and tracks that any Good Looking fan from both sides of the Millenium, will love. Both tracks featured on Good Looking Records compilations, the first one on the compilation disc on MC Conrad’s, Logical Progression Level 4 (taking the original and adding vocals to this version), and the second track being on Progression Sessions 6, mixed by LTJ Bukem with the lyrical genius of MC Conrad (RIEP).

    Shane McEnhill is the mastering legend behind this one, Mr. SMC and one of the members of Sub Sequence on Tooz Up. He had his hand in a few of the cuts on GLR and of course has that ‘Shane The Cutter’ and ‘Finyl Tweek’ name that I’m sure is stocked on many of your plates. 

  Let’s rollout Side C with the track ‘Think About (Vocal Mix)’, sending out that nerve racking, suspense, so tender hooks at the ready. 

   The beats in here are something else. Full on drum funk baadness! The dance floor will ignite with these beats. The bass guitar then puts its foot through the door of the arena and all chaos breaks loose. Pure, unfiltered jamming funk that explodes into every nook and cranny. The vocals add a sweet touch of soul in the piece, that adds a splash more muscle tensioning, gripping that uncertainty. Nookie finds this balance of darkness, and pure, brake failing, bobsleigh hurtling energy along with a vibrant bubbling of funked up jazz. This is one hell of a piece of music. 

   On Side D, the sun dips down below the horizon and the nocturnal stirrings awaken for their light redacted day to begin. If you thought the beats in the last track were a dance floor pick me up, then check the ferocity and levels of fusion in these! Nookie extends the plateaux of the unthinkable with ‘Solstice’, unwinding the horizon out further and sustaining the radiance of the setting sun. Every moment of ‘Solstice’ locks you into this beautiful setting of heavenly equilibrium, from the infectious pads and synths, the earth trembling bass and brain thumping beats. This track is one that kicks off in practically any set, so go slap it on the decks again and get it out there! Priceless, timeless and pure fucking genius. 

   Gavin was pressing the buttons on the bridge with grace and confidence, guiding his ship on its trip through the musical galaxies, claiming his place on each visit. Hardcore rave..done. Jungle and drum and bass…done…Atmospherical outreaches…done. Down tempo jazz fusion…done. He’s now hurtling through the sounds of 2026 and guess what? He’s top of the game yet again. Not many can match that. Hats off every time. 

   We will have one more EP from Gavin before the end of this series. We have a familiar artist on the label coming up next. 

   In the style of Monty Python.. “It’s…”